JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Economic Security Programs Officer
Position Type: Full-Time
Job Location: Chanyanya, Kafue
Reports To: Program Manager

About MCZ:

MCZ works with vulnerable fishing communities and young leaders in Zambia to improve livelihoods and secure a future where everyone is educated, healthy, and economically secure.
MCZ’s overall goal for 2022-2026 strategy is to ensure that the resilience and well-being of vulnerable individuals and households in the fishing communities of Zambia are strengthened. As MCZ, we believe education is the engine for economic growth and an equalizer for vulnerable women, youth, and children. In addition, we believe improving health through community-led change is about communities taking control of and leading their own development. Our work seeks to increase economic security. Through strengthening the vulnerable fishing communities, with our focus on supporting communities to unlock their local financial and nonfinancial assets and to use these to leverage more institutional forms of giving as collective investments in their development.

Job Summary:

To provide project leadership and technical guidance and support in the area of improved economic security and livelihoods, fish farming, climate adaptation and mitigation, and agroecology, watershed and natural resource management; to maintain and improve the project quality; and to help build MCZ’ expertise and portfolio in the area of climate change adaptation and mitigation (and resilience); Natural resources management; flood plains land farming and pastoralist systems and livestock management, water for domestic and productive uses, and market systems development. The position will support MCZ UNDP GEF/SGP project, in quality project delivery, and promote learning and innovation.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Take a lead role in the implementation of all Economic Security Initiatives

SPECIFIC KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Values, Vision, Mision

• Work alongside with the Operations Officers and all staff in contributing to the development of day-to-day activities at the MCZ Centre.
• Contribute to the development of a business plan for the development of a sustainable MCZ.
• Participate in team work to set and achieve individual and shared goals; to develop, plan and implement their ideas; and to fulfil their role Climate Smart Environment Project
• Develop strategies, tools, and approaches to support and strengthen the design and implementation of innovative social, economic security and livelihoods and/or natural resource management projects that address climate adaptation and mitigation.
• Support MCZ programs in developing a collaborative understanding of underlying drivers and social, environmental and economic impact of landscapes/water catchments.
• Provide technical advice to the project to understand the climate change, environment, and economic security policy and strategies, map key stakeholders and identify entry points to dialogue with government, private sector, and civil society
• Reinforce country project’ capacities in effective stakeholder engagement and communication approaches as a foundation for effective collaboration and sustainable systems change
• Identify and integrate the use of digital tools for economic security.
• Promote and expand the implementation of MCZ priorities, including the Theory of Change on economic security and livelihood projects; climate adaptation and natural resource management/land restoration; integrated seed systems; market systems development; and skills.
• Support project implementation by participating in start-up workshops, training and facilitation, mid-term assessments, recruitment, and transition planning and evaluation.
• Submit trip reports, describing activities undertaken, raising significant issues, and making recommendations. Provide support to country programs as a follow-up to visits.
• Make regular visits to ongoing projects to conduct collaborative program reviews. Help troubleshoot, recommend changes as needed, and identify areas of improvement and learning.

Women & Youth Economic Project

• Mobilize and support the formation of savings groups and cooperatives for youth and women.
• Work with the Program Officer in carrying out project training activities in the selected communities for the project.
• Provide mentorship support to savings groups, cooperatives and other groups that are supported by the project
• Carryout stakeholders meeting and support
• Maintain schedules of planned activities and activities outcomes
• Planning and budgeting for the project
• Compile Monthly, quarterly and annual project reporting for submission to donors and partners

Reporting

• Write Monthly reports to be submitted to the Programs Manager.
• Work with Programs Manager to develop annual work plans.

Programs

• Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
• In coordination with the Program Lead/ Program Manager, provide guidance to project and partners in the design and/or enhancement of MEAL tools (including Participatory M&E) and protocols to strengthen data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Provide technical advice and guidance to increase projects’ knowledge and understanding of income-generating activities, planning, and spatial analysis to implement sustainable land management and nature-based solutions to restore vital ecosystem services and improve livelihoods.
• Assist in designing and implementing baseline, mid-term, and final evaluations and ensure follow-up of findings/recommendations to improve program quality.
• Ensure that relevant reports are disseminated within the country and region. v) Promote learning and innovation in the project and throughout the life of the project, including exchange visits.
• Assist the program officer in documenting learning at key points during the project life.
• Support meta-analyses, ex-post impact evaluations, and monitoring in order to facilitate learning.

Fundraising/Marketing/Growth

• Contribute to MCZ country program efforts to pre-position MCZ for growth opportunities in economic security, livelihoods and landscapes and climate change programming. Lead or contribute to the development of the technical design for small and/or large proposals, including defining and/or aligning appropriate monitoring systems at the country level.
• Support country program staff to develop strong relationships with relevant ministries and contribute to influence and scaling strategies for improving policies and programs.
• Contribute to the design and technical approach for any proposals under development in the country to ensure adherence to best practices, incorporating lessons learned and overall innovation and competitiveness.

Capacity Strengthening

• Facilitate understanding of the linkages between economic security and climate change in other sectors (education, ICT, health, WASH, Youth leadership, etc.).
• Facilitate understanding of climate change threats, adaption, mitigation, and resilience/disaster risk reduction in the Kafue flats
• Maintain an understanding of country policy debates and processes on climate change, disaster risk reduction, and resilience.
• Coordinate and facilitate training, and meeting opportunities for leadership, cooperative formation, enterprise development, fish farming, biodiversity, and agroecology; explore capacity-building options for staff and partners. Facilitate relevant workshops and training for the project and partner staff

Your employment with MCZ will be on a one-year contract, renewable based on performance and organizational needs.

We believe that your skills and dedication will contribute significantly to the success of our Economic Security Initiatives. Please signify your acceptance of this offer by signing and returning a copy of this letter as soon as possible.

Qualifications & Experience Required:

• Degree in development studies, Economics, Social Sciences, or related field.
• Strong understanding of climate change, women and youth and economic security an added advantage.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Minimum 3 years in a similar role.
• Proven track record in project management and implementation.
• Ability to coach, mentor and build communities and partnerships using a variety of interactive and static methods (community of practice, newsletters, webinars, meetings, workshops)
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to represent and market the strengths of the organization to peer agencies and donors locally and globally as needed. Demonstrated ability to work independently.
• Required Language: English essential. Nyanja, Bemba and Tonga a plus

MCZ Core Values (for all MCZ Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of MCZ and are used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.