Job Description

Job Title:                         Senior Project Officer

Reports to:                    Area Coordinator

Duty Station:                Somali Regional State, Elkare

Required:                       One (1)

Duration:                       6 months  

Salary:                              As per the organizations scale
 
Introduction

Islamic Relief is an international relief and development charity founded in 1984, headquartered in Birmingham, UK. As well as responding to disasters and emergencies, Islamic Relief promotes sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities - regardless of race, religion, or gender. The office officially started operation in Ethiopia in 2004. Islamic Relief Ethiopia (IRE) is operational in the Somali Regional State with a base office in Jigjiga, Hargelle, Elkere, Bare, GG and Dekasuftu, Afar Regional State; Ewa, Awra and Gulina; Oromia Regional State, West Harergeye, Chiro and Meayso Woredas, Borena zone of Dire, Dubluk, Elewaye and Yabello woredas and an additional operational office in Addis Ababa. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.islamic-relief.org/work-with-us

Job Summary

The post holder will provide FSL (agriculture and Livestock Sectors) guidance and leadership under the supervision in regular consultation with the supervisor, implements livelihood protection and promotion activities at Somali Regional State, Afder zone of Elkare woreda. He is responsible for the technical contribution to the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the  Livelihood and food security interventions that able to restore and enhance livelihood of Somali agropastoral communities who affected by recurrent drought in Elkare woreda. 

Create a transparent and environment friendly service in the project area where he /she is responsible to Improve food security and livelihoods of the vulnerable intervention agro-pastoral and pastoral households, through enhanced existing Livelihood base of the target community members and Improved Livelihood diversification of target community members that would help to improved access to diversified livelihood opportunities and access to water supplies. She/he provides overall technical, organizational support and plays a leading role in livelihood and food security intervention activities she/he is assigned, including technology and best practices, awareness creation and linkages and behavioral change through education, information and communication. She/he supports people’s empowerment, collective action and solidarity. Facilitates and encourages active participation of and networking between individuals and communities in recognizing problems, identifying solutions, and implementing project activities related to the identified solutions.

He/she will lead the overall livelihood and food security intervention and provide technical support in livelihood and food security thematic area to the field teams and represent Islamic Relief in the zonal livelihood and food security and WASH forum and other related clusters. Central to his role will be building the capacity of field staff in the project office.

The senior project Officer will also be responsible for timely implementation of the planned activities, documentation of the project plans, outputs, outcomes and reporting as per the reporting schedule set by the project under close supervision of the delegated coordinator/supervisor.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

·      Develops strategies that would increase the organizational and institutional capacity of the local community together with its staff and partners

·      Compiles and regularly updates the livelihoods and food security data-base at the project  office, ensure the filing systems are secured, maintained and up to date

·      In collaboration with project staff prepares an action and budget plan for the project and ensure that all payments are made as per the rules and regulations of the donor/organization

·      Ensure the proper mainstreaming of protection, inclusion, safeguarding and gender within the livelihood project interventions. 

·      In collaboration with other project staff develops clear monitoring and evaluation plan and tools

·      Conducts situation assessment on pastoralist and agro-pastoralists economic conditions and comes with clear recommendation

·      Prepares and submits consolidated weekly, monthly, and quarterly plan and reports in line with a monitoring tool

Project Cycle Management & Programme Quality

·       Develops and maintains a detailed project plan and manages project deliverables in line with the project plan

• Work closely with the project manager and support staff to provide appropriate guidance and managerial support to implement the project in line with the objectives laid out in the donor-approved proposal (s);
• To report regularly, verbally and in writing to the budget holder/area coordinator on a regular basis on program progress;

·       Ensures that the livelihood and food security project components are planned, implemented, monitored, and evaluated in line with the terms and conditions of the agreement

• Support and promote programme quality and project strengthening activities e.g. data management, project quality meetings, learning events and partnership reviews;
• Monitoring and evaluating the project regularly, ensuring partners’ and community participation as appropriate, as well as accountability towards communities;
• Follow up on MEAL activities and findings ensuring that learning from monitoring and evaluation is included and strategies and programme implementation are adapted accordingly.
• Mainstream gender, protection, safeguarding, and inclusion within the intervention, with advice from the protection and inclusion focal person.
• Establish and maintain clear lines of communication with project staff and ensure internal communication is effective.
• Ensure project activities have the appropriate visibility in compliance with donor requirements and procedures.
• Lead on initiating relevant procurement processes, with support from Logistics, in line with program spending and procurement planning.

External Representation and Consortium Coordination

• Serve as primary project representative to local stakeholders and partners, responsible for addressing all project matters.
• Develop and maintain positive relations with relevant partner, project right holders and community members.
• Assist with the coordination of visits of government, and/or partners related to the project.
• Facilitate effective working relations with colleagues around communications, policy and advocacy issues and concerns, ensuring evidence-based programmatic input into policy and media messaging.
• When needed, lead on organizing events, such as joint advocacy, research, project launch etc., coordinating closely with the policy and media team.

Experiences and Qualifications

Formal Education/Qualification and Work Experience

·       Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline from recognized university in Agricultural Economics, Agricultural extension, Development Studies, Social Science related fields. 

·       Minimum 3 years of professional work experience in development work (specifically in managing programmes in food security and livelihoods sector)

·       Experience working in pastoralist setting preferably in Somali Regional State.

·       Experience implementing institutional donor grants.

• Demonstrated technical expertise and experience in local economic development, livelihoods, and/or social integration programming.
• Experience in working with pastoral and agro-pastoral communities.

Skills and Competences

• Good knowledge of developing and implementing monitoring systems and professional relationships with donors, partners and peer organizations.
• Management skills & experience, including line management, management of other resources, and evidence of capacity to support others.
• Evidence of project cycle management experience, including design, planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring & evaluation, and reporting.
• Experience in implementing projects involving local organizations as implementing partners.
• Diplomacy, tact, and negotiating skills.
• Good interpersonal, influencing, and communication skills.
• Proven team leadership and ability to work independently as required.
• Sensitivity to cultural differences, and the ability to work in a wide variety of cultural contexts.
• Good written and spoken English.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.

·       Proven experience in food security and livelihood activities including income-generating activities, DRM, resilience, and managing risks.

·       Understanding of poverty, vulnerability and resilience and inequality in access to resources, assets, and services.

·       Demonstrates in-depth understanding and knowledge of the current guidelines and project management tools and utilizes these regularly in work assignments.

·       Creating synergies through self-control.

·       Proven knowledge of and experience with donor funding environment and good financial and project management skills.

Safeguarding and Equal Opportunity

Islamic Relief and Islamic Relief staff considers the welfare and protection of children, young people and people at risk to be paramount to the organization. And must adhere the principle of ‘do no harm and leave no one behind.’ It is critical we do not expose communities or staff we work with to the risk of harm through our interventions.  With a zero tolerance approach Islamic Relief have a number of related policies which also describe standards in behavior expected from the organization, its staff and representatives towards each other and those we serve. Islamic Relief is committed to responding swiftly, appropriately and constructively to any and all information children, young people and people at risk have disclosed.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. We participate in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and child abuse during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment before signing the contract agreement. 

Islamic Relief believes everyone has the right to be safe, respected and valued regardless of who they are or their circumstances, and an equal employment opportunity  to all candidates and qualified applicants, we do not discriminate on the base of age, sex, race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability status and diversity. 

Skills Required

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