Expert on Co-operatives Job Vacancy at UNDP Swaziland

Job Title:EXPERT ON CO-OPERATIVES GOVERNANCE
Location :     Mbabane, SWAZILAND
Application Deadline :    29-Jun-12
Additional Category    Millennium Development Goals
Type of Contract :    Individual Contract
Post Level :    International Consultant
Languages Required :
    English 
Duration of Initial Contract :    20 working days
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Background

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, is vigorously pursuing building capacity for cooperatives in Swaziland.  Cooperatives serve their membership achieve their socio-economic needs and goals through the establishment and operation of autonomous, member owned business, which generate income and employment by pooling limited resources and reducing risks while simultaneously promoting social integration and cohesion in communities.  Cooperatives are seen as a simple form of financial institutions and well suited to the socio- economic milieu of the rural settings and poor communities.  Furthermore Cooperatives are perceived as innovative institutions, able to secure the participation of communities at local level.

Management of Cooperatives however remains key in sustenance of such schemes as vehicles of income generation and social security in communities. Studies have revealed that  malfunctioning or closure of these schemes are due to: inadequate business management skills and entrepreneurship among staff and elected board members; poor governance in administering principles of Cooperatives; limited advocacy  and communication skills, and; financial constraints which make it impossible to hire calibre staff and provision of capacity building among members and leaders. 

In a bid to address the challenges alluded to above the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade intends building capacity for the leaders of the Cooperatives in the country including the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Trade, Department of Cooperative Staff.  In this regard the services of an expert on cooperatives’ issues are being sort by the Ministry of Industry Commerce and Trade to improve the management capacities of Cooperatives in the country.

The main objective of this assignment is to enhance sustainability, effectiveness of Cooperatives in the country.  Specifically:

    To create Cooperative Boards that aligns the operations of their co-operatives with World Council of Credit Union (WOCCU) standards.
    To improve the management and profitability of the Savings and Credit Co-operatives in the country.
    To strengthen the Co-operative identity in the general membership.

Duties and Responsibilities

    Training of staff members employed by the Cooperative movements on cooperative business management and entrepreneurial skills.
    Training of Trainers (TOT) for the Department of Cooperatives and SASCCO on cooperative business management and entrepreneurial skills.
    Train SACCO leaders on governance of cooperatives and adherence to the cooperative prudential standards as advocated by the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU).
    Train cooperative leaders on basic lobbying and advocacy skills.
    Instil the fundamental principles of cooperation and cooperatives to all workshop participants.
    Providing training material as required by the trainings and capacity development initiatives listed.
    Conducting formative and summative evaluation for each of the workshops to inform future capacity development of the Cooperatives in the country.

Deliverables:

    Three (3) workshops for Board Members at regional level.
    One (1) Workshop on Cooperatives for Parliamentarians.
    One (1) workshop for SASCCO employees.
     One (1) training of trainers (TOT) workshop for Department of Cooperative and SASCCO staff.
     Five (5)   hard copies and three (3) electronic copies of end of project report and training material used for the consultancy.

Competencies

    Skilled in cooperatives dynamics including frameworks, tools and best practices;
    Have strong ability to analyse and synthesize information from different sources, and to draw from it key themes and issues;
    Experienced in structuring and delivering staff training programmes;
    Have ability to, and experience of managing and leading teams;
    Capable of working with very little supervision, taking own initiative and control of programmes and to implement tasks to accomplish stated goals and objectives through effectively delivered results;
    Hard-working and easily adaptable to new cultural working environments;
    Strong interpersonal skills.

Required Skills and Experience

    The incumbent is expected to have a training background on MBA or any relevant Masters Degree with Accountancy and Management qualifications.
    S/he should have a minimum of seven (7) years experience and an extensive knowledge of Co-operative principles, WOCCU standards and PEARLS for Savings and Credit Co-operatives
How to Apply;
http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=30753