Financial Inclusion Officer

Program Summary

The Delivering Resilient Enterprises and Market Systems (DREAMS) program is a collaboration between three leading organizations in the field of global poverty alleviation: Village Enterprise, Mercy Corps, and IDinsight. The DREAMS program aims to improve the well-being of 150,000 women, children, and men over the course of the five years.  Targeting refugees and host community members in the West Nile region of Uganda, our innovative approach will layer two evidence-based models[1] – poverty graduation and market systems development – to achieve increased household income, savings, and assets: improved food security and wellbeing.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Financial Inclusion (FI) Officer will be responsible for the implementation of the program’s FI activities.  He/She will work directly with the Team Leader – DREAMS to identify new opportunities for innovation and growth among private sector led interventions tailored to meet the needs of refugees and host community in West Nile.  He/She is expected to drive forward market-driven approaches in all stages of programming, promote and capture learnings to inform program decisions, ensure results are achieved and produce scheduled outputs at deadline and to expected quality.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Planning, developing, and implementing activities

• Implement program activities outlined in the final DREAMS program Financial Inclusion component
• Support in assessments (including market assessments, participatory needs assessments/situation analysis)
• Facilitate multi-stakeholder consultation meetings, workshops, and business Opportunity Meetings (BOM) to advance better linkages for start-ups and existing micro businesses.
• In collaboration with Village Enterprise business mentors, support the establishment and strengthening of community-based initiatives including VSLAs groups and facilitating linkages with FSPs.
• Develop strategies of identifying, evaluating and appraising businesses for financial services linkages; innovations, and existing micro businesses that require process and product improvements.
• Make regular on-site field visits in the target locations to provide technical review and/ keenly analyse implementation approaches to identify constraints and provide timely recommendations to inform decision-making processes.
• Actively participate in the periodic planning, review, and reflection meetings to ensure activity implementation is on time, within budget and scope.
• Ensure that the lessons learnt & experiences are well documented and contributing to the thinking of the DREAMS Program to foster financial inclusion and support micro entrepreneurs in refugee hosting communities in West Nile.
• Ensure close coordination and sharing of information with relevant stakeholders such as OPM, UNHCR, RWCs , NGOs and other implementing partners, as appropriate and advised by the line manager.
• Have a keen eye for identifying interesting opportunities for scaling up and developing concept notes on these opportunities.

1. Collaboration/Networking

• Establish and maintain good coordination and working relationships with OPM, UNHCR, district and sub-county leaders, representing Mercy Corps, and soliciting participation in activities where appropriate and as
• Ensure close coordination and sharing of information with relevant stakeholders such as local government, NGOs, and local authorities, as appropriate and advised by the line manager

1. Representation and Coordination

• Support coordination, partnership, and related activities with several local level private sector services providers and related
• Maintain close working relationships with development organizations, and local partners, including representing DREAMS at local coordination meetings as
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps Uganda and to not jeopardize its humanitarian

1. Documentation, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

• Prepare and submit timely weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports and work plans that will be indicative of program progress during implementation.
• Maintain a proper filing system of all financial inclusion and business development activities implemented in the program.
• Liaise with partners to identify human impact stories of program participants, contribute to the research and learning agenda activities of the program and develop these into success stories.
• Work closely with the Senior MEL Officer and MEL team to capture accurate data for measuring output and impact of the program; and to ensure accurate and timely flow of information from the field.
• Keenly analyse implementation approaches to identify constraints to program success and provide timely recommendations to inform decision-making processes.
• Ensure data protection policies are adhered to, establishing security controls for software, hardware, and archive beneficiary databases.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s Degree in business, microfinance, entrepreneurship, agribusiness, agriculture, economic development, or other relevant fields required.
• Background in business or market/economic development, with minimum of 3 years’ practical experience in the private sector, NGO working with Private Sector or related
• At least 3 – 4 years of experience designing, implementing and managing financial inclusion and strengthening initiatives (private sector partnership, economic strengthening, and market systems development) is required.
• Experience with market facilitation, supporting systemic change and promoting, supporting services indirectly, highly
• Experience in working in refugee settlements is preferred.
• Excellent (English) verbal and written communication skills. Language skills in Lugbara, Aringa, Kakwa, Juba-Arabic, highly valued.
• Strong computer literacy with a full knowledge of office
• Strong writing, communication, organization, prioritization and negotiating
• Excellent teamwork abilities and interpersonal
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to complete tasks in a timely
• Demonstrated flexibility, creativity, and enthusiasm as well as a willingness to learn and to be continually adaptive within a dynamic and often self-directed working environment
• Willingness to spend much time in the field and work closely with program target groups.
• Knowledge of the agricultural, service, trade, and industry sectors, highly
• Some practical experience in working with very small, small, and medium sized companies in a development

Must Poses a valid Motorcycle driving permit. The position is based in the West Nile region of Uganda 

Application closes on 1st November 2021