GOAL Zimbabwe
Overview of the role
The Field Officer (Livelihoods) is responsible for liaising with the Senior Field Officer and UPLIFT team in implementing the Livelihoods – Economic Recovery and Market Systems (ERMS) activities in Mbare, Stoneridge, and Hopley suburbs of Harare.
The Field Officer (Livelihoods) will work closely with the UPLIFT and Livelihoods team to support the timely and efficient implementation of livelihoods activities in the field. He/She will work closely to identify, support, train and monitor interventions targeting small businesses, cash for work and ISALs group. He/she is responsible to ensure compliance to USAID and GOAL guidelines/standards.
Main responsibilities
Community Facilitation & organization
- Responsible for ensuring community organization and capacity building for proper management of field level project initiatives.
- Introduce the UPLIFT urban resilience programme model/approach to the community and ensure a clear understanding and adoption of the process
- Facilitate community organization through the local structure in the process of electing project development committees, ensuring gender balance and conduct training for the project development committees based on the food assistance principles.
- In alignment with the UPLIFT livelihoods and ERMS developed beneficiary selection criteria/Stand Operating Procedure (SOP), facilitate the development of a community-based targeting/selection criteria by the project development committees and facilitate approval by all relevant local authorities.
- Assist communities to solve problems related to the field level project activities and ensure that a complaint/response mechanism is in place in all project areas.
- Lead and facilitate beneficiary selection and validation process as per the GOAL SOP.
Documentation and Reporting
- Lead and ensure that timely preparation and submission of the weekly/monthly reports and submit to the Senior Field Officer and Urban Resilience Coordinator on a timely basis.
- Ensure all relevant documentation of UPLIFT project such as registration documents, attendance sheets, distribution documents, meeting minutes, etc are properly maintained. the correct quantities have been indicated in the waybills, record underweight, excesses and lost quantities (if any).
- Report on any safety and security incidents and wrongdoing/safeguarding issues
Community Liaison and beneficiary relations
- Facilitate information sharing with communities and stakeholders about GOAL and UPLIFT urban resilience program.
- Identify livelihoods and Early Recovery and Market Systems training needs and facilitate training for the community.
- Coordinate and liaise at operational level, with local authorities, other implementing partners and private sectors, provide information regarding beneficiary registration, distribution plans, and project progress.
- Ensure beneficiaries are treated with respect and dignity.
Business training and support
- Deliver lessons on one or more of the following topics (Marketing, Record-Keeping, Costing and Pricing, Preparing Business Plans) to eligible traders/service providers.
- Guide the owners of the shops/services in a self-assessment. Review applications received by shops for technical assistance and/or mentoring. Participate in review meetings to select which shops to provide technical assistance and/or mentoring.
- Develop joint action plans with businesses selected to receive assistance and provide mentorship and guidance on key technical areas to the shop as they complete their action plan.
Project Implementation
- Develop SOPs, MOUs and templates needed to assess and administer the activities.
- Create a detailed work plan which identifies and sequences the activities needed to successfully complete the project.
- Develop curriculum on business topics appropriate for traders/service providers targeted by the UPLIFT program.
- In collaboration with Project Coordinator sensitize relevant stakeholders to the program
- Contribute to the development and administration of a small grant program, inclusive of developing eligibility and selection criteria, preparing an application form, finalizing a review/evaluation process, and developing a contract between GOAL and grant recipients.
- Chair meetings that will review applications and select grant recipients. Ensure that the meetings are transparent, and all applicants are fairly reviewed and evaluated against the established criteria. Prepare decision memos.
- Administer the disbursement of the small grants in collaboration with the finance team.
- Provide regular progress reports to team members and management. Document lessons learned.
- Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to GOAL and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
Requirements (Person Specification)
- BA degree in Agriculture, Business and/or related field
- Strong facilitation and/or training skills.
- Good organizational skills and capacity to work independently, if necessary and/or required. Integrity, professionalism and expertise in processing reports and questionnaires.
- Ability to understand the cultural context of the community, local language, and use that culture as an input for community mobilization.
- Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills and demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with individuals at all levels.
- Ability to perform duties with minimum or no supervision.
Essential
- Minimum 2 years’ management experience operating your own business or with an NGO, private company, or government department.
- Proven problem solving and coordination skills, communication skills, flexibility, and calmness under pressure.
- Strong computer skills with competencies in Microsoft Office applications (including MS Word and Excel).
Desirable
- Previous experience administering a USAID grant program and/or selection process for beneficiaries.
- Experience working in urban resilience program
- Experience with food security and livelihoods project, small businesses or traders.
- Experience with cash and voucher assistance programming
General terms and conditions
Safeguarding
Children and vulnerable adults a must be safeguarded to the maximum possible extent from deliberate or inadvertent actions and failings that place them at risk of abuse, sexual exploitation, injury and any other harm. One of the ways that GOAL shows this on-going commitment to safeguarding is to include rigorous background and reference checks in the selection process for all candidates.
Accountability within GOAL
Alongside our safeguarding policy, GOAL is an equal opportunities employer and has a set of integrity policies. Any candidate offered a job with GOAL will be expected to adhere to the following key areas of accountability:
- Comply with GOAL’s policies and procedures with respect to safeguarding, Code of Conduct, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality, do no harm principles and unacceptable behaviour protocols.
- Report any concerns about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult or any wrongdoings within our programming area.
- Report any concerns about inappropriate behaviour of a GOAL staff or partner.
TO APPLY