Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the National Catholic Health Council (NCHC) are implementing a Latter Day Saint-funded project, Sustainable Target, Responsive Approach to Optimize Nutrition and Growth for Adolescent Girls and Young Women (STRONG). The project will be implemented in 2 counties for 5 years, (Bong & Grand Bassa).

The STRONG Project is envisioned as a five-year multi-country, multi-faceted endeavour that will empower AGYW (aged 10–24 years) to protect and promote their own health while, at the same time, strengthening and protecting the future families of participating young people by improving their knowledge of and access to infant and young child nutrition and health support. Beginning with 2 counties (Bong and Grand Bassa), STRONG has the potential to expand to additional counties with a high prevalence of malnutrition and AGYW. CRS and partners will thoughtfully prepare a dynamic and evidence-based project that can address the nutrition challenges of AGYW, as well as their infants and young children, in support of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint assistance priorities.

To reach the project goal of improved nutritional status, the STRONG project will target three avenues of change: service improvement, provision of products and supplements, and behaviour change among AGYW and those in their spheres of influence. Recognizing that AGYW are not a heterogeneous group, activities and approaches are tailored to their age, stage, education status (in school vs. out of school), and other relevant factors to better meet their specific needs and create a positive experience and environment for all participants. Activities and approaches are also tailored to each target group—AGYW without children, AGYW who are pregnant or have young children, household members, communities, service delivery agents, and government—and are based on the goals for their role as they relate to AGYW. By targeting not just the AGYW themselves, but key members of their families, social networks, communities, and the structures and policies that surround them and impact their lives, the project can create change in each group thereby establishing an enabling environment for supporting improvements to AGYW’s health and wellbeing.

AGYW will gain the knowledge, skills, and means to improve their nutrition and health status by:

• Building their sense of self-efficacy and knowledge of nutrition and well-being by joining peer groups, hands-on skills building sessions, in-school promotional events, school gardens, and other activities designed to fit their needs.
• Saving, lending, borrowing, and learning in SILCs with CRS’ Gender Transformative Approach (SILC+GTA) to examine and shift harmful gender norms and remove barriers so they can pursue their own goals.
• Collaboratively designing and implementing SBC strategies and campaigns with the project team to promote key nutrition and health-seeking behaviors through their preferred channels of communication and in their own voices.
• Building relationships with service providers through regular interaction, holding providers accountable through social accountability activities, and regularly using services within a referral network.

Summary job description:

The SILC Supervisor will actively be involved with activities of the Saving Internal Lending Community and Gender Transformative Approach (SILC+GTA). The SILC Supervisor will be responsible for supervising SILC Field Agents and ensuring the quality of the SILC groups they form; developing Field Agents skills and certifying them as Private Service Providers (PSPs); overseeing their work as PSPs and organizing them into networks.

Specific duties and responsibilities:

• Train field agents
• Monitor, coach, and provide feedback to FAs to develop their skills.
• Ensure the quality of SILC groups through regular field visits and spot checks.
• Organize and facilitate project events with local leaders, agents, and groups, as needed.
• Ensure timeliness and accuracy of agent reporting.
• Review data collection forms and MIS reports and take action to improve project performance.
• Verify stipends due to agents.
• Certify and launch PSPs.
• Organize and oversee PSP networks.
• Promote the project and the PSP-SILC to community stakeholders.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in social science, Microfinance, Business Administration, Project Management, or any relevant field
• Experience working with decentralized, community-based projects.
• Previous experience with savings group programming helpful
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Fluency in one or more languages of the operating area
• Willingness to be based in the field and to travel long distances.
• Ability to ride a motorcycle.
• Must be a resident of the county/willing to work in the county.