Job Opportunities at Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO)
Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), is the world's leading independent international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries. Our high impact approach brings people together to share skills, build capabilities, promote international understanding and action to change lives and make the world a fairer place.
We are recruiting to fill the positions below:
Job Title: National Professional Volunteer - Market Systems Development and Livelihood Specialist
Location: Kano (with frequent travel to other states)
Type of role: Agriculture and natural resources
Duration: 1st April -December, 2021
Start Date: 22 March, 2021
Mode of delivery: Working from home and at project location
Job Purpose
- This National Professional volunteer role will contribute to VSO Rural Livelihood Practice Area with its focus on the Market Systems and Livelihood specialist will be responsible for implementing all aspects of the market systems development and Livelihood interventions of the Rural Resilience activity.
- This position holder will be required to apply a wide variety of market development tools and approaches to catalyse innovative services, facilitate and manage relevant market linkages between market actors in areas targeted by the project.
- S / he will provide field and office-based support to the Market Systems Development and Livelihood Specialist. The position will support the training of staff, the provision of technical assistance; and ensuring that common strategies and approaches are applied consistently in all communities.
- S / he will coordinate closely with the M&E team to ensure that systems are in place to track, analyse and report results.
Responsibilities
Technical Support:
- Support the implementation of teamwork plans and the successful implementation of Livelihood and market systems development activities, ensuring timely implementation of work plan activities and identification of target groups within the approved budget, and the achievement of program deliverables for the desired impact.
- Support the provision of technical guidance on Livelihood and market systems development and ensure that interventions are responsive to stakeholders and consistent with VSO relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan. Support the MSD & Livelihood Specialist to ensure that interventions are evidence-based and adhere to adaptive management principles.
- Collaborate closely with and support the MSD & Livelihood Specialist, Financial Services Specialist and Investment Fund Manager to manage the Grant Facility aspect of the program to catalyze new investment in viable economic opportunities (market systems, Livelihood, agribusiness, and employment) through grants that stimulate, rather than distort market development and avoid exacerbating conflict dynamics.
- Support the conduct and / or update of market assessments, involving direct stakeholders as well as public and private sector actors working within the target value chains and market systems.
- Support the integration of community approaches, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate while ensuring that all interventions adhere to VSO Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary accountability standards.
- Support the management of relationships and coordination with local implementing partners.
- Actively support planning meetings and workshops with government, NGO, private sector, and community partners to revise plans and promote partner acceptance / buy-in.
- In coordination with the MEL team, support the implementation of monitoring activities through regular field visits and assessments to ensure program quality and impact, actively supporting the documentation of approaches, successes and lessons learned.
- Coordinate with procurement, logistics, security, administration and human resources teams to ensure operational systems support field activities.
- Represent VSO at government, donor, NGO and other relevant events, in close coordination with the Market Systems Development and Livelihood Specialists and program leadership.
- Support in the coordination of activities with consortium partners, sub-grantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other VSO programs.
- Other duties as assigned.
Knowledge Management:
- Support resilience teams including the VSO Project in collection and or publication of good practices, success stories, project outcome documents, etc. in resilience work with Communication, Learning to develop knowledge products, communication materials and other IEC materials to promote awareness raising about Resilience.
- Ensure regular and comprehensive monitoring for reporting on the gender-related indicators in the project areas in consultation with the Project Manager and in line with donor requirements.
Capacity Building:
- Assist in the development of case studies, best practices, and key learning on gender mainstreaming and integration into Livelihood program including generating success stories related to project and project developments as they relate to gender equality issues to feed into the linking and learning objectives of the program.
- Aid in data collection, compiling lessons learned, establishing indicators to support knowledge sharing. Support in updating and sharing with staff recent developments and knowledge tools in the areas of interventions.
Monitoring and Reporting:
- Set agreed indicators and milestones based on the result framework developed
- Provide feedback to the programme team based on the field monitoring visits
- Support the project team in developing high quality project/ programme reports regarding resilience perspective
- Liaise with VSO colleagues and some project partners to ensure timely submission of contributions.
Networking and Project Logistics Support:
- Coordinate and build relationship with Rural Livelihoods global team, VSO project / program, government, CSOs, partners and private sectors.
- Facilitate the organization partner meetings and field risk assessment processes.
- Under the responsibility of the PM, take part in logistical and administrative organization, planning, and preparation of the projects.
- Ensure the follow-up and the proper use of materials and tools used during on-site works.
- Manage the supply of materials to the work site in collaboration with logistic department.
The tasks and responsibilities defined in this job description are non-exhaustive and can evolve depending on the project’s needs.
Key Performance Indicators:
- Most vulnerable areas and causes of vulnerability identified
- Disaster risk preparedness and management plans developed.
- Training module on resilience and humanitarian aid and disaster preparedness developed
- Workshops/ training / coaching on disaster risk preparedness and management conducted
- The final objectives will be confirmed in a three way discussion between the volunteer, employer and VSO in the first three months of the placement.
Skill, Knowledge & Experience
Professional Skills and Qualifications Needed for the Position:
- Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture, Economics or Business Administration; Master's Degree preferred.
- Minimum of three (3) years of demonstrated experience with USG or other similar development projects focused on market systems and livelihood development, with a solid understanding of context including gender and youth issues
- Demonstrated ability to work and coordinate effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders, including government, community-based organizations, and the private sector;
- Technical experience in market system development approach to development
- Experience with supporting assessments, monitoring and evaluation and other learning efforts required.
- Ability to work independently
- Demonstrated strengths in analytical skills and report writing
- Excellent oral, written and computer skills
- Fluency in English and Hausa is required.
Personal Qualifications Needed for the Position:
- Committed to rights based and gender sensitivity work, pro-poor policy, committed and strong civil society organizations and social mobilization.
- Able, willing and committed to work with people from different backgrounds
- Contribute constructively to a working environment based on mutual respect, trust and commitment
- Able to cope with stress and work under any challenging circumstances.
Competencies:
Building and Sustaining working relationships:
- The social skills to build and actively maintain working relationships that foster teamwork and collaboration with others for the benefit of a common goal.
Open Minded and Respectful:
- A non-judgemental approach that values other people and culture.
Seeking and Sharing Knowledge:
- Recognition that learning is a two-way and continuous process.
Facilitating Positive Change:
- The ability to analyse problems and develop lasting solutions in line with VSO approaches.
Adaptability:
- A flexible approach and the ability to adapt behaviour to different situations.
Resilience:
- The self-confidence to work with a variety of situations, diverse people and ambiguity.
Allowance
- As a VSO volunteer, you will be sharing your skills with local communities on a full time basis.
- VSO will cover your travel, vaccinations, accommodation, and medical insurance costs, along with a local living allowance which will be paid in local currency. This allowance meets reasonable living expenses in country, but will not be enough to send money home.
- You will also receive some financial support to contribute to your on-going expenses at home.
Accommodation:
- VSO works with some of the poorest communities in the world which means accommodation varies and will be basic.
Application Deadline 4th April, 2021.
Interview Date 7th April, 2021.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply
Job Title: National Professional Volunteer - Peace Building & Resilience Specialist
Location: Abuja (with frequent travel to Northern States)
Type of role: Agriculture and natural resources
Duration: 15 April - December, 2021
Start Date: 22 March, 2021
Mode of delivery: Working from home and at project location
Job Purpose
- This National Professional volunteer role will contribute to VSO Rural Livelihood Practice Area with its focus on ensureing gender considerations, women empowerment forms an integrated core of the Livelihoods Volunteering for Development implementation.
- The Livelihoods NPV will work closely with the program manager, to provide technical expertise on gender & livelihood programming and other related functions to improve the livelihoods of women and men small scale farmers, fishermen/women, and livestock owners in VSO programming state.
- She/he will be responsible for providing technical support on DRR, coordination, and networking, with VSO projects and partners, government, and other stakeholders.
- S/he will support Vulnerability Capacity Assessment (VCA) and test other tools as the need arises.
Responsibilities
Technical Support:
- Coordinate the Livelihood component of project development activities for the VSO Rural Livelihood project.
- Organize and support livelihood project activities through partner staff involved in the implementation of project activities.
- Organise and support key project development activities to ensure quality planning and implementation are carried out within the framework of the project.
- Ensure effective engagement and relationship management with project partners, community leaders and groups, government institutions and other relevant, strategic/key sectoral actors for effective and sustainable delivery of the gender & livelihood component of the project delivery.
- Assist the Program Manager in recruiting and line managing private consultants for specific short-term assignments related to livelihood, including facilitating the development of their work plans, monitor their fieldwork, and organize debriefing sessions with consultants.
- Maintain effective communication on the progress of the project and ensure project learning in relation to Gender and Livelihood is documented for communication with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders in consultation with the Program Manager.
- Carry out periodic monitoring visits to project partners and project implementation sites, verify outputs indicated in progress reports submitted to VSO by partners and produce project activity and progress reports.
- Support the development of reports for the donor as well as reports for wider circulation within VSO in consultation with Project Manager – as appropriate.
- Analyse and ensure interventions are gender-sensitive and factor in issues of inclusion of normally socially excluded groups
- Provide technical support to VSO projects on integration of resilience in alignment to VSO core approaches, strategies and guidelines and incompatible with the context analysis
- Perform other work-related outputs as requested by the Project Manager
- Ensure that beneficiaries and local populations understand the project goals and agree with the implementation process and modality.
- Actively participate to the good collaboration with local leaders and community representatives.
- Act as a liaison with the local population and authorities in order to identify the needs, grievances and major events that could have potential consequences for VSO activity.
- S/He ensures the proper training and supervision of the community’s volunteers who take part in the project.
- S/He organizes sensitizations for the beneficiaries or community’s members according to the identified needs.
Knowledge Management:
- Support resilience teams including theVSO Project in collection and or publication of good practices, success stories, project outcome documents, etc. in resilience work with Communication, Learning to develop knowledge products, communication materials and other IEC materials to promote awareness raising about Resilience .
- Ensure regular and comprehensive monitoring for reporting on the gender-related indicators in the project areas in consultation with the Project Manager and in line with donor requirements.
Capacity Building:
- Assist in the development of case studies, best practices, and key learning on gender mainstreaming and integration into Livelihood program including generating success stories related to project and project developments as they relate to gender equality issues to feed into the linking and learning objectives of the program.
- Aid in data collection, compiling lessons learned, establishing indicators to support knowledge sharing. Support in updating and sharing with staff recent developments and knowledge tools in the areas of interventions.
Monitoring and Reporting:
- Set agreed indicators and milestones based on the result framework developed
- Provide feedback to the programme teambased on the field monitoring visits
- Support the project team in developinghigh quality project/ programme reports regarding resilience perspective
- Liaise with VSO colleagues and some project partnersto ensure timely submission of contributions.
Networking and Project Logistics Support:
- Coordinate and build relationship withRural Livelihoods global team, VSO project/program,government, CSOs, partners and private sectors.
- Facilitate the organization partner meetings and field risk assessment processes.
- Under the responsibility of the PM, take part in logistical and administrative organization, planning, and preparation of the projects.
- Ensure the follow-up and the proper use of materials and tools used during on-site works.
- Manage the supply of materials to the work site in collaboration with logistic department.
The tasks and responsibilities defined in this job description are non-exhaustive and can evolve depending on the project’s needs.
Key Performance Indicators:
- Most vulnerable areas and causes of vulnerability identified
- Disaster risk preparedness and management plans developed.
- Training module on resilience and humanitarian aid and disaster preparedness developed
- Workshops/ training / coaching on disaster risk preparedness and management conducted
- The final objectives will be confirmed in a three way discussion between the volunteer, employer and VSO in the first three months of the placement.
Competencies
Building and Sustaining working relationships:
- The social skills to build and actively maintain working relationships that foster teamwork and collaboration with others for the benefit of a common goal.
Open Minded and Respectful:
- A non-judgemental approach that values other people and culture.
Seeking and Sharing Knowledge:
- Recognition that learning is a two-way and continuous process.
Facilitating Positive Change:
- The ability to analyse problems and develop lasting solutions in line with VSO approaches.
Adaptability:
- A flexible approach and the ability to adapt behaviour to different situations.
Resilience:
- The self-confidence to work with a variety of situations, diverse people and ambiguity.
Allowance
- As a VSO volunteer, you will be sharing your skills with local communities on a full time basis.
- VSO will cover your travel, vaccinations, accommodation, and medical insurance costs, along with a local living allowance which will be paid in local currency.
- This allowance meets reasonable living expenses in country, but will not be enough to send money home.
- You will also receive some financial support to contribute to your on-going expenses at home.
Accommodation:
- VSO works with some of the poorest communities in the world which means accommodation varies and will be basic.
Application Deadline 4th April, 2021.
Interview Date 7th April, 2021.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply