Livelihood Consultant at Christian Aid (CA)

Christian Aid (CA) is a UK-based international NGO, partnering with others to end poverty in Africa. At the heart of this vision is the transformation of the lives of people who live in poverty, empowering them to have a brighter future. Christian Aid works in more than 30 countries and has been operating in Nigeria since 2003. The Nigeria Country programme focuses on Community Health and HIV, Accountable Governance including humanitarian response and Gender.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:



Job Title: Livelihood Consultant

Location: Maiduguri, Borno state, Nigeria, with frequent travel to the field bases of Northern and Southern Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States

Starting date: 14/05/2018

Contract duration: 3 months

Reporting to: Humanitarian Response Manager

General Context of the Response

Christian Aid ‘s primary purpose in the NE Nigeria Response is to save lives, support and safeguard the rights and well-being of IDPs, returnees and host communities, with the definitive goal is to help find durable solutions that will allow them to rebuild their livelihoods in dignity. In pursuing durable solutions Christian Aid additionally aims to increase the self-reliance and livelihood opportunities of IDPs, returnees and host communities to ensure building of resilience and reduction of disaster risks. The strategic goal of livelihoods programming in Christian Aid is to chart a pathway towards recovery of conflict affected populations, enable the self-reliance, improve protective environment and have access to enhanced, safe and reliable livelihoods, enhancing their freedom and their capacity to accelerate and participate in the achievement of long term sustainable livelihood strategies .

The challenges faced by IDP’s and displaced populations in finding decent economic opportunities have been subject to growing attention in Christian Aid operations. Efforts to strengthen the organization’s understanding of IDP’s and local host communities’ livelihoods and capacity to deliver adequate services and useful livelihoods programs are paramount. The national conflict and land tenure environment places varying degrees of restrictions on IDPs’ freedom of movement and access to resources, however IDPs use different strategies to generate income. The initial assets that IDPs can rely on – such as their skills, inherited professions, access to financial capital, physical health, social networks – are critical in widening their options to access safe and productive work or engage in income generating activities.

Christian Aid initiated emergency operations in NE Nigeria in 2016, to respond to the critical and increasing needs in the country cause by the conflict between none state insurgency and the Nigeria Security Forces. Christian Aid currently has a full team based in Maiduguri and a coordination office in Abuja and providing services across various sectors namely; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion (WASH); Food Security and Livelihoods, Nutrition Sensitive programming, and mainstreaming protection to address identified humanitarian needs. The Christian Aid aims to develop a North Eastern Livelihoods Strategy that will better define opportunities for Christian Aid staff and partners and other relevant actors to develop and implement sustainable livelihoods programmes for displaced populations.

General Purpose of the Position

Christian Aid is searching for an accomplished and highly motivated Livelihoods expert who is conflict sensitive with experience in working in conflict affected areas to provide assistance and guidance to Christian Aid ’s livelihoods programming in the field. The consultant will be responsible for assessing and compiling existing socio-economic data, conduct necessary assessments, review on-going livelihoods activities and local development plans, map out partnership opportunities, and develop or start up the implementing of a comprehensive livelihood strategies for field operations highlighting the type of interventions identified for host, returnees and IDPs.

The consultant will ensure the livelihood strategy is developed through a consultative process involving the participation and contribution of a Multi-functional Team which will focus on rural and peri-urban and urban locations, representatives of the IDPs community, Government, the host community and the public and the private sectors, as well as relevant organizations such as Christian Aid ’s Implementing Partners (IP) and Community Organizations (COs), WFP, FAO, and other potential partners.



Main Responsibilities and Tasks Outputs

Documentation of the existing livelihood strategies of IDPs and local populations in the target area to include:

• Conduct a Household Economy Analysis of the IDP population and determine the socio-economic profile of the assessed population (main wealth-group/socio-economic categories of the population characterized in terms of household composition; livelihood assets; income sources; food-security status);
• The livelihood assets and strategies of households defined within each wealth-group, with attention to the different roles of men and women, capacities and capacity-gaps for accessing employment / self-employment opportunities.
• Credit, Saving and Lending opportunities and possibilities to have village people managed saving and credit institutions (VSLA).
• Document the actors and institutions operating in or delivering services to the area; the accessibility of markets for goods and services; the accessibility of vocational training, financial services, and business services providers;
• Analyze the development processes in the area (review local development plans and identify planned or potential sources of public/private sector investment; other processes that can affect the markets);
• Assess and analyze the policies and practices relating to employment, enterprise development, access to land etc., that influence development processes and affect livelihood opportunities in the area, as well as existing land and environmental management policies and practices and their potential threats.
• Develop and formulate Feasible strategies to reinforce and develop displaced populations’ capacities, livelihood assets and outcomes, address capacity gaps, and enhance their access to sustainable livelihood opportunities.
• Recommend Implementation and partnership arrangements.
• Select baseline indicators, to enable regular assessment of changes in socio-economic profiles, livelihood assets and outcomes of displaced population groups, inclusive of disability, age- and gender-differentials.

Methodologies:

• Review of secondary information (relevant existing reports/studies and previous livelihoods assessment).
• Institutional mapping of relevant organizations and institutions, highlighting what organizations are doing and for whom, including both existing and planned programmes that could be directly or indirectly supporting IDPs livelihoods.
• Key informant interviews, if necessary, with relevant stakeholders from local/national institutions related to training, employment, finance, enterprise, agriculture in the communities; representatives of trade groups, cooperatives, and special interest groups; Christian Aid staff members; staff from partner organizations.
• A series of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with household-members from each of the identified wealth groups; and with special interest groups (e.g. groups of women, youth, men and) to verify the wealth of information and suggested livelihoods activities.
• Data analysis – using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework; and analytical tools such as SWOT analysis.
• Verify existing information on livelihood assets and strategies of different wealth groups, and of men and women within these; identify strengths and weaknesses in terms of capacities and capacity gaps (internal factors).
• Investigate the opportunities and threats related policies, institutions, and processes (external factors); this includes opportunities/threats in the formal and informal employment markets, supply and demand of goods and services, including financial services.
• Prepare a summary of key findings and recommendations, including new and on-going projects, livelihood technologies, options categorized for IDPs, host community and returnees by thematic areas e.g. agriculture, livestock, fishery, small enterprises / IGAs etc.
• Draft a comprehensive report; submit for review and incorporate comments into a quality final report.

Requirements, Experience and Education

• Advanced University Degree (Master Level minimum) in Development Studies / Economics, Agricultural Economics, Socio-economic Studies, Food Security and Livelihoods, Economics, Business Administration or Management.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant practical field experience in one or more of the following areas: Socio-economic and/or household economy Analysis; risks and vulnerability assessments, Market assessments, Rapid and Participatory Rural Appraisal, Livelihood programming, Entrepreneurship Building, Private Sector Development, Local Economic Recovery/Poverty-Reduction Strategies, Agriculture/Livestock/Natural Resource Management, Urban and Rural Small Business…