Livelihoods Consultant at INTERSOS Nigeria

INTERSOS is an independent humanitarian organization that assists the victims of natural disasters, armed conflicts and exclusion. Its activities are based on the principles of solidarity, justice, human dignity, equality of rights and opportunities, respect for diversity and coexistence, paying special attention to the most vulnerable people.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Livelihoods Consultant

Code: SR - 49-448
Location: Maiduguri, Borno state, Nigeria, with frequent travel to the field bases of Damasak, Ngala, Jerre, may cross-border areas of Cameroon, Chad & Niger
Starting date: 11/03/2018
Contract duration: 3 months
Reporting to: Head of Mission

General Context of the Project
INTERSOS is mandated by WFP to do a livelihood assessment for IDP’s in North East Nigeria.

While INTERSOS's primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of IDPs, returnees and host communities, our ultimate goal is to help find durable solutions that will allow them to rebuild their lives in dignity. While pursuing durable solutions INTERSOS additionally tries to increase the self-reliance and livelihood opportunities of IDPs, returnees and host communities. The strategic goal of livelihoods programming in INTERSOS is to enable the self-reliance of persons of concern, enhancing their freedom and their capacity to accelerate and participate in the achievement of durable solutions.

The challenges faced by IDP’s and displaced populations in finding decent economic opportunities have been subject to growing attention in INTERSOS operations. Efforts to strengthen the organisation’s understanding of IDP’s and local host communities’ livelihoods and capacity to deliver adequate services and useful livelihoods programs are paramount.

The national, legal and policy environment places varying degrees of restrictions on IDPs' right to work and freedom of movement. In spite of these, IDPs use different strategies to generate income, mostly through daily labor jobs in the informal sector. The initial assets that IDPs can rely on - such as their skills, inherited professions, access to financial capital, physical health, social networks - are critical in widening their options to access safe and productive work or engage in income generating activities. In many cases however, these assets are either insufficient from the start, or have been eroded by years of displacement.

The INTERSOS livelihoods team is developing a Borno Livelihoods Strategy that will better define opportunities for INTERSOS staff and partners and other relevant actors to develop and implement sustainable livelihoods programmes for displaced populations.

General Purpose of the Position
INTERSOS is searching for an accomplished and highly motivated livelihoods expert to provide assistance and guidance to INTERSOS’s livelihoods programming in the field. The consultant will be responsible for assessing and compiling existing socio-economic data, conduct necessary assessments, review on-going livelihoods activities and local development plans, map out partnership opportunities, and develop or implement comprehensive livelihood strategies for field operations highlighting the type of interventions identified for host, returnees and IDPs.

The consultant will ensure the livelihood strategy is developed through a consultative process involving the participation and contribution of a Multi-functional Team which will focus on rural and peri-urban and urban locations (for instance for IDPs, info of access to farm land and other off farm interventions), representatives of the IDPs community, Government, the host community and the public and the private sector, as well as relevant organizations such as INTERSOS’s Implementing Partners (IP) and Community Organizations (COs), WFP, FAO, UNHCR and other potential partners.

Main Responsibilities and Tasks
Outputs:
The current livelihood strategies of IDPs and local populations in the target area are documented, including:

• The socio-economic profile of the assessed population verified (main wealth-group/socio-economic categories of the population characterized in terms of household composition; livelihood assets; income sources; food-security status); Saving and lending opportunities and possibilities to have village people managed saving and credit institutions (VSLA).
• The livelihood assets and strategies of households defined within each wealth-group, with particular attention to the different roles of men and women, capacities and capacity-gaps for accessing employment / self-employment opportunities.

The contextual opportunities and constraints for employment/self-employment are documented, including:

• The actors and institutions operating in or delivering services to the area; the accessibility of markets for goods and services; the accessibility of vocational training, financial services, and business services providers;
• The development processes in the area (review local development plans and identify planned or potential sources of public/private sector investment; other processes that can affect the markets);
• The policies and practices relating to employment, enterprise development, access to land etc., that influence development processes and affect livelihood opportunities in the area, as well as existing land and environmental management policies and practices and their potential threats.
• Feasible strategies to reinforce and develop displaced populations’ capacities, livelihood assets and outcomes, address capacity gaps, and enhance their access to employment/ self-employment opportunities are formulated.
• Implementation and partnership arrangements are recommended.
• Baseline indicators are selected, to enable regular assessment of changes in socio-economic profiles, livelihood assets and outcomes of displaced population groups, inclusive of age- and gender-differentials. These should be based on FOCUS indicators, with adjustments (such as proxy indicators), if necessary, to the local environment.

Methodologies:

• Review of secondary information (relevant existing reports/studies and previous livelihoods assessment).
• Institutional mapping of relevant organizations and institutions, highlighting what organizations are doing and for whom, including both existing and planned programmes that could be directly or indirectly supporting IDPs livelihoods.
• Key informant interviews, if necessary, with relevant stakeholders from local/national institutions related to training, employment, finance, enterprise, agriculture, etc; community leaders; knowledgeable persons in the communities; representatives of trade groups, cooperatives, and special interest groups; INTERSOS staff members; staff from partner organizations.
• A series of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with household-members from each of the identified wealth groups; and with special interest groups (e.g. groups of women, persons from similar trades, youth, etc) to verify the wealth of information and suggested livelihoods activities. A sufficient number of FGDs will be conducted with each representatives of each of the wealth groups, to allow for systematic verification and cross-checking of information and ensure consistency in the data collected and aggregated for each wealth group. Other Participatory Rural Assessment methods may prove useful e.g. transect walks; seasonal calendars; etc.
• Data analysis - using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework; and analytical tools such as SWOT analysis.
• Verify existing information on livelihood assets and strategies of different wealth groups, and of men and women within these; identify strengths and weaknesses in terms of capacities and capacity gaps (internal factors).
• Analyse the opportunities and threats related policies, institutions, and processes (external factors); this includes opportunities/threats in the formal and informal employment markets, supply and demand of goods and services, including financial services. Opportunities may be found in terms of emerging 'market niches'.
• Identify means of enhancing strengths and opportunities, and of addressing or preventing weaknesses and threats. Formulate actionable recommendations.
• Prepare a summary of key findings and recommendations, including new and on-going projects, livelihood technologies, options categorized for IDPs, host community and returnees by thematic areas e.g. agriculture, livestock, fishery, small enterprises / IGAs etc and present them in a restitution meeting/workshop, gathering key stakeholders in the assessment and programming process.
• Draft a comprehensive report; submit for review and incorporate comments into a quality final report.

The whole report shall not be longer than 60 pages, excluding annexes. At the minimum, the report should follow the format below:

• Cover page
• Summary table
• Executive summary
• Background information
• Methodology
• Findings
• Conclusions
• Lessons learned and good practices (in resilience livelihood)
• Recommendations
• Annexes

Required Profile and Experience
Education:

• Advanced University degree (Master Level minimum) in Development Studies, Development Economics, Agricultural Economics, Labor Economics, Socio-economic Studies, or other related field. Additional areas of experience could include poverty reduction; economics, business administration or management.
• Minimum of 6 years of relevant practical field experience within one or more of the following areas: Socio-economic and/or household economy assessments; risks and vulnerability assessments, Market assessments, rapid and participatory rural Appraisal. Experience also in livelihood programming in terms of: cooperatives and/or microfinance, employment promotion, entrepreneurship building, private sector development, local economic recovery/poverty-reduction strategies, agriculture/livestock/natural resource management, urban and rural small business development; Vocational and Technical Education and Training (VTET); Income Generating Activities; Value chain analysis; Cash assistance.
• Knowledge about latest development in the livelihoods sector, and in-depth knowledge of at least 2 technical sub-sectors in livelihoods (e.g. microfinance, vocational training and technical education, business development, technology, entrepreneurship building, cash assistance, community contracting, employment services, agriculture/rural development).
• Demonstrated experience in conducting assessments for planning and/or evaluation purposes. Familiarity with established assessment and analytical tools is desirable in the expert’s specialty (e.g. Household economy approach; Sustainable livelihoods framework; Market analysis: EMMA; Mifira; Socio-economic profiling; SMART methodology, INTERSOS SENS guidelines, Evaluation of Access and Coverage methods of SQUEAC/SLEAC).
• Familiarity with community-based and participatory approaches.
• Experience in working effectively with UN organisations, international and national NGOs, and with government authorities at national level; familiarity with the FAO, IFAD, ILO and the UN System approach relating to decent work, and with priorities and approaches of workers’ and employers’ organizations representing rural men and women would also be an asset.
• Fluency in English required.

Professional Experience:

• Minimum of 6 years of relevant practical field experience within one or more of the following areas: Socio-economic and/or household economy assessments; risks and vulnerability assessments, Market assessments, rapid and participatory rural Appraisal. Experience also in livelihood programming in terms of: cooperatives and/or microfinance, employment promotion, entrepreneurship building, private sector development, local economic recovery/poverty-reduction strategies, agriculture/livestock/natural resource management, urban and rural small business development; Vocational and Technical Education and Training (VTET); Income Generating Activities; Value chain analysis; Cash assistance.
• Knowledge about latest development in the livelihoods sector, and in-depth knowledge of at least 2 technical sub-sectors in livelihoods (e.g. microfinance, vocational training and technical education, business development, technology, entrepreneurship building, cash assistance, community contracting, employment services, agriculture/rural development).
• Demonstrated experience in conducting assessments for planning and/or evaluation purposes. Familiarity with established assessment and analytical tools is desirable in the expert’s specialty (e.g. Household economy approach; Sustainable livelihoods framework; Market analysis: EMMA; Mifira; Socio-economic profiling; SMART methodology, INTERSOS SENS guidelines, Evaluation of Access and Coverage methods of SQUEAC/SLEAC).
• Familiarity with community-based and participatory approaches.
• Experience in working effectively with UN organisations, international and national NGOs, and with government authorities at national level; familiarity with the FAO, IFAD, ILO and the UN System approach relating to decent work, and with priorities and approaches of workers’ and employers’ organizations representing rural men and women would also be an asset.

Professional Requirements:

• Knowledge about latest development in the livelihoods sector, and in-depth knowledge of at least 2 technical sub-sectors in livelihoods (e.g. microfinance, vocational training and technical education, business development, technology, entrepreneurship building, cash assistance, community contracting, employment services, agriculture/rural development).
• Demonstrated experience in conducting assessments for planning and/or evaluation purposes. Familiarity with established assessment and analytical tools is desirable in the expert’s specialty (e.g. Household economy approach; Sustainable livelihoods framework; Market analysis: EMMA; Mifira; Socio-economic profiling; SMART methodology, INTERSOS SENS guidelines, Evaluation of Access and Coverage methods of SQUEAC/SLEAC).
• Familiarity with community-based and participatory approaches.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills in English
• Demonstrated publications record, covering research, technical, and policy areas;
• Ability to work as a part of a multi-cultural and international team;
• Excellent networking skills with private and public sector institutions;
• Extensive computer skills including excel, word and power point.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required

Personal Requirements:

• Willingness to accept basic living standard and frequent field missions;
• Capacity to work and live in multi-ethnic and multicultural context

Application Closing Date
7th March, 2018.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV's, Motivation Letter and 2 references to: [email protected] with subject line: "SR-49-448, Livelihoods Consultant - Nigeria".
Or
Click here to apply online

Note: Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the first interview.