Requete Position consultant _ Job Vacancy _ TORS Consultant for Development Cash For Work

Position : Consultancy for Project Development
Location : Banjul, Gambia (with travels across the country)
Duration of the contract : 30 (10 days mission in The Gambia and 20 days home based)
Starting Date : ASAP
Project / Programme : A : Rural Infrastructure for Employment Creation
B : Social Protection for Vulnerables Groups
Reports to : Regional Advisor
Basic salary : N/A

Background
About COOPI

Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI) is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts and natural disasters. For 50 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economical Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

Since 2017, COOPI has been carrying out feasibility missions in The Gambia to assess migration patterns and youth vulnerabilities, their causes and devise possible solutions. After collaborating with a local partner on a project proposal aimed to tackle the roots causes of irregular migration in North Bank and Central River Regions, it has been funded by the Italian Agency for Development and Cooperation – AICS. The project started December 2018 with a duration of 12 month. The Overall Objective of the project is to contribute to the prevention of irregular migration and the reduction of protection risks associated to this phenomenon in the North Bank and Central River Regions in The Gambia. The Specific Objective is to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable youth in the communities of origin by supporting skills, life and professional development processes, and promoting long-lasting reintegration processes ;

Context :

As a small economy relying heavily on agriculture tourism, re-export trade and remittances from Gambians abroad, The Gambia is highly vulnerable to external shocks as experienced in recent years (insufficient rainfall impacting on agriculture and food security). In addition, the country has not significantly increased the industrial sector’s share in the economy (15% in 2013, up from 12% in 2004). The private sector is small and faces obstacles due to a shortage of entrepreneurial skills and structural gaps in the business environment.

Major hurdles to economic development also include poor regional integration, the absence of reliable and affordable energy, and sub-optimal infrastructure and vocational training facilities. Only 13 % of rural population and 71 % of urban population have respectively access to electricity, this circumstance is severely limiting economic activities in these regions.

The economic structure and performance present the following core problem : The Gambia’s economy lacks opportunities for employment of its labour force and job creation is needed, including in rural areas. The important lack of rural economic infrastructures specifically contributes to under-employment opportunities and economic dynamism of the agri-food sector.

Regarding the social security situation in the country, the Gambia is going to introduce soon a SP system under the NSSP. The new government has fully endorsed the policy and integrate into the National Development Plan. The minimum package will be addressed to vulnerable groups such as elder and disable peoples for a duration of 9-15 months by a cash transfer modality.

Scope of the Consultancy

As the organization is planning to expand its program portfolio in and scaling-up operations The Gambia during 2019-20, we are looking for a consultant from early April 2019 with the aim to position the organization on two proposal development ts. The country team will provide strategic guidance to the mission development, logistical support and institutional linkages with the relevant stakeholders.

Following programmatic priorities have been selected : cash-based response, agriculture, employment of youth and vulnerable groups. Following areas will be jointly developed in two areas, integrated project tailored to specific funding opportunities already identified. The objective of the first project will be to promote local community and especially young people and returning migrants to productive rural infrastructure building by a) providing support to building companies to manage all key phases of the cash-for-work process b) promoting communication and awareness raising campaigns. The second one will be based on building a social protection cash-based system for vulnerable groups

General objectives of the consultancy :

• Extensive consultancy at national level on cash-based responses in the identified regions
• Programmatic assessment for the specific objectives identified in the selected region of intervention ;
• Development of the programmatic intervention tailored to the specific funding opportunities identified ;

Expected outputs

• Draft of two compelling, evidence-based full proposal in accordance with specific calls for proposal (and related guidelines) already launched ;

• Assess and select local partners, among a pre-identified list of, as partner of the implementation ;

• Final consultancy mission report with recommendations for COOPI’s mission to orient the program strategy ;

The position will be based in Banjul, capital of The Gambia, with field missions across the selected priorities areas

Main Duties / Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Regional Advisor, the consultant is expected to undertake the following main tasks :

• Review relevant secondary literature related to employment intensive methods, cash-for-work , agriculture and youth employment program in The Gambia ;
• Review relevant secondary literature, country development strategies on social protection schemes
  Consult most relevant donors, national authorities and international organizations (pre-selected list) mainly involved in the sectors of interest ;
• Assess and select among the pre-identified national NGOs two organisations for possible partnerships ;
• Based on the primary and secondary information gathered, and in accordance with guidance in the calls for proposal, design a full proposal, including LFA, budget and narrative accordingly to specific guidelines
• Complete final mission report

Profile of the Candidate (Education, Training, Competences, Skills)

Minimum Requirements :
Experience :

• Minimum of 5 years experience in the field of food security, rural development, youth employment, cash-based responses and/or social protection ;
• Preferably advanced university degree in development studies, food security or a related field
• Prior demonstrated experience in developing and writing proposal for institutional donors, in particular EU ;
• Proven experience in conducting field rapid assessments and partner assessments
• Sound knowledge of the West African context
  Skills :
• Ability to plan and organize work and write clear and concise reports and project proposals as well as to communicate effectively (both verbally and in writing)
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills (Excel, Word, Emails, Skype, Web researches) ;
• Fluency in oral and written English ;
• Flexibility to adapt to any subsequent changes in the terms of reference ;
• Willingness and ability to travel to the field to conduct assessments and gather primary data ;
  Personal competencies :
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision
• Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
• Proven commitment to accountability practice

HOW TO APPLY FOR THE POSITION

E-mail applications inclusive of :

• CV (max 3 pages)
• Cover Letter (max 1 page)
  Application should be submitted to : rh.senegal@coopi.org . Deadline for application : 10.04.19
  Please note that any late application or incomplete submission will not be considered and thus will be disregarded immediately. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.