CARE is a leading humanitarian organization dedicated to fighting poverty and social injustice and places a particular emphasis on women and girls, their dignity and empowerment to lead their communities out of poverty. CARE began working in Tanzania in April 1994, in response to the crisis in Rwanda and the subsequent influx of refugees into the Kagera Region of North-western Tanzania. Over the subsequent years, CARE Tanzania developed innovative education, health, microfinance, and environmental programs across most regions of the country. In Tanzania CARE works with the Government both in mainland and Zanzibar and other stakeholders to transform communities and ensure financial inclusion and independence, health and nutrition, climate- smart development resilience, especially for women and girls.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Restoring Landscapes & Livelihoods in East and Southern Africa with Climate Asset Management (RESAf) in Tanzania aims to improve livelihoods, food security and resilience to climate change in Tanzania through restoring ecosystem services and improved management of agricultural, pastoral and forest areas contributing to emissions reductions. This Program will enable and build substantial carbon sinks and sequestration opportunities, allowing viable returns to both farmers and investors.

CARE will be leading implementing Organisation in this 5 years’ climate change initiative in a consortium approach with other four international NGOs. The Program will enhance ecosystem services and carbon sinks, using locally appropriate Evergreening practices, to sequester carbon and generate certified carbon credits for the benefit of local communities and the investor. To improve the landscapes and livelihoods across Tanzania, the programme will take a multi­faceted, evidence-based approach to strengthen social, institutional, and economic infrastructure, and will develop equitable ever-green agriculture(EGA)value chain markets and ecosystem-based businesses (including the engagement with carbon markets) that underpin the sustainability of scaling-up positive impacts being realized through Evergreening practices.

CARE Tanzania seeks to recruit dynamic qualified Tanzanians to fill five (5) positions for a new project under Restoring Landscapes & Livelihoods in East and Southern Africa with Climate Asset Management (RESAf) based in Ifakara, Morogoro.

POSITION TITLE: Women Empowerment & Financial Inclusion Project Officer (WE&FI)

REPORTS TO: Women Empowerment & Financial Inclusion Program Manager

LOCATION: Ifakara, Morogoro

JOB SUMMARY:

He/she will be responsible in social empowerment and collective investment, financial inclusion, savings groups, entrepreneurships, social enterprises, market systems, micro to macroeconomics, MAP, and digital technology. The WE & FI Officer will ensure effective integration and adoption of WE approach within CARE’s Kilombero Cluster in Morogoro, and as part of driving gender transformational programming and broader women’s empowerment across the program. The position is passionate about promoting gender equality, and innovative and transformative approaches to women’s and Youth empowerment.

This position is a key member of the Cluster level program management Unit based in Kilombero. The position is responsible for maintaining good working relationships with regional and district level officials, private sector partners, CARE International Members (CIMs) and relevant civil society organisations, networks, and alliances within the operational area. The position reports to the Project Manager, MEEL Lead and other officers and program support staff within the CO to generate synergies, leverage resources and achieve greater program impact.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:

1. Strategic and Technical Coordination

• Plan and conduct demand creation meetings that will involve small- scale farmer production groups, VSLA, FFBS group members, VEO, potential people and community at large in the operating area to let them understand on what consortium members are doing under program to mobilize group formation.
• Work with identified consortium members and partner to empower women through land restoration and VSLA, FFBS to be able to understand their rights and participate in decision making both at household and communal settings.
• Mobilize Community Members into Saving and Credit groups or similar groups into Investment groups, build their financial skills and capacities and facilitate transformation of the Saving and Credit into business and link the matured groups with Financial Institutions.
• Provide Training of Trainers (TOT) to Community Base Trainers (CBTs)and assist them to cascade similar training to VSLA and other savings groups as relevant.

• Through CBTs, train VSLA or similar groups on Inclusive financial and business models that promote sustainable economic development and incomes of the SSPPs particularly women. Ensure consistency in approaches(such as in VSLA/YSLAs expansion, layering and scaling) across the Clusters to generate synergies, leverage resources and achieve greater program quality and impact.
• Contribute to periodic review of the RESAF Tanzania operating environment to ensure that the WE&FI programming approaches and models are innovative and adapted to the changing operating environment.
• Facilitate the rollout adoption of Intra and Inter collective investment model by VSLA or similar saving groups.
• Pending improvements of Chomoka within CARE, maintain thorough understanding of the development of the technical aspects of the digital technology and provide appropriate linkage support to VSLAs (preferably starting with Chomoka) with the back-end IT maintenance team.
• Assist the WE&FI Manager to provide technical expertise to build and develop WE & FI awareness and capacity within the consortium team to provide effective management of Women’s Empowerment and Financial Inclusion program in line with RESAF Tanzania program goal.

2. Program Implementation and Quality

• Ensure that WE&FI programming remains dynamic and highly relevant, with opportunities for innovation and personal growth by promoting a culture of, and mechanisms for, reflective learning and practice at within and beyond the cluster.
• Conduct regular monitoring visits to observe group performance and provide necessary guidance to CBTs.
• Work closely with the Cluster Manager and relevant program colleagues to establish mechanisms for generating and sharing knowledge, both within CARE and between WE&FI technical staff across clusters.
• Work closely with Cluster Manage to ensure that lessons learned are consolidated and used to inform ongoing and future programming practices.
• Work closely with others as relevant, to develop impact measurement systems and to promote forward accountability to the impact group and ensure their participation in program quality and impact evaluations.
• Ensure that RESAF program is at the transformative end of gender and resilience programming as per CARE marker guidelines.
• Ensure that the program adopt and/or integrate latest innovations and technology in the sectorthat support impact, learning M&E, etc.
• Ensure that Gender Equality and Diversity (GED) and Protection against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) are adequately considered and addressed as per CARE policy at the workplace and across program operational areas.

3. Promoting accountability of private sector partners, consortium members and LGA’s

• Advocating for gender-responsive budgeting at different sectoral levels within the district as requisite for accelerated implementation and adoption of VSLA model by the government.
• Assist WE&FI Manager in providing support for promoting CARE’s relationship with external coalitions, networks, and social movements and/or partners to advance WE&FI programming and approaches, as well as to contribute to national, regional and international dialogue on poverty reduction through WE&FI programming approaches.
• Maintain good working relationships and visibility with partners in the Clusters, relevant government counterparts, donors, CIMs, national and international NGOs and other key stakeholders.
• Promote institutionalization of social accountability monitoring by community groups(including small holder farmer and VSLAs)within the cluster, private sector partners and LGAs.
• Monitor the performance of On-boarded saving groups on the ground and share feed back to the Program management as and of when requested.
• Work with LGAs in enhancing the delivery of their services to small scale farmers and VSLAs as well as gauging their support in ensuring that private sector partners and consortium members provide required services to farmers as agreed.
• Promote Gender, Equality and Diversity
• Work with others to support CARE’s mission.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

1. Bachelor’s Degree in economics, gender & social studies, rural development, education, or other relevant field.
2. Minimum three (3) years of experience related to the development and implementation of strategies and field activities aiming the empowerment of small entrepreneurs, and more specifically women entrepreneurs living in rural areas.
3. At least 3 years of experience in VSLAs and women’s economic empowerment, with demonstrated experience in implementing WE & FI programs funded by a variety of donor agencies.
4. Experience working in the field of gender equality advocacy, particularly with the women clientele of small financial institutions.
5. Experience in the design and dissemination of online tools to inform and capacitate small entrepreneurs/VSLAs groups.
6. Experience in working in a banking and financial inclusion sector, multicultural environment and with many stakeholders from different horizons, including national & subnational government agencies, private sector organizations and non-state-related actors such as civil society and community groups (preferable)
7. Demonstrated commitment to issues and programs in gender equality and women’s empowerment, and experience with new business development and implementation.
8. Field program experience with gendered approaches to agriculture and climate issues.

MODE OF APPLICATIONS

Only a letter of application and updated CV including names of at least 3 reputable referees from previous jobs (preferable line Managers) with reliable contacts should be sent by email to Human Resources Department TZAHumanResourcesDepartment@care.org not later than 27th May, 2023.

The applicants should clearly state the Job title applied for in the subject line of the email.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

CARE is an equal opportunity employer promoting gender, equity, and diversity. Female and people with disability candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children and vulnerable adults from abuse.