Project Coordinators-Collective Investment Agent (VSLA) At CARE

ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND:

CARE is a leading humanitarian organization dedicated to fighting poverty and social injustice and places a particular emphasis on women and girls, their dignity and empowerment to lead their communities out of poverty. In 2020, CARE worked in 104 countries, reaching 90 million people through more than 1,300 programs, with an annual budget of $650 million. Every single one of those 90 million people has a story of resilience, community, strength, and hope—all things that bind us together, across every corner of the globe. CARE began working in Tanzania in April 1994, in response to the crisis in Rwanda and the subsequent influx of refugees into the Kagera Region of North-western Tanzania. Over the subsequent years, CARE Tanzania developed innovative education, health, microfinance, and environmental programs across most regions of the country. In Tanzania CARE works with the Government both in mainland and Zanzibar and other stakeholders to transform communities and ensure financial inclusion and independence, health and nutrition, climate-smart development resilience, especially for women and girls.

CARE Tanzania seeks to recruit the self-motivated, result driven, dynamic, suitably qualified, competent and dedicated Tanzanian to fill two positions of Project Coordinators-Collective Investment Agent (VSLAs) to be based in Njombe region and Rungwe district, Mbeya region

JOB SUMMARY

CARE Tanzania in collaboration with KAZI YETU and Tanzania Smallholder Tea Development Agency (TASHTDA) implements a two years’ project in Tanga, Iringa, Njombe and Mbeya regions with the overall development objective of increasing independence and economic opportunities for women farmers to boost quality, increase quantity and diversification in Tanzania’s tea sector. It is also aiming at supporting women farmers, to acquire knowledge, access, and control of productive resources for increased productivity, income, and autonomy, to leverage the accumulated capital and revolving credit held by VSLAs. CARE will apply an innovative Collective Investment Model, whereby VSLAs will mobilize and pull together capital and utilize different platforms to incentivize women famers to invest and leverage their own capital to address key constraints, increasing market access and potential for women own agri-business. CARE’s VSLA approach is supported by Chomoka, an innovative digital platform that was launched in Tanzania in 2019.

The Project Coordinators will provide technical and operational leadership and support to VSLAs groups and similar saving and groups in such a way that the farmers in the project area increase financial resilience that invest into profitable and environmentally sustainable enterprises. With an intention to support their tea value chain development by improving in processing, tools, including their post- harvest handling approaches, access to capital and saving ability. The Project Coordinators are expected to maintain effective working relationships with other project staff including close working relationship and capacity building to KAZI YETU officers on VSLA’s approach and collective investment innovation to help saving groups to take forward these initiatives beyond the lifetime of the project after CARE exit and all her implementing partner.

These positions will report directly to the Senior Project Manager for “Her Money Her Life” project.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Take lead role in the formation and maintenance of strong, empowered VSLA groups by providing a joined-up approach in determining viable areas for VSLAs and continually update the context analysis that governs programming.

· Ensure formed Savings groups apply VSLA approaches-financial inclusion and collective actions and oversee, guide and provide technical support to the cluster team and partners throughout the tenure of project.

· Play an active role in strengthening partnerships, overseeing planning, gathering and dissemination of information vital for strategic execution of the project.

· Monitoring and Evaluation data gathering and evidence generation.

· Promote Gender Equality and diversity in VSLAs interventions.

EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

· Bachelor’s degree in Rural development, Project Planning and Management, Community development, Agriculture or any other relevant social science qualification

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EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Required:

· Minimum 5 years working experience in formation of saving groups whereas experience in forming VSLA and working with women and tea sector development will be an added advantage.

· Minimum 3 years’ experience in conducting training and sensitization sessions on socioeconomic activities engagement with specific emphasis on women and girls development and community wellbeing.

· Minimum 3 years’ practical experience interacting with rural community and sharing critical agendas towards leveraging sustainable development.

· Extensive experience in saving groups formation, including capacity building to members, sensitization training provision and promotion of gender equity and equality.

· Knowledge on VSLA model, saving groups and collective action management in rural settings with specific focus on women and girls.

· Knowledge on community development, project planning and management, administration.

· Experience in working with village representatives, government staff and government authorities.

· Practical research undertaking, survey and community information gathering and analysis.

Technical skills

· Good understanding of saving groups and women dynamics in the region particularly around; economic development, gender, land rights, sustainable livelihoods and development.

· An approach to uphold CARE core values; Transformation, Integrity, Diversity, Equality and Excellence.

· Ability to build a good rapport with community leaders/ heads, women and women integrated groups, to gain their trust and confidence and understand the world from their perspective (sympathize).

· Strong partnership management skills and experience. Capable of building productive relationships with key partners in the project.

· Ability to work and communicate with a range of stakeholders including policymakers and government officials, NGOs, the media, community representatives.

· Strong presentation and reporting skills including; Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email and Internet usage.

· Ability to thrive in team environments with a strong understanding of team diversities. Firm belief in teamwork, gender equality and participatory approach to sustainable development.