Outreach Field Coordinator

Terms of Reference

Organisation: Mahila Housing Trust (MHT)

Position Title: Theme Lead – Climate Resilient Urban Livelihood

Job Location: Patna, Bihar

Reporting to: Director & Senior Program Management Specialist

About Organisation:

Mahila Housing SEWA Trust (MHT) is a not-for-profit organization which works with the mission to organize and empower women in poor communities to improve their habitat. MHT is working in 34 cities across 9 states in India on three major domains: Habitat Development, Climate Resilience and Participatory Governance. Over the last 28 years, MHT has made a significant impact in improving the lives of urban poor across 1034 slum settlements and currently has in place 983 Community Action Groups (CAGs) consisting of 11-15 members each who are grass-root women leaders in those slum communities. MHT thus possess a strong social capital of 15,238 grass-root leaders serving as amplifiers in the slum communities.

Project Overview:

The Satat Jeevikoparjan Yojana – Shahari (SJY-Urban) is specifically designed for ultra-poor households identified by women SHG federations through a participatory approach. Key components of the program include tranche-based asset transfer, intensive handholding support, access to key entitlements and climate adaptation aiming to build climate-resilient livelihoods for ultra-poor households to sustainably graduate out of extreme poverty. BRAC’s Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative, in collaboration with the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society(BRLPS), has designed the SJY-Urban. Mahila Housing is the Technical Partner for Climate Adaptation and Urban Development and will closely work with the Project Management Unit to achieve set goals.

Position Overview:

The Theme Lead – Climate Resilient Urban Livelihood will closely collaborate with the Project Management Unit (PMU) housed at BRLPS and key government departments, including the State Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM), the Urban Development and Housing Department (UDHD), and the Bihar Skill Development Mission (BSDM). The incumbent will provide technical assistance to the program on climate adaptation and resilience solutions addressing challenges faced by program participants due to climate change.

The specific activities & responsibilities will include but not be limited to:
1. Conduct a vulnerability assessment to map the main challenges urban communities face due to climate change effects, especially related to extreme events like heat waves and flooding/ inundation.
2. Develop solutions to address livelihood-related challenges emerging from the vulnerability assessment.
3. Provide technical assistance on livelihoods adaptation to climate change in an urban context to the PMU and government departments in SJY-Urban.
4. Conduct a scoping study to assess how to design climate adaptive livelihoods.
5. Develop a coaching curriculum on climate adaptation and resilience in an urban context to be integrated into the SJY-Urban coaching curriculum.
6. Support SJY-Urban in developing a community-managed heat action plan and liaise with other government departments as directed to build climate resilience within communities.
7. Support the PMU in organizing a workshops on the domain of climate adaptation and resilience and development in an urban context, sharing best practices and lessons learned to create a community on urban inclusive livelihoods programs.
8. Provide technical input to the PMU on better understanding the needs, challenges, and aspirations of people living in urban poverty.
9. Develop tailored solutions for urban challenges such as house improvements (access to electricity, water, sewage systems), solid waste management, etc.
10. Support in building community institutions in an urban environment.
11. Provide training and capacity building support to project partners and staff to enhance their understanding of project goals, methodologies, and best practices.
12. Build strong relationships with project partners, stakeholders, and community members. Facilitate communication and collaboration among all involved parties to ensure the successful implementation of project activities. Participate in various consultation meetings with different stakeholders.
13. Prepare comprehensive reports on project progress, challenges, and achievements. Maintain accurate documentation of project activities, including budgets, reports, and other relevant documentation.
14. Undertake any other task assigned by the organization based on the emerging requirements of the program.

Qualifications:

• An advanced degree in environment, climate change, development studies, social development or a relevant field.
• At least 7 years’ experience working in project management, climate adaptation, and urban development.
• Strong knowledge and experience in climate change projects, including mitigation, adaptation, and resilience-building measures.
• Experience working in women-centric organizations, promoting gender equality, and empowering women is highly desirable.
• Experience applying strong interpersonal skills in a fast-paced, highly collaborative, and multicultural environment.
• Creative problem-solving ability and adaptability to changing workflow/team needs.
• Strong understanding of poverty reduction in the Bihar context.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively engage with diverse stakeholders and build strong partnerships.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines
• Excellent written and spoken Hindi and English language and communication skills.

Salary:

• Salary will be commensurate with the qualifications & experience of the candidate.

Application Process:

Please submit your application using google link given below latest by 5th May, 2024.

https://forms.gle/49UsR2oaLBxT4Hzm8

Qualified women are encouraged to apply.

Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited for interview

For organizational details please visit our website – www.mahilahousingtrust.org