Position Overview

• The Education and Livelihood Coordinator will provide overall leadership and technical guidance for CATAI’s education and livelihood programs in Borno State.
• This senior role involves designing, implementing, and monitoring high-quality projects that align with humanitarian principles and international standards.
• The ideal candidate will have strong management and technical expertise, proven leadership experience, and the ability to work with diverse teams, partners, and stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities
Education Program Leadership:

• Develop and oversee CATAI’s education strategy, ensuring alignment with INEE Minimum Standards and national policies.
• Lead planning and implementation of education projects, including work plans, procurement, and budgets.
• Serve as the organisation’s EIEWG Focal person.
• Facilitate the organisation of training events planned with the state/national education Sectors.
• Identify training needs for volunteer teachers, SBMC, and formal school teachers. Particular focus should be on quality, inclusive, safe education, Child Safeguarding, standardisation of EiEInterventions and localisation.
• Deploy training on TVET, ABEP,.
• Ensure quality curriculum development and monitoring of student learning outcomes.
• Supervise and mentor education staff, building team capacity and performance.
• Prepare timely, accurate donor and internal reports.

Livelihood Program Leadership:

• Design and guide livelihood interventions, informed by needs assessments and market analyses.
• Oversee vocational training, savings and loan groups, and other livelihood activities.
• Build partnerships with private sector actors to enhance job creation and market linkages.
• Support capacity-building for staff and local partners to improve program delivery.

Integration and Cross-Cutting Functions:

• Ensure strong links and complementarity between education and livelihood programs.
  Monitor budgets with the finance team and ensure cost-effective use of resources.
• Represent CATAI at cluster meetings, donor forums, and with government stakeholders.
• Ensure programs are conflict-sensitive, inclusive, and adapted to the needs of IDPs and host communities.

• Advocate for children’s rights and access to education and sustainable livelihoods.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Development, Economics, Social Sciences, or related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Experience: At least 5 years of experience in a senior technical or managerial role in humanitarian or development programming.

Core Technical Skills:

• Project and grants management across the full program cycle.
• Strong knowledge of Education in Emergencies (EiE).
• Expertise in livelihoods, CVA, financial inclusion, vocational training, and market systems.
• Experience designing integrated programs linking education, livelihoods, and protection.
• Proven ability to build and manage partnerships with donors, UN agencies, NGOs, and government.
• Strong skills in capacity-building, training, and staff development.
• Proficiency in MEAL approaches and evidence-based programming.
• Commitment to gender equity, child protection, safeguarding, and disability inclusion
• Experience with emergency preparedness and response.
• Familiarity with digital tools for education and livelihoods (advantage).

Behavioral Competencies:

• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities.
• Analytical and problem-solving mindset.
• High standards of integrity, accountability, and ethical conduct.
• Languages: Excellent written and spoken English. Knowledge of Hausa or Kanuri is an advantage.

Commitment:

• CATAI is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of gender, age, religion, disability, or ethnicity.

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity
• Demonstrating commitment to CATAI
• Embracing cultural diversity
• Embracing change

Policy Statements:

• Center for Advocacy Transparency and Accountability Initiative (CATAI) operates in an equal opportunity environment and has policies that actively encourage gender equality, diversity and social inclusion, Child Safeguarding, Adolescents and youth initiatives; PSEA, GBV, VAC, and Fraud.
• CATAI has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment. All selected candidates must undergo reference checks, background verification, and will be required to sign and comply with CATAI’s Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies.
• CATAI does not charge any fee to facilitate its recruitment processes.

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Description

• The Center for Advocacy, Transparency, and Accountability Initiative (CATA) is seeking a dynamic and dedicated Livelihood Assistant to play a pivotal role in our economic recovery programs.
• This role supports conflict-affected communities in Borno State to rebuild their livelihoods.
• The ideal candidate understands community-led development and is passionate about helping vulnerable people regain self-reliance.
• This position is central to our mission and requires a proactive, results-oriented professional.
• For over five years, CATAI has played a central role in the humanitarian response in Northeast Nigeria.
• With funding and partnerships from UNICEF, OCHA, UNDP, IOM, ECHO-JRS, SDC, and others, we have supported thousands of people across the BAY states through interventions in Child Protection, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE), Education in Emergencies (EiE), Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), Livelihoods and Peacebuilding, and Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA).

Key Responsibilities and Duties

• Strategic Program Execution: Implement livelihood activities in line with project goals.
• Community-Centric Engagement: Build strong relationships with beneficiaries, community leaders, and stakeholders.
• Data-Driven Monitoring & Reporting: Collect and report accurate data to track project progress
• Stakeholder Collaboration & Resource Coordination: Facilitate seamless coordination with internal teams (finance, logistics, safeguarding) to ensure efficient resource allocation and risk mitigation.
• Beneficiary Protection and Safeguarding: Uphold and promote the highest standards of beneficiary protection and safeguarding in all interactions, ensuring all program activities are implemented in a conflict-sensitive and do-no-harm manner.
• Budget and Resource Management: Assist in the prudent management of field-level project resources and assets, ensuring proper documentation and accountability for all expenditures.
• Knowledge and Learning Management: Proactively identify and document best practices and lessons learned from field activities, contributing to the development of case studies and success stories.
• Cross-Sectoral Integration: Coordinate with other sectoral teams (e.g., Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), Protection, Nutrition) to ensure an integrated approach that addresses the multi-faceted needs of beneficiaries, promoting holistic well-being.
• Capacity Building and Training: Organize and deliver trainings on financial literacy, business planning, and sustainable farming.
• Feedback and Complaint Mechanisms: Serve as focal point for community feedback and ensure concerns are addressed promptly and confidentially.
• Needs and Market Assessments: Lead and conduct rapid sectorial needs and market assessments in the field to inform and refine program strategy.
• Logistical Implementation: Take charge of the logistical implementation of livelihood goods, including the secure and accountable distribution of goods to the distribution points.
• Liaison with Authorities: Ensure liaison and consistent engagement with government institutions at the LGA level and other relevant stakeholders.
• Community-Based Support Systems: Assess the potential of the community to establish and manage a community-based support system for vulnerable cases.

Required Qualifications, Skills, and Competencies

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Economics, Agriculture, Education, or related fields.
• Experience: 2 – 4years’ experience (mid-level), preferable in livelihoods, vocational training, income-generation, or community development.

Lines of Communication & Collaboration:

• Internal: The Livelihood Assistant will report directly to the Livelihood Officer and and will collaborate closely with other program staff, the MEAL team, and operational departments to ensure the project is well-integrated and supported.
• External: The assistant will be a primary point of contact for beneficiaries, community leaders, local government authorities, and representatives from partner organizations. This role requires building and maintaining strong external networks to support program sustainability.

Required Technical Know-How:

• Comprehensive Livelihood Expertise: Demonstrated technical proficiency in key areas such as the implementation of Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) modalities, facilitating Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), conducting market assessments, and delivering vocational skills training that is responsive to local demand.
• Digital Data and Information Management: Exceptional competence in using digital data collection tools (e.g., KoboToolbox, ODK) for survey design and field data collection, coupled with advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel and Word) for data analysis and reporting.
• Humanitarian Standards: A clear and demonstrable understanding of key humanitarian standards and guidelines, including the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) on Quality and Accountability and the Sphere standards for humanitarian response, with a focus on protection mainstreaming and do-no-harm principles.
• Community-Based Planning: Proven ability to engage communities in participatory approaches, including Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), to ensure that project interventions are designed and implemented with direct input from beneficiaries.
• Financial Literacy and Business Skills: Practical experience in developing and delivering training materials on basic financial literacy, bookkeeping, and small business management for low-literacy audiences.

Desired Attributes and Qualities:

• Principled and Accountable: Demonstrates unwavering honesty, integrity, and a strong commitment to duty and ethical conduct, taking ownership of their work and being accountable to beneficiaries and stakeholders.
• Empathetic and Community-Focused: Possesses a genuine concern for the well-being of others and the ability to build trust and rapport with diverse community members, including the most vulnerable. This includes a deep respect for local customs and traditions.
• Resilient and Adaptable: Capable of working effectively and professionally under pressure in challenging and dynamic field environments. A proactive problem-solver who can navigate complexity with grace and composure.
• Collaborative: A proactive team player who contributes positively to a cohesive and supportive work environment. The ability to listen actively, communicate clearly, and work harmoniously with colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
• Initiative and Proactiveness: An individual who takes initiative to identify and capitalize on opportunities for program improvement and innovation without constant supervision.
• Language: Fluency in English required; Hausa or Kanuri is added advantage.

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