Eliud Wakwabubi

To support livelihood programs across RI to be attractive to multiple donors and take into account the fragile setting conditions and humanitarian Development Nexus. Lead on the planning and implementation of activities related to improving the alignment between workforce skills and labor market needs, improving the enabling environment for business and innovation, and community-based economic development. Investigate and develop economic opportunities across multiple sectors that include opportunities for women, men, youth, and persons with disabilities. To expand livelihoods for IDPs and refugees. Promote partnerships and engagement with the private sector as well as developing local partners' capacity to deliver sustainable economic opportunity impacts. RESPONSIBILITIES AND KEY TASKS LEADERSHIP Develop and guide economic opportunity assessments for strategic planning and specific donor and other investment opportunities Design with RI team economic opportunity programming that addresses the humanitarian development nexus. Take lead with Program Development and Country Teams on technical design of donor proposals for economic opportunity programs, including USAID, State Dept, FCDO, EC and UN Agencies PROMOTE GOOD PRACTICE Provide direct technical support, remotely and in country, for Regional and Country Office teams Build livelihoods' sector technical capacity in staff in all RI Country Offices IMPROVE PROGRAMME QUALITY AND EVIDENCE BASE Conduct systems approach analysis and integrated value chain analysis for key sectors. This should be done with RI staff and partners to develop their capacity in these areas Analyze and summarize contextual opportunities and constraints for employment/selfemployment within RI's countries; make recommendation for focus areas by sector and target beneficiaries (e.g., youth, women, refugees, etc.) Prepare case studies on economic opportunity learning and approaches Support uptake of new innovations and approaches, and conduct research EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT Engage and cultivate the private sector for business partnerships, market research, and as purchasers of products and services developed by RI's target economic opportunity beneficiaries Assess local partners and devise strategy for how RI should engage with local partners further to advance its economic opportunity expansion goals Represent RI externally (donor meetings, conferences, partner meetings) to discuss, advocate for and present learning in the area of economic opportunity programming VSO International, Global Thematic Lead - Employment and Entrepreneurship, January 2020 to March 2023 SUMMARY To shape VSO's global technical approach to resilient livelihoods programmes and to provide effective technical leadership to a globally dispersed network of programme staff and volunteers who deliver those programmes. Help drive forward VSO's Resilient Livelihoods Strategy and support improvements in the quality and impact of VSO's resilient livelihoods programmes globally - including documenting, replicating and expanding effective approaches, inclusion, accountability, agency and participation and integration of MSD and graduation approach in order to help more of the world's most vulnerable and marginalised youths achieve their livelihoods aspirations. Advise project teams and partners on mechanisms for developing and implementing a demand-driven TVET system, increasing capacities of TVET personnel to lead and implement demand-driven TVET programmes, expanding employment and entrepreneurship-oriented training offers for different target groups and encouraging business sector to play a more active role in TVET and employment promotion. RESPONSIBILITIES AND KEY TASKS LEADERSHIP Help lead the implementation of the Resilient livelihoods Programmes strategy and theory of action, with its assets and capabilities core, around which VSO is seeking to build a unique identity in its livelihoods programming. Review progress made with programme implementation and documentation of promising approaches against the theory of action and identify where additional or modified approaches are required. Track areas where the assets and capabilities approach can be developed further in employment and entrepreneurship programming. PROMOTE GOOD PRACTICE Ensure completion of the learning and guidance documentation work around the promising approaches identified in the resilient livelihood's theory of action. Specific tasks include: Support the conduct of a context analysis on youth empowerment, employment and entrepreneurship including youth profiles, current and anticipated challenges and the key actors involved in addressing the challenges. Explore power dynamics, relations and hierarchies in resilient livelihoods work and how this work to affect the ability of women, youth and people with disabilities to participate and influence policy, and the implications for programming. Review and analyse relevance, appropriateness and effectiveness of the current VSO employment and entrepreneurship programme and interventions. Review and analyse other VSO programmes, successful models, approaches, activities and partners as well as the characteristics and numbers of the people reached. Ensure that the implications and lessons learned from analyses and impact data are used to influence new project and programme designs, including with respect to who VSO targets, where, how, and with which other local actors we should collaborate. IMPROVE PROGRAMME QUALITY AND EVIDENCE BASE Provide support and advice to programmes to improve programme design and the quality of our resilient livelihoods' programmes: Support country offices with resilient livelihoods activities in replicating and adapting the promising approaches identified and documented, and in the continuous learning of how to improve these approaches. Contribute to the improvement of the resilient livelihoods evidence building and impact assessment practices, particularly at outcome and impact level, and in the use of digital technologies. Work closely with other Knowledge, Evaluation and Learning (KEL) colleagues to identify gaps and areas of improvement in monitoring and evaluation and documentation of learning and assess key tools, methodologies and techniques developed and their potential for use in resilient livelihoods programming. Work closely with other members of KEL team to identify and recommend key lessons that can inform VSO's work within resilient livelihoods. EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT Support the building of VSO's external identity and reputation in employment and entrepreneurship programming: Represent VSO in creating multi-geography funding opportunities with strategic partners, consortium leaders, donors and governments. Promote VSO's programming models/global products in strategic platforms for programme visibility and business pursuit. Play a leading role in supporting Country Offices to raise more programmatic funding, including through donor liaison where appropriate, and in developing high quality project proposals and donor communications. TEAMWORK AND BUILDING Work as a member of the Knowledge Evaluation and Learning (KEL) and Resilient Livelihoods Core Programme Area Team (CPAT), with other functions, as well as livelihoods programme managers: Work with other members of KEL team to generate cross-thematic learning and sharing. Work as part of the Resilient Livelihoods CPAT to implement the Resilient Livelihoods "Volunteering for Development" investment strategy and improvement of programme quality and funding. Support the implementation of an overall Volunteering for Development framework for VSO and the development of a clearer programme identity for the organisation. SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS Led the development and design of the Resilient Livelihoods Strategy, that is currently a foundation of VSO's global 5-year strategic plan for 2021-2026. Provided technical oversight in the development and roll-out of 16 youth engagement, leadership, employment and entrepreneurship programme guides and tools. Supported integration of VSO's core approaches: social accountability, social inclusion and gender and resilience into resilient livelihoods work. Provided leadership in development of strong and winning resilient livelihood proposals and concept notes. Successfully supported design and integration of VSO's Volunteering for Development (VfD) framework in all resilient livelihood's projects. Supporting design and integration of Market Systems Development (MSD), graduation model, agroecology, biodiversity preservation and climate resilience in all VSO's resilient livelihoods work. Documented The Future of Work: How VSO is Promoting Green Jobs for Young People, 2022. Documented VSO's Inclusive Decent Work Creating Opportunities for Marginalized Young Women and Men, 2022. Documented VSO's Resilient Livelihoods Approach to Disability Inclusion: The Case of Economic Opportunities for Young People with Disabilities, 2022. Providing strong technical reviews and selected competitive and innovative business cases for funding by the Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE) project funded through the Dutch Government. Social Impact Expert and Business Selection Committee evaluator for the Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE) - https://fundforyouthemployment.nl/ project whose aim is to improve economic prospects - via decent work and income - for up to 200,000 young men and women in the Middle East, North Africa and Horn of Africa. Supported development and strengthening of enterprise centres/hubs and incubation centres as platforms for nurturing and growing women-led enterprises in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Documented VSO's Decent Work, Approach and Experience in Waste Recycling and Circular Economy, 2021. Developed and implemented a community of practice (CoP) that provides a 'virtual space' VSO's resilient livelihoods staff to share their expertise, knowledge and best practices. Documented VSO's Approach in the Delivery of Market-Led and Inclusive Technical and Vocational Trainings and Skills Development Programmes, 2021. Designed and supported roll-out of Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) micro-grants in 9 countries. Developed the " Top 10 Barriers to Inclusive Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship", 2019. Provided capacity building, technical support and oversight for the development and roll-out of the Rapid Assessment Survey to establish economic impact of COVID - 19 on youths, marginalized groups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in 9 countries in Africa and Asia. Provided strong technical support to VSO and its partners to improve management of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVETs) and lobbying to ensure a strong bridge is established between the TVETs, civil society and the private sector through multistakeholder platforms. Supported VSO to ensure that TVETs provide relevant training required by the market and the quality of training is to a level where the employers can focus on investing in advanced or job-specific training rather than retraining of basic skills. Supported VSO to conduct labor market assessments in Ethiopia and Kenya. Facilitated the use Public Private Development Partnerships to exchange material and lessons learned aimed at improving the quality of TVETs. Provided technical and policy support to VSO and its partners to accelerate the implementation of relevant employment policies and TVET programmes. ORGANIZATIONAL FULL-TIME WORK HISTORY Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW), Regional Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor, 2014 to 2019 SUMMARY Responsible for ensuring effective design and coordination of all food security and livelihood programmes in IRW offices in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan. Lead the food security and livelihood sector of IRW in East Africa with an annual budget of 30 million GBP. Develop sectoral policies, initiate and/or review proposals, document Islamic Relief's experience and contribute to strategic planning and poverty reduction debates and policy making at the National, Regional and Global levels. Maintain good communication and dynamism and guarantee coherence of actions and high levels of motivation of IRW East African regional staff. Ensure IRW food security, livelihoods, entrepreneurship and resilience building programmes in operational countries in East Africa are of high quality and impact focused. Support the Regional Director in ensuring that learning and innovation is disseminated across Islamic Relief and beyond. Engage strategically to build in-country and regional partnerships and influence thinking in the food security and livelihoods sector. SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS Led the development and design of the Islamic Relief East Africa Region Strategic Framework, which is the foundation of Islamic Relief's 5-year strategic plan for 2017-2021. Developed the "Economic Strengthening Strategy: Improving Food Security and Livelihoods for Poor and Vulnerable People 2015-2020" for IRW Eastern Africa Region. Provided leadership in development of strong and winning food security, livelihood and resilience proposals and concept notes. Developed and implemented a community of practice (CoP) that provides a 'virtual space' through which IR field offices in East Africa can gather to share their expertise and knowledge with the end goal being to improve practices in the field. Reviewed proposals and concept notes submitted by Islamic Relief (IR) country programmes to ensure they meet minimum standards of the sustainable livelihoods and economic strengthening framework, resilience programming, standard project management protocols and conform to high quality industry standards. Provided capacity building, technical support and oversight for the development and roll-out of the following manuals: Agri-Business Cluster (ABC) Training Manual: Facilitators Guide, Exercises and Reference Sheets for IR Kenya; Small Plot Horticulture Manual for IR South Sudan and Kenya and Small Business Development training manual for IR South Sudan and Kenya. Designed and supported successful delivery of financial literacy and education as part of financial inclusion and economic strengthening and graduation model. Provided technical support and oversight for the development of the ethical Group Savings and Loans Associations (GSLAs) programme guide and training manual and its rollout. Provided oversight and technical support for conducting the following studies: Scoping Study and Value Chain Analysis for identification of potential clusters for Value Chain in Mandera County, Kenya under the EU Project and Goats and Sheep Value Chain Study in Tonj North, Warrap State, South Sudan- a Window of Hope under the BMZ project. Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI), Livelihoods Advisor, ROADS II Project, 2011 to 2014 SUMMARY Provided leadership and oversight for integrating economic strengthening approaches into HIV and AIDS programming, under the $200 million USAID-funded regional project Regional Outreach Addressing AIDS through Development Strategies (ROADS), primed/managed by FHI360 across 8 countries, thereby making a core contribution to an innovative approach to HIV prevention and mitigation through administering 'proof of concept' pilots across Eastern & Southern Africa. Directly responsible for providing senior level management of programmatic and technical planning, implementing and evaluation of economic and food security strengthening activities defined in DAI's contractual scope of work. Designed, implemented and managed economic strengthening activities aimed at increasing household food production, resilience, agriculture, building savings and access to credit and other financial services, and linking affected households into business activities in mainstream economic value chains that enhance food and economic security of participating households and communities. Provided direct technical assistance to the field and managed a team of technical and backstopping staff in Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia. Participatory Methodologies Forum of Kenya (PAMFORK), Network Coordinator, 2000 to 2010 Responsible for management, strategy and ensuring the overall success of PAMFORK operations in Kenya. Provided technical oversight, management and strategic guidance of all PAMFORK activities, working throughout the country to undertake focused and creative community and local economic development initiatives. Authored proposals, managed grants, developed strategy and trained staff in a variety of participatory methodologies, tools and approaches. Represented PAMFORK to donors, partners and other stakeholders and ensured efficient management of staff and resources. October 2001 - October 2002. Part-Time Lecturer, Daystar University, Department of Community Development. September 1998- December 1999, Program Assistant, AMDA (Association of Medical Doctors of Asia) International, Kenya.