Job Title: Financial Inclusion and Enterprise Development Officer
Organisation: Shared Action Africa
Duty Station: Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Isingiro District, Uganda
NB: Please include your salary expectation
About US:
Shared Action Africa targets refugee populations and host communities under its integrated family planning project implemented in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Isingiro District in Uganda. The settlement hosts over 140,000 Refuges from Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, and South Sudan. The project aims at improving access to modern short-term, long-term and permanent family planning methods for and men of reproductive age in Nakivale refugee settlement and host communities in Isingiro district in Uganda. To achieve its objectives, the project will collaborate with, peer agencies, health facilities and community-based organizations that provide complementary services (financial and energy) to improve access family planning and cervical cancer screening services by refugee populations and host communities in Nakivale and Oruchinga Refugee Settlements.
Job Summary: The Financial Inclusion and Enterprise Development Officer will play a pivotal role in advancing economic development initiatives among women and girls in refugee and host communities through the formation of savings groups and the provision of skills development training, access to financial resources, and business support services. This position requires a dynamic and proactive individual with expertise in financial inclusion, enterprise development, and skills training, as well as a commitment to empowering women and girls to achieve sustainable livelihoods and economic independence.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Financial Inclusion
- Support the development and implementation of a comprehensive financial inclusion strategy to enhance access to financial services for women and girls, with a focus on savings, credit, insurance, and digital banking solutions.
- Conduct market assessments and feasibility studies to identify opportunities and challenges related to financial inclusion in refugee and host communities, and design tailored interventions to address these gaps.
- Mobilize and facilitate the formation of savings groups among women and girls in refugee and host communities, providing them with a platform to pool financial resources, access credit, and engage in collective decision-making.
- Offer training and capacity-building sessions to savings group members on financial literacy, group dynamics, leadership skills, and linkages to formal financial services.
- Facilitate access to microfinance or formal financial services, grants, and revolving funds to enable savings group members to invest in income-generating activities, start small businesses, and expand existing enterprises.
- Support the development of the financial literacy education curriculum.
Enterprise Development
- Support the development and implementation of an enterprise development strategy to support enterprise development and access to financial services, business development services and markets.
- Provide technical assistance, training, and capacity-building support to women and girls interested in establishing or expanding their own businesses, cooperatives, or income-generating activities.
- Facilitate access to business development services, including market research, business planning, marketing strategies, financial management, and access to markets and value chains.
- Support the development of business development curriculum.
- Foster linkages between savings groups and local markets, buyers, and suppliers to facilitate the sale of products and services generated by women and girls.
- Provide business development support, including market research, product development, branding, and marketing strategies, to enhance the competitiveness of their enterprises.
Skills Development Training:
- Oversee vocational training programs tailored to the needs and interests of f savings group members and young women focusing on marketable skills such as tailoring, handicrafts production, agricultural practices, and entrepreneurship.
- Deliver hands-on training sessions, workshops, and mentoring opportunities to build practical skills and enhance business acumen among women and girls.
Monitoring and Evaluation:
- Establish a robust monitoring and evaluation system to track the uptake and impact of financial inclusion and enterprise development interventions and utilize data-driven insights to inform programmatic decision-making and performance improvement.
- Conduct routine monitoring and prepare regular progress reports, case studies, and success stories to document achievements, share lessons learned, and demonstrate the impact of financial inclusion and enterprise development activities.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in finance, economics, business administration, development studies, or a related field.
- At least 3-5 years of relevant experience in financial inclusion, microfinance, enterprise development, or skills training, preferably in humanitarian or development contexts.
- Demonstrated expertise in facilitating the formation of savings groups, delivering skills development training, and providing access to financial resources for marginalized populations, particularly women and girls.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build rapport with diverse stakeholders, including community members, government officials, NGOs, and financial institutions.
- Excellent communication, training facilitation, and project management skills, with a track record of implementing successful economic development initiatives.
- Proficiency in English (written and spoken) is required; knowledge of local languages spoken in refugee settings is an asset.
- Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks effectively, and adapt to changing environments and priorities.
NB: Please include your salary expectation
How to Apply:
All interested candidates should submit a cover letter, updated CV, and contact information for three professional references in a SINGLE PDF document to info@sharedact.org Please indicate “Financial Inclusion and Enterprise Development Officer” in the subject line of the email. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.