VSLA Officer - MMC and Jere

JOB PURPOSE:

Under the supervision of the Livelihood Project Manager, the VSLA Officer sets up and strengthens Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) among the members and users of the livelihood facilities in MMC, Jere and Mafa LGAs. The aim is that tailors, fish farmers, irrigating farmers and feed mill operators can save, borrow and reinvest without depending on the project.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Mapping and mobilisation

• Map existing VSLAs, cooperatives' savings practices and financial service providers around each facility.
• Decide, with the Business Development Officer, where to strengthen existing groups and where to form new ones.
• Mobilise facility members and users through information sessions. Explain that VSLAs are voluntary, self-managed and self-financed, and that the project gives no grants or loan capital to them.
• Make sure women, youth, persons with disabilities, IDPs and returnees can join, and that membership is self-selected.

2. Group formation and training

• Form or reactivate VSLAs following a recognised methodology.
• Train each group in the core modules: groups, leadership and elections; developing policies and rules; developing the constitution; the first savings meeting; the first loan meeting and loan repayment; and share-out and graduation.
• Support each group to elect its management committee (Chair, Secretary, Box Keeper, two Money Counters, key holders), agree its constitution, and set share values, loan terms, interest and social fund contributions.
• Arrange the supply of savings kits: lockable cash box, passbooks, stamps and ink, ledger and calculator.

3. Supervision and coaching

• Visit each group regularly: weekly during the intensive phase (about the first 12 weeks), then every two weeks or monthly as the group matures.
• Check meeting procedures, record keeping, cash box security, loan management and transparency.
• Coach groups to fix weaknesses such as late repayments, record errors or poor attendance.
• Support the first share-out and the decision to start a new cycle.

4. Linking savings to the enterprises

• Help members plan loans for productive uses linked to their enterprise and cycle, such as inputs before a production or harvest cycle, or materials for an order.
• Deliver short financial literacy sessions on household budgeting, savings goals, managing debt and separating household money from enterprise money.
• Coordinate with the Business Development Officer so VSLA savings complement each cooperative's own funds and asset renewal reserve, and do not mix with them.

5. Linkages to formal financial services

• Identify banks, microfinance institutions and mobile money providers that offer suitable, affordable products.
• Help mature groups open group savings accounts and use mobile money to reduce cash risk, where appropriate.
• Prepare credit-ready members and groups for linkage to microfinance where it fits, and explain loan terms and risks clearly.

6. Community-based trainers

• Identify and train community-based trainers, mainly women and youth, to support groups and form new ones after the project ends.
• Certify trainers who meet the standard, and agree a fee-for-service or volunteer arrangement with groups.

7. Monitoring and reporting

• Collect monthly performance data for each group: membership by sex and age, attendance, savings, loans outstanding, repayment rate, social fund balance and share-out value.
• Use a standard VSLA management information system (MIS) or a digital tool agreed with the MEAL Officer.
• Submit monthly reports and flag groups at risk.
• Contribute to the baseline and endline, success stories and lessons learned.

Cross-cutting duties

• Protect members' money: never handle or keep group funds, never act as key holder, and report any suspected misuse.
• Make sure group rules do not exclude or burden the most vulnerable members, and watch for risks to women, such as household tension over savings or loans.
• Follow PSEA, safeguarding, confidentiality and security procedures.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties related to the project, as assigned by the Project Manager

Qualifications, experience and competencies

Education:

• Essential: a university degree (B.Sc or HND) in Economics, Accounting, Banking and Finance, Business Administration, Cooperative Studies, Agricultural Economics, Social Sciences or a related field.
• Desirable: certified training in a recognized VSLA methodology, and in financial literacy or microfinance.

Experience

• At least 3 years of experience forming, training and supervising VSLAs or similar savings groups, including at least one full cycle through to share-out.
• Experience training adults with low literacy in savings, loans and record keeping.
• Experience working with NGOs, UN agencies or government programmes in North-East Nigeria.

Desirable

• Experience linking savings groups to banks, microfinance institutions or mobile money.
• Experience using a VSLA MIS or mobile data collection tools such as Kobo Toolbox or ODK.
• Experience with livelihoods programms for farmers, fish farmers or artisans.
• Experience training community-based trainers.

Skills and competencies

• Strong numeracy and accuracy with financial records.
• Excellent facilitation and training skills; patient and respectful with community members.
• Honest and transparent, with high personal integrity in handling financial matters.
• Able to manage many groups across several locations and keep to a supervision schedule.
• Sensitive to gender and inclusion issues in household finances.
• Commitment to PSEA, safeguarding and humanitarian principles.
• Proficient in MS Office or Google Workspace, especially spreadsheets.

Languages

• Essential: fluent Hausa; good written and spoken English.
• Desirable: Kanuri will be an asset.