PURPOSE

Reporting to the Projects Coordinator, the Livelihoods Officer will be responsible for enhancing the number of households with improved economic capabilities through food distribution and the establishment of Self-Help Groups focusing on youths, women and People Living with Disability to nature access to resilient livelihood opportunities by initiating agricultural based income generating activities, financial Inclusion and entrepreneurial skills within the community of Laikipia. Specifically, S/he will be supporting the operation of school feeding programs, household cash transfers and increasing sustained access to incomes through Climate mart Agriculture and Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs). S/He will play a pivotal role in providing technical and management support to project activities on facilitating sustainable livelihoods interventions

DUTIES

Overall

• Ensure the implementation of the livelihoods component of the programme against annual work-plan, targets, time-plans and result indicator.
• Ensure timely and quality progress and financial reporting in line with agreed templates and schedule.

Household Cash Transfer Program

• Operate the Cash Transfer component of the project by providing technical support, development of narrative and financial reporting in line with donor requirements.
• Assist the Project Coordinator in developing and reviewing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Cash Transfer to households.
• Provide hands-on guidance in the engagement with service providers and Project Steering Committees (PSCs).
• Facilitate the identification, designing and implementing of appropriate training needs to Project Steering Committees.
• Oversee the identification, registration, and verification of cash transfer beneficiaries and monthly Mpesa disbursements to households.
• Support in cash transfer baseline and post distribution monitoring surveys with support from the monitoring and evaluation team.
• Follow procedures and guidelines in implementation of cash based interventions, and support in developing learning for improved cash strategy.
• Monitor and document cash activities, ensuring all processes, results and lessons learnt are documented and shared within the sector and with Management.
• Visit target communities on regular basis to get their perceptions and experience to assist in planning and development of relevant community-oriented and sustainable programmes.

School Feeding Program

• Collaborate with schools and stakeholders in the formation of School Feeding Committees.
• Conduct weekly and impromptu monitoring visits to all assigned schools as per the checklist guidelines while documenting, communicating, and resolving deviations.
• Facilitate the delivery of school feeding programme supplies and equipment to supported schools and ensure maintenance and care of assets donated to these schools.
• Furnish the finance, logistics and procurement departments with records of food delivered to schools and provide a report on the quality of food delivered.
• Conduct trainings and continuous refresher courses, coaching and mentorship activities to program volunteers on the importance of data accuracy in a bid to have credible information.
• Collect, collate, compile and share food consumption rates and stock balances in a timely. manner to ensure that proper food ratios are used and are aligned to Mary’s Meals feeding model and expectation.
• Hold community engagement sessions in collaboration with the School Feeding Committees, community members and other stakeholders to ensure support and ownership of the School Feeding Programme.

Smart Farming Initiative

• Building strong relationships with community members and deliver the participatory community assessments and co-creation.
• Ensure that project activities are designed with agricultural technology focus aimed at creating self-sufficiency, improving resilience to climate change and enhancing the food security status of farmers’ households/local communities in Laikipia.
• Ensure that the agricultural potential in the region is assessed with an aim of improving on the existing systems and water management practices for increased crop production and livestock productivity.
• Responsible for technical management of the Livelihood interventions through designing livelihood activities which will be implemented for beneficiaries.
• Identify and design interventions that link the restoration of essential services with livelihood opportunities for community stability.
• Develop technical training modules for beneficiary training and learning activities.
• Support economic livelihoods and capacity building activities for partner communities.
• Facilitate stakeholder engagements with County Government and critical development stakeholders.
• Build up the capacity of project team on skill based innovative sustainable livelihood community models.

Village Savings and Loan Associations

• Mobilize and sensitize community for empowerment and sustainability of Self Help Groups
• Build the capacity of Producer Groups, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) identified under the smart farming activities.
• Build capacity of Social Mobilizers to spearhead the Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLA) approach.
• Ensure capacity building of on youths, women and People Living with Disability women on VSLA, entrepreneurial skills, market and financial services access, production and business planning.
• Work together with other stakeholders to ensure that key trainings meet the standards required to facilitate, provide knowledge and required skills set on economic empowerment initiatives and practices.

KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES / INDICATORS

• Number of vulnerable households served
• Number of groups mobilized
• Number of new vulnerable beneficiaries selected and validated
• Number of initiatives successfully completed
• Number of active livelihood value chains adopted by the community

REQUIREMENTS

QUALIFICATIONS : BA in Agricultural Education and Extension / or related field.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES REQUIRED

• Professional technical skill desired training in Agriculture.
• Experience with sustainable livelihood and food security programs.
• Knowledge of income generating activities (IGAs), small and micro enterprises (SMEs), agricultural and livestock production marketing and value chains and cash based interventions.
• Knowledge on financial inclusion and group savings and loans mechanism.
• Experience with international donors and/or other international organizations preferred.
• Fluent in verbal and written communication in both English and Kiswahili.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including patience, diplomacy, willingness to listen and respect for colleagues. Must be capable of working both individually and as part of a team.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Must be flexible, willing to perform other duties and work irregular hours.
• Tactfulness, enthusiasm towards assigned tasks, good human relationship skills, integrity, honesty, and the ability to work under pressure to accomplish work tasks within assigned time periods.
• Good communication skills, Strong team player with high team spirit and positive attitude.

EXPERIENCE

• At least 3 years’ experience working in development and humanitarian projects.

OTHER INFOMATION

• Willing to uphold Christian principles of HFH Kenya
• Ability to work long and odd hours, including weekends
• Confidentiality
• Honesty
• High levels of integrity