Project: Youth Economic Empowerment through Livestock Development
Organization: International Foundation for Recovery and Development (IFRAD)
Duty Station: TBD
Reports to: Cluster Coordinator
Background
About YEELD: The Youth Economic Empowerment through Livestock Development (YEELD) Program is a five-year initiative aimed at improving the socio-economic well-being and resilience of financially disadvantaged young people aged 18–35 years in the Teso, Bukedi, and Ankole sub-regions of Uganda through livestock value chains. The program seeks to create 250,000 work opportunities, including for 200,000 (80%) young women, 5% persons with disabilities (PWDs), and 3% refugees and displaced persons (RDPs). YEELD is being implemented across 20 districts in the three sub-regions through a consortium coordinated by Ripple Effect, dfcu Foundation, and Multi Community Based Development Initiative (MUCOBADI), and Action For Development (ACFODE) as a Gender and Social Inclusion partner, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
IFRAD is a sub-partner to dfcu Foundation, implementing the program in the Teso region. IFRAD is therefore looking for suitable candidates
Job Purpose
The Project Officer is responsible for supporting the implementation of YEELD project activities at sub-county (s)/ community level. The Officer leads community mobilization, enrolment and profiling of young people, coordination of Community-Based facilitators and supports training and ensures routine data collection, The Project Officer supports interventions that drive youth employment, enterprise development, and inclusive participation in livestock value chains. The role focuses on Supporting formation and stretching of youth producer groups and enterprises; delivering of soft and technical skills, delivering financial inclusion interventions; Facilitating market linkages and access to services; and promoting inclusive participation of young women, PWDs, and vulnerable groups.
The position requires a highly practical, community-grounded professional with strong experience in field implementation, group facilitation and strengthening, business coaching, and youth economic empowerment, particularly in livestock and agribusiness systems.
The Project Officer works closely with community groups, local leaders, extension workers, and young people to ensure smooth, inclusive, and quality delivery of project activities
Responsibilities/Key Deliverables:
1. Community Mobilization, Participant Engagement and delivery
- Mobilize community members, Youth Producer Groups, and target participants to engage in project activities, meetings, trainings, and events.
- Support the identification, profiling, recruitment, and onboarding of youth producer groups and enterprises
- Support identification, registration, and profiling of project beneficiaries in accordance with project guidelines using the digital Management Information System (MIS).
- Lead community sensitization and mobilisation awareness activities on project objectives, interventions, and available feedback and complaint mechanisms.
- Maintain regular contact with project beneficiaries, community structures, and local leaders.
- Support implementation of community action plans and project work plans at sub-county level.
2. Livestock Development and Extension Support
- Provide information on the different marketable trades in the region (guided by the report from the labour market study).
- Guide youths on suitable trades that match their personal interests, skills and ability.
- Identify artisans within the youth geographical area and connect young people to local artisans for cottage trainings
- Facilitate formation of Enterprise specific groups that could grow into milk collection points at subcounty level.
- Assist in organising livestock demonstrations, farmer field days, exchange visits, and technical training sessions for Youth Producer Groups.
- Support extension workers, para-veterinarians, and technical officers during community outreach and skills training activities.
- Follow up project beneficiaries to monitor adoption of improved livestock husbandry, animal health, feeding, breed improvement, and biosecurity practices.
- Support the collection of information on livestock production, animal health, and participant enterprise progress.
- Support producer groups to undergo product development and product certification
- Support youth participation in livestock value chains (poultry, piggery, small ruminants) across production, aggregation, and marketing
- Mentor youths to support them in starting and growing their own businesses.
- Facilitate formation of Enterprise specific groups that could grow into milk collection points at subcounty level.
- Provide hands-on technical support and coaching to youth enterprises to improve productivity and business performance
- Facilitate access to inputs, start-up kits, extension services, and appropriate technologies through local partnerships
- Support youth enterprises to access markets and buyers
3. Community-Based Trainer Coordination and Capacity Building
- Support the identification, selection, and profiling of Community-Based Trainers (CBTs) in line with project criteria and gender-inclusion guidelines.
- Coordinate capacity building sessions for CBTs through, inductions, and refresher activities to build their capacity to deliver quality services to the young people in governance, entrepreneurship, gender, and safeguarding as required by the programme.
- Provide ongoing mentorship, coaching, and follow-up support to CBTs to maintain training quality and consistency.
- Provide coaching, mentorship, and follow-up support to ensure adoption of skills and sustainability of enterprises among the young people
- Monitor CBT performance and report progress and challenges to the District Coordinator.
- Conduct basic situation analysis for the vulnerable youths to identify areas of interest and abilities.
- Conduct capacity/skill gaps assessment to assess skills gaps and resource base.
4. Financial Inclusion and Enterprise Development Support
- Support the formation and strengthening of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), SACCOs, savings groups within the sub-county.
- Organise financial literacy, entrepreneurship, business skills,
- Support linkages of producer groups to formal financial systems (e.g., SACCOs, banks etc.) to access financial services and products
- Support producer groups to meaningfully participate and benefit from government programmes such as GROW, PDM, YLP etc.
- Support community-level activities aimed at improving access to financial services, market linkages, and agribusiness development opportunities.
- Support formation of business hubs and other common user facilities
- Facilitate producer groups to access legalise their operations through registration with government agencies such as URSB, DLG, MAAIF
- Facilitate Business-to-Business (B2B) engagements and market linkage activities at community level.
5. Partnerships and Ecosystem Engagement
- Maintain effective working relationships with sub-county local government departments, community leaders, cooperatives, agro-input dealers, and other local stakeholders.
- Represent the project in sub-county coordination meetings and relevant community forums.
- Promote community ownership, visibility, and long-term sustainability of project interventions.
- Support collaboration with financial institutions, private sector actors, and training providers to expand opportunities for youth
- Facilitate linkages between youth and business development services, input suppliers, and other market actors.
6. Inclusion and Youth Empowerment
- Intentionally mobilize youth, young women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), refugees, and other vulnerable groups to participate and meaningfully engage in project interventions.
- Support implementation of youth empowerment, life skills, mindset change, and entrepreneurship activities.
- Promote gender equality, disability inclusion, and social accountability messages during all community engagements.
- Facilitate community conversations, safe space meetings, and youth advocacy forums at village and sub-county level.
- Identify and report barriers affecting participation of vulnerable groups and recommend appropriate action to the District Coordinator.
7. Monitoring, Reporting, and Learning
- Participate in the assessment and door-to-door verification of youth receiving work enabling services and youth in work
- Collect and report accurate field data in line with YEELD M&E frameworks and tools and ensure that all data is captured into the project MIS.
- Conduct data collection for work enabling outreach and youth in work.
- Build the capacity of CBTs to use the project MIS and ensure they collect timely, accurate and consistent data
- Maintain accurate records of meetings, trainings, attendance lists, and field activities.
- Support routine monitoring visits, participant tracking, and follow-up activities.
- Document success stories, lessons learned, case studies, and project achievements.
- Prepare and submit timely weekly, monthly, and activity-level reports to the District Coordinator.
- Support assessments, surveys, evaluations, and donor compliance processes as required.
8. Financial and Administrative Support
- Assist in organising community meetings, training sessions, workshops, and project events, including venue and materials preparation.
- Support preparation and distribution of training materials and project resources.
- Maintain records of project equipment and materials used during field activities.
- Support logistical arrangements for field visits, stakeholder meetings, and activity accountability documentation.
- Prepare activity reports, payment requests, and field accountability documents as required.
- Support activity planning, budgeting, and resource utilization
- Ensure proper documentation, accountability, and compliance with project and donor requirements
9. Safeguarding, Accountability and Compliance
- Liaise with parents and care givers on the programme and obtain their consent to engage the identified youth to participate in youth program activities
- Promote safeguarding, child protection, gender sensitivity, and ethical conduct in all project activities.
- Ensure reasonable accommodation and inclusion during implementation of project interventions at community level.
- Ensure project beneficiaries are aware of available feedback, reporting, and complaint mechanisms.
- Report safeguarding concerns, incidents, and risks promptly through established organisational procedures.
- Comply with organizational policies, donor requirements, and project guidelines always.
- Perform any other duties as assigned by the District Coordinator.
Education & Training
- Bachelor’s degree in development studies, Agriculture, Business Administration, Economics, Entrepreneurship, social work, development studies, Vocational education or related field
- Minimum of 4 years’ experience in community-level project implementation, youth/women’s empowerment, or agribusiness
- Experience in group facilitation, community mobilization, and VSLAs
- Exposure to livestock or agribusiness initiatives is an added advantage
- Familiarity with the Teso region is preferred
Skills & Experience
- Strong community engagement and facilitation skills
- Good understanding of enterprise development, financial literacy, and group dynamics
- Strong communication and report-writing skills
- Basic knowledge of monitoring, data collection, and reporting tools
- Strong organizational and problem-solving abilities
- High levels of integrity, accountability, and professionalism
- Ability to work independently in rural field settings
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and digital data tools
- Valid motorcycle riding permit and willingness to travel within sub-counties
Behavioral Competencies
- Integrity and Commitment: Upholds YEELD values, ethics, and safeguarding standards
- Results Orientation: Delivers timely and quality outputs
- Collaboration: Works effectively with communities and stakeholders
- Adaptability: Responds to changing field realities
- Learning Mindset: Applies feedback and lessons to improve delivery.
Safeguarding and Inclusion Commitment
The role holder must uphold safeguarding principles and ensure that all interventions are inclusive, safe, and accessible, particularly for young women, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable populations.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
IFRAD is committed to maintaining a transparent and ethical recruitment process. Please be advised that all applications and recruitment services are provided entirely free of charge. At no stage of the hiring process does IFRAD request or accept any form of payment.
If you have any concerns, inquiries, or suspect any fraudulent activity related to this recruitment process, please contact IFRAD directly at:info@ifrad.org