Livelihoods Officer (Business)

Livelihoods Officer (Business) 

 

 

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfilment of the wish to return home.  

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956, and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced.  

All of our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency. 

DRC has been operating in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for over a decade, running a combination of emergency, livelihood, protection and advocacy programmes through Country Offices (COs) in Algeria, Libya/Tunisia, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey with a Regional Office (RO) in Amman. DRC has 17 offices and approximately one thousand staff members across the MENA region. Following an internal HQ restructuring, from 1st January 2018 the region is focusing on the Middle East, hence Algeria, Tunisia and Libya will transition to a new region during the course of 2018, while Yemen will join the Middle East region.

 

 

About the job 

 The livelihoods officer acts as a business advisor for the livelihoods department and is providing business and financial management training to beneficiaries, he counsels and advices beneficiaries and provides them with mentoring after distributing them with business grants  

 The livelihoods officer supervises the livelihoods assistant and ensures the livelihoods SOPs, especially the business grant process, is applied in all its steps. 

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

• After advertisement, coordination and registration of potential participants in the Business program, the livelihoods officer leads with the rest of the livelihoods team the counselling of potential beneficiaries. 

• With the support of the Livelihoods Specialist and Project Manager, the Livelihoods officer reviews each case for inclusion in the program and make recommendations as needed.  

• Maintain a clear database of all possible participants in the program (selected and not selected) and provide regular updates (at least monthly) to the DRC livelihoods database officer.  

• Organize, contribute to the development and improvement of Business material trainings, as well as employability trainings material. 

• Held business and financial management trainings with candidates for Business grants  

• Follow and reinforce the criteria for selection for participants in Business grants. 

• Organize and conduct review committees to select business proposals in line with the project and with DRC SOPs  

• Distribute and monitor the business grants 

• Conduct regular field visits to businesses of beneficiaries from the business grant to provide them with mentorship. The livelihoods officer will support the beneficiaries with advices on business development and related business and financial management, with fundraising, with legal advices and with link with local authorities or other stakeholders.  

• Participate and enhance, thanks to innovative ideas, the implementation of livelihoods activities in the CRC  

• Maintain constructive relationships with municipalities, other local government institutions, local NGO partners and other international organizations in coordination with the other team members. 

• Contribute to capacity building of local organizations, community groups, and stakeholders upon Project officer’s directives.  

• Document and archive logistic and finance documentations (such as PR, advance requests, etc.) 

• Develop work plan in order to achieve project targets and deadlines in coordination with the livelihoods specialist and the livelihoods project manager 

• Prepare and submit weekly report to supervisor and any regular qualitative reports within given timeframes. 

• Ensure beneficiaries are respected and cared for during trainings and  activities  

• Conduct bilateral interviews and/or focus group discussions when requested with vulnerable households in order to identify specific and refer cases with specific needs and refer protection cases when identified to the protection team. 

• Contribute to refining of data collection, business proposals, reports, photos. 

• Ensure that project activities develop and are implemented in line with DRC’s mandate, policies, procedures and country strategy, as well as with donors requirements and international protection guidelines. 

• Ensure Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) approach to livelihoods is consistently applied through community and rights based participatory methods. 

• Ensure the respect of DRC Code of Conduct, the confidentiality and humanitarian principles and contribute to the integration of protection and AGD mainstreaming into DRC livelihoods programming. 

• Any other duties as directed by the Livelihoods Manager 

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To be successful in this role we expect the following:

Required  

• Proven experience of at least 4 years in business management   

• Technical competencies in business and financial trainings 

• Experience with supervising teams and providing technical guidance and training 

• Familiarity/prior experience with NGO sector and its persons of concern would be a distinct advantage 

• Cultural and gender sensitivity  

• Adaptability, flexibility and team spirit  

• Excellent organizational skills, ability to determine priorities and attention to detail a must 

• Patient and good communication skills 

• Familiarity with digital data collection and relevant computer skills 

• Full respect for organization confidentiality 

• Ability to work in a multicultural context as a flexible and respectful team member and ability to work under pressure 

• University degree or higher education relevant to humanitarian work: preferably in business management and economics, law, social sciences or humanitarian aid

 

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:   

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.   

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.   

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.   

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.   

Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with DRC’s vision and values. 

 

We offer 

Contract length: 6 Months 

Level: C 1 

Start date: 1 October 2018

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates/ Nationals; please refer to drc.ngo under Vacancies.

 

All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: 27 September 2018 

Please note: that given the urgency of vacancy the position may be filled before the due date. 

If you have questions or are facing problems with the online application process, please visit drc.ngo/jobsupport. 

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website drc.ngo.