Terms of Reference

For Field Volunteers for the Feed the Future Bangladesh Nutrition Activity

Organizational Background

iDE is an international NGO with over 35 years of experience in designing and delivering market-based anti-poverty programs in 11 countries. We are a world leader in making markets work for the poor as well as the longest established market development specialist NGO in Bangladesh. iDE believes that markets can be a powerful force for improving smallholder prosperity by creating income and livelihood opportunities for poor rural households. iDE Bangladesh currently has eight projects in agricultural markets, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and access to finance with a focus on women’s economic empowerment and climate-smart technologies.

Project Background

Feed the Future Bangladesh Nutrition Activity aims to improve nutrition outcomes of children under 5, pregnant and lactating women, and adolescents (girls and boys) by strengthening the market systems for nutritious foods and WASH products and applying integrated Market Facilitation and Social Behavior Change approaches that empower market and community actors to address underlying causes of malnutrition in Bangladesh. The Activity also aims to promote the consumption of these nutrition-enhancing products (demand side). The Activity intends to promote innovations and private sector investments in distribution techniques that include embedded services such as extension messages for improved homestead productivity or nutrition messages to enhance the quality of meals, as well as marketing practices such as courtyard information sessions and demonstrations, advertising, and the provision of other embedded services that impart information or other advantages to the consumer. Throughout five years period, The Activity will contribute to improved nutritional outcomes in selected Upazilas of Bangladesh through improvements in three results:

Result 1: Consumption of nutritious, diverse, and safe diets by rural households
Result 2: Social and economic empowerment of women and adolescents
Result 3: Adoption of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices

Feed the Future Bangladesh nutrition activity is now following an approach that integrates social, and behavior change and market system development to catalyze sustainable improvements in nutrition and WASH in the Zone of Resilience (ZOR), i.e., Cox’s Bazar. The Activity follows a market-driven approach to facilitate latrine producers, masons, water entrepreneurs, and other WASH market actors in selected Upazilas (Cox’s Bazar Sadar, Chakaria, Pekua, and Ramu) for increased consumption of nutritious, diverse, and safe diets and improve WASH behavior by rural households in the ZOR.

Understanding of the Assignment

iDE is looking to hire experienced and skilled field volunteers for the WASH interventions in Cox’s Bazar. The Field Volunteers will work under the supervision of a field program implementation team (led by the Field Team Leader) based in Cox’s Bazar (in the Activity’s working area), where they will mainly be engaged in field activity planning, implementation, and monitoring. The project is being implemented across four subdistricts (Upazilas) in the Cox’s Bazar District namely Cox’s Bazar Sadar, Chakaria, Pekua, and Ramu. She/He will be guided by the project and field staff. She/He will maintain field rules and policies and will have to be available for agreed dates and assignments. Potential volunteers will have to be permanently based in the BNA working area (i.e., Cox’s Bazar). As per this ToR, iDE will make a pool of 08 volunteers from which they will be called upon on basis of workload and the payment will be made on a “no work no pay” basis.  

Position Field Volunteer
Project Feed the Future Bangladesh Nutrition Activity
Number of Vacancies 08
Fee 1000 BDT/Day plus actual conveyance allowance 
Job Location Cox’s Bazar Sadar, Chakaria, Pekua, and Ramu
Reporting Line Field Team Leader

The responsibilities of the Field Volunteer include but are not limited to the descriptions below.

  • Participate in the planning of field intervention, preparation of work plans, implementation of planned activities, and monitoring/reporting of progress
  • Assist and monitor the implementation of planned activities and community-level activities
  • Work closely with project-supported latrine producers, masons, retailers, distributors, local government representatives, Business Association (BA), and rural households
  • Facilitate and mobilize the engagements of stakeholders during planning, implementation and development meetings, workshops, and seminars.
  • Identify local level entrepreneurs (especially women and youth), support and facilitate in the implementation of planned activities.
  • Assist Officer Market Development (OMD)/FTL to conduct the capacity-building programs and budget preparation
  • Work with local people and foster the community cultures and belief
  • Conduct literature review, field scoping/scouting, collect and analyze data
  • Organize/Facilitate demand generation activities in the targeted community
  • Participate in different stakeholder meetings at all levels (Union, Upazila, and District)
  • Support the collection and documentation of impact and success stories on monthly, quarterly, semiannual, and annually
  • Collect qualitative and quantitative data from the field and documentation of evidence-based impact stories
  • Respond to project email and attend the project event/meeting
  • Perform other duties as required

Skills and Experience

A successful Field Volunteer will have the following skills and experience and will be comfortable with the following conditions.

Education Minimum HSC passed. However, Bachelor’s degree holders in any relevant subject will get priority
Work Experience Prior experience of a minimum of two relevant volunteering assignments will be prioritized
Key Competencies
  • Ability to understand and adapt financial and administrative systems, project management, leadership, and operational activities
  • Considerable understanding and knowledge of the role of the private sector, government, and civil society/NGOs in creating an effective WASH market
  • Ability to coordinate and collaborate effectively with various stakeholders including government agencies and private sector service providers
  • High quality of written and spoken both Bangla and English with an ability to produce regular qualitative narrative reports
  • Proficient user of computer software and smartphones
  • Self-reliant, able to work independently and effectively in a multi-cultural environment, and willing to work under pressure in remote areas
  • Good communication skills and common sense to handle the unseen situation
Personal Qualities
  • Self-motivated, quick learner, energetic, and team player
  • Good analytical and problem-solving skills, ability to think creatively, and encourage community people to adapt to new initiatives
  • Prepared to undertake frequent field visits and extensive travel
  • Ability to adapt and work with all genders, religions, nationalities, and ages
Other Information  and Conditions
  • Paid volunteers will earn a fixed rate on a daily basis upon completion of agreed assignments
  • Remuneration package, workdays, and deliverables might be changed based on negotiation among iDE management and the contract
  • iDE reserves the right to terminate this agreement at any time with the consultation of the employee as per HR policy

Major responsibilities of iDE

iDE will provide the volunteers with the necessary support to undertake and implement the assignment and execute the objectives of this assignment. Such responsibilities include the following:

  • iDE will take responsibility for the procurement of the pool of volunteers
  • Provide initial briefing and provide training
  • Provide relevant documents and technical support
  • Provide guidance to the enumerators to enable him/her to understand the Deliverables required
  • Field operation team will assist the enumerators by providing information on project locations and respondents
  • Field operation team in assistance with E&A, will monitor regularly, provide feedback, and ensure the effectiveness of the activities
  • Disburse payment as per the agreed schedule in the contract

Interested Field Volunteers are asked to submit their CV (max. 03 pages) to:
Procurement and Asset Management, iDE Bangladesh (bangladesh.procurement@ideglobal.org) with ‘BNA Field Volunteers’ in the subject line. The applications should be submitted by 5:00 pm BST on 5 July 2022. Only shortlisted volunteers will be contacted and invited for an interview.