Job Title:   Economic Empowerment and Climate Resilience Officer   

Organisation: Shared Action Africa

Duty Station:  Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Uganda

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:   Shared Action Africa (SAA) seeks a dynamic and results-oriented Economic Justice and Climate Resilience Officer to lead the implementation of programs that enhance the economic empowerment and climate resilience of women and girls in rural and refugee settlements. This role encompasses program and staff management, ensuring alignment with SAA’s strategic objectives to build sustainable livelihoods and community self-reliance and resilience through women-led savings and business groups (SBGs).

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Management

• Oversee the planning, implementation, and monitoring of the Economic Development and Climate Resilience program.
• Ensure programs meet targets and align with SAA’s five-year strategic plan and donor requirements.
• Develop annual workplans, budgets, and progress reports in collaboration with the Program Manager.
• Track program performance ensuring timely delivery of outputs and outcomes.

Staff Management

• Supervise and provide leadership to program staff, including Community Agricultural Trainers (CATs) and other field officers.
• Support staff and CATs to deliver high-quality training and community engagement.
• Conduct performance appraisals and identify professional development opportunities for staff and CATs
• Facilitate team meetings to ensure effective communication, coordination, and knowledge sharing.

Economic Development

• Oversee the formation of Savings and Business Groups using the VSLA methodology
• Train and mentor Savings and Business Groups (SBGs) on Financial Literacy, business development, and market access strategies.
• Facilitate workshops on harvesting, post-harvest handling, and profit analysis.
• Promote green business initiatives
• Strengthen marketing strategies for garden produce, including branding and linkages to buyers.

Climate Resilience

• Support the establishment and management of communal gardens to enhance group cohesion and profitability.
• Guide the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices on communal gardens and keyhole gardens.
• Collaborate with partners for climate resilience initiatives.
• Monitor the impact of CSA practices on productivity, environmental sustainability, and community resilience.

Training and Capacity Building

• Design and deliver training modules for staff and beneficiaries on CSA techniques and economic development skills.
• Conduct training for CATs communal and kitchen garden management and marketing.
• Develop and disseminate practical guides, including checklists for CSA practices on communal and keyhole gardens and CSA practices.

Advocacy and Collaboration

• Organize SBGs for advocacy to access land and water resources in partnership with local authorities and CSOs.
• Facilitate dissemination workshops to share project results and lessons learned with stakeholders.
• Build relationships with partners for resource mobilization and joint initiatives.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)

• Establish and maintain robust MEL systems to track program impact and progress.
• Collect and analyze data on economic outcomes, CSA adoption, and program participation.
• Document lessons learned and success stories to inform program improvements and donor reporting.
• Conduct quarterly reflection meetings with program participants.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:  

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, Environmental Studies, Economics, Development Studies, or a related field.
• Master’s degree (preferred) in Climate Change Adaptation, Agricultural Economics, or Program Management.

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of experience managing rural economic development or climate resilience programs.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and motivate a diverse team of field staff.
• Proven experience working with women-led SBGs or community-based organizations in rural or refugee contexts.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong knowledge of climate-smart agriculture and sustainable livelihood approaches.
• Exceptional program management and leadership skills.
• Effective communication and facilitation abilities, including training diverse groups.
• Proficiency in monitoring and evaluation systems and tools.
• Partnership-building and advocacy skills.

Submit your CV, cover letter, and references to info@sharedact.org. Include “Economic Justice and Climate Resilience Officer” in the subject line and your salary expectation in the body of your cover letter.