Description

Reporting to the DREAMS Senior Program Officer, the Economic Strengthening assistant is responsible for supporting the DREAMS economic strengthening activities which include supporting Local Market Assessment, rollout, monitoring and supporting youth savings groups, provision of start-up kits, enrolment of youth on apprenticeship and vocational training in addition to linkage to employment and internship; ensuring quality of intervention meets the project objectives. He/she will support DREAMS to conduct sensitization meetings on economic strengthening initiatives, engagement of local actors and preparing monthly project performance reports.

Responsibilities

Project Coordination and Supervision

• Works with the program associates to develop responsive monthly workplans and ensures implementation of the plans and prudent utilization of resources.


• Holds regular feedback meetings and community meetings to review progress, address emerging issues and plan for subsequent actions.


• Conducts support supervision visits to project beneficiaries ensuring that beneficiaries are adequately provided with needed support.


• Continually communicates to the SPO DREAMS and program associates on project progress, challenges and support required to deliver on the project objectives.


• Ensures that all the activities being implemented are conducted within a process that enhances community ownership, participation and contribution for sustainability.


• Takes lead in developing working relationships and linkages with Community leaders as well with other OVC and youth actors to promote economic strengthening initiatives and market Tujitegemee project.

Service delivery to Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW)

• Conduct market assessment to identify market-led opportunities available for vulnerable groups and AGYW and stakeholders and community resources mapping.

• Work with project team to link AGYW not in school to relevant empowerment programs e.g. CAP YEI

• Work with the DCS and Private Sector Actors to advocate for linkage of AGYW and their households to GOK cash transfers, economic strengthening programs, Internship, Apprenticeship and other support.


• Work with GoK departments and county government departments to offer extension services to strengthen the capacity of farmer groups, positive parenting groups, YSLA/VSLA groups and peer to peer support groups.

• In collaboration with local administrators identify, enroll and monitor youth enrolled on vocational, apprenticeship, employment, internship and income opportunities. Train and mentor program associates to deliver services to OVC caregivers and AGYW. These services shall include but not limited to trainings on YSLA/VSLA, Financial Capability Training (FCT), entrepreneurship training. 

Monitoring, Evaluation and Knowledge management

• Conduct structured support supervisions and checks to AGYW startups, VSLA/YSLA groups and other AGYW economic strengthening initiatives at the community.

• Participate in data review meetings together with the project team and other stakeholders to ensure effective data entry, analysis, reporting and accountability for results.

• Support project team members to identify, document, and disseminate knowledge products to build on evidence based practices in Economic strengthening initiatives.

• Responsible for timely monthly and quarterly reporting to the SPO DREAMS and HES.

Qualifications

• Diploma in business administration, community development, agriculture and other related disciplines. 

Knowledge

• Previous experience working with decentralized, community-based projects


• Previous experience with savings group programming is preferred


• Excellent analytic and computer skills; skilled in MS Office Suite including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.


• Excellent report writing skills.

Skills and Abilities

• Willingness to be based in the field and to travel long distances


• Fluency in one or more languages of the operating area


• Good community mobiliser and facilitator


• Strong interpersonal and communication skills


• Ability to ride a motorcycle – (Added advantage)


• Valid motorcycle permit