Senior Project Officer (Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion).

INTERNAL VACANCY ADVERTISEMENT SENIOR PROJECT OFFICER (LIVELIHOOD AND ECONOMIC INCLUSION)

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is a global humanitarian organization with a mission to work with people in poverty and distress to create just and positive change. ADRA Somalia belongs to the worldwide network, comprised of more than 130 supporting and implementing country offices. ADRA Somalia is seeking to fill the position of Senior Project Officer (Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion).

Job Location: Kismayo, Jubaland

Purpose of the position
The Senior Project Officer (Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion) is expected to support planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of livelihood projects focused on supporting communities to improve their economic well-being and build sustainable income-generating activities. The role includes community engagement, capacity building, partnership development and technical guidance for various stakeholders.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Programming Planning and Implementation:
• Develop and implement livelihood plans, projects, and strategies, aligning with organizational goals and community needs.
• Conduct needs assessments, market research, and feasibility studies to identify potential livelihood opportunities.
• Assess the local market economy to determine marketable vocational skills for the local growth sectors.
• Analyze skills gaps in the labour force to improve skills training, training materials and instruction methodologies to advance employability of women, youth and persons with disabilities.

Technical and Vocational Skills Development
• Oversee quality implementation of the Technical and Vocational, Education and Training (TVET) activities of the programme involving skills development, institutional strengthening, entrepreneurship, private sector/industry relationships, and gender and inclusion components.
• Collaborate with partner organizations, government entities, and educational stakeholders to ensure cohesive delivery of TVET and effective capacity building for competency-based training and certification of market-driven vocational skills.
• Participate in the design, steering, coordination and implementation of TVET capacity development initiatives, institutional strengthening and quality assurance measures.
• Develop and monitor quality private sector relationships providing apprenticeship and/or Job opportunities to project beneficiaries.

Livelihoods Support
• Engage with local communities, build trust and strengthen networks to foster participatory approaches and capacity-building initiatives.
• Facilitate the formation of community groups and networks, promoting collaboration and cooperation on livelihood and economic inclusion programs.
• Facilitate and ensure the active involvement of youth, women and vulnerable groups in all livelihood activities, fostering their engagement as primary stakeholders.
• Identify and collaborate with private sector partners, including enterprise incubation to enhance project sustainability and create opportunities for youth, women and vulnerable groups.
• Provide person-focused livelihoods support to youth and families, collaborating with technical teams to identify relevant intervention models and packages.
• Provide supervision and coaching to the livelihoods team to monitor the quality of delivered seed capital to ensure business sustainability and resolve business risks.
• Promote micro-entrepreneurship by providing access to training, financing, and mentorship.
• Foster resilience to climate change and other shocks through sustainable agricultural practices and diversification of livelihoods.
• Provide technical guidance, training, and mentorship to community members on livelihood activities.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of livelihood development best practices, identify success stories and relevant policies.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting:
• Develop and implement a monitoring, evaluation and learning framework to track progress and impact.
• Collect, analyze, and report on data related to livelihood programs, including success stories, lessons learned, and challenges.
• Produce regular reports on program progress, ensuring effective communication with stakeholders.

Qualifications and Requirements
– University degree with at least five (5) years of previous relevant experience and expertise in the TVET/livelihoods sector.
– Experience in conducting local market assessments and value chain development approaches
– Familiarity with livelihood development principles and practices, including economic empowerment, microfinance, and sustainable agriculture.
– Networking experience with the labour market, vocational training, private sector actors and linkages with support programmes of other development partners
– Strong understanding of MEAL and analytical skills to analyze information and evaluate data to inform decisions making.
– Strong understanding and experience in GEDSI analysis is preferable.
– Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
– Professional level proficiency in spoken and written English and Somali language.