Job Title: SILC Field Agent
Department: VINES program
Reports: Field Officer
Contract period: One year
Country/Location: Uganda.
ABOUT CRS
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) supporting relief and development work in over 100 countries around the world. CRS carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. CRS’ Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations; serving people based on need, regardless of creed, ethnicity or nationality. CRS works through local church and non-church partners to implement its programs.
CRS has worked in Uganda since 1965, initially providing emergency assistance to Sudanese refugees living in the north. Over the years, CRS has expanded its programming to also address development needs in western, central and eastern Uganda. CRS’ projects in Uganda currently include agriculture, health, microfinance, peacebuilding and youth. CRS Uganda implements its programs through partnerships with local organizations, including the Catholic Church, other faith-based organizations and community entities for maximum impact and sustainability.
Project Background
The Vines Project, implemented by CRS Uganda, is a five-year, $13 million Food for Progress project that will make Uganda the world’s next leading supplier of high-quality vanilla. Vines will leverage the expertise of CRS and its partners to enhance the production of safe, pure vanilla and develop sustainable market links with US vanilla companies, directly transforming the lives of 16,200 farmers, 836 supply chain actors and create 15,820 new jobs to reach 32,856 vanilla stakeholders. The Vines strategy reflects best practices in sustainable development and will leave Uganda with a robust vanilla farming community resilient to the boom/bust nature of the market and a cadre of private sector agricultural extensionists to support more sophisticated production, processing, and marketing needs.
Job Summary
You will assist Implementation of the VINES program field activities by working directly with local leaders and community members in support of Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work to serve the poor and vulnerable. Your service and community interpersonal skills contribute to projects that benefit local communities that consistently applies best practices and continuously works towards improving its impact.
Job Responsibilities.
- The SILC Field Agent will support the mobilization of vanilla farmers under the Vines Program into SILC groups.
- The SILC Field agents will be responsible for the training and continuous monitoring of SILC Groups in the different sub counties within the districts of implementation.
- Recruit and train and supervise apprentices in the SILC methodology.
- Perform SILC and farmer financial readiness checks and impart basic financial literacy skills to SILC groups
- Assess and support in identification of SILC groups ready for linkages with banks for credit, agro-processors, input suppliers and produce buyers.
- Collect data from the SILC groups and as per project requirements and contribute to the preparation of reports.
- Support in translation, in case of trainings at the field level, that may be conducted by CRS or district technical staff that are not knowledgeable in the local language.
- Train and encourage SILC members them to adopt the GTA training into their ways of living.
- Provide feedback about the project interventions for the purposes of improving the future project interventions.
Typical background, experience, and qualification.
Education qualification
- Post Ordinary level Education with skills in training farmer groups
Knowledge and Abilities
Skills
- Basic arithmetic skills (including percentage calculations)
- Ability to read and understand the national language (used in guides and forms)
- Ability to communicate in local language(s) of assigned area
- Good community mobiliser and facilitator, with strong interpersonal and communication skill
Expectations/Attitude
- Willing to join an intensive training program with limited financial support
- Wanting to later work independently and earn part of their livelihood by charging for services
- Willing and able to work in nearby villages/communities
- Willing and able to work at times that are convenient for SILC groups
- Energetic and assertive, with a positive mind-set
- Exudes confidence
- Disciplined and determined
- Outward-looking—seeks out new opportunities and makes the most of them (including taking chances with unknown ventures)
Required Languages
- Fair verbal communication/writing skills in English
- Understanding of the local languages of the project area is a MUST
Key Working Relationships:
- Internal: Field Officer and CRS Staff
- External: District and Subcounty leadership
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
- Integrity
- Continuous Improvement & Innovation
- Builds Relationships
- Develops Talent
- Strategic Mindset
- Accountability & Stewardship
- Partnerships
- Accountability
Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
More Information
- Job City Zzimwe, Kyanamukaaka, Masaka.
