Project Officer

Job Description

Employment Type: Definite period

Job Purpose:

Based at Woreda level, the POs plan and implement the project activities in coordination with the woreda team leader. The PO will liaise and coordinate with Zonal and Woreda Health authorities on project activities. The jobholder will provide support to Senior technical assistants (Health,-Nutrition and Agriculture), IYCF officers and Community outreach workers. POs will provide technical support, training, supportive supervision, and review meetings to the outreach workers and Gov’t staff. POs will work closely with Gov’t staff at both the Health Center, Health Post, and other project staff supporting other grants.

Main duties & Responsibilities:

Project Management

• Conduct assessment and identify nutrition/ health related problems of the target community / Woreda and develop appropriate and workable activity plan and implement accordingly,
• Participate in the review of the planned activity and propose /plan new appropriate activity in Health sector based on the gaps identified
• Prepare detailed implementation plan and modality /guideline for Health and nutrition activities based on the main document and ensure its implement with standard quality as per the agreed timetable.
• Provide technical support for staff at Woreda, health center and health post level.
• Participate in regular surveillance including data collection, compilation, analysis and interpretation and submit to field and HO office regularly.
• Prepare work plan based on the project agreement for the Woreda and ensure the implementation of each planned activities.
• Make regular follow up at OTP, TSFP sites, health center and health post to provide technical support.
• Work with integration with other sectors i.e. Health, Nutrition, Agriculture and WASH officers at the Woreda.
• Prepare and submit biweekly, monthly, quarterly, donor and government reports timely to field offices.
• Design appropriate implementation modalities and program approach to strengthen sustainability factors;
• Train all the Key actors in the community on nutrition and epidemic control matters
• Initiate and introduce innovative ideas/approaches and implementation modalities based on the local context into the Health related intervention;
• Liaise and coordinate with local stakeholders and MOH personnel regularly, reporting to them and giving them updates on activities.
• Collaborate with the potential partners on the field (health centers, health posts, committee leaders) to improve the coverage and the efficiency of the programs.

Human Resources

• Manage Emergency Nutrition Response field team composed of  Senior technical assistants (Health,-Nutrition and Agriculture), IYCF officers and Community outreach workers  under your responsibility by ensuring that evaluations (PDR) and training are consistent and up to date;
• Identify technical assistance needs and training resources among project staff, partners, government counterparts and beneficiaries and coordinate the provision of technical assistance;
• Identify capacity gaps and provide on the job capacity building and support to the project team
• Provide technical and managerial support to coach field staffs in order to build their capacity to perform their assigned roles and responsibilities
• Address any HR issues in a timely and appropriate manner

Financial Management

Together with the Woreda team leader:

• prepare detailed budget plans and implement the approved budget in line with Concern finance and grant management policies and procedures
• Ensure the proper, efficient and timely utilization of allocated program/project budget, including purchasing of materials, and monthly review of the budget monitoring tool
• Prepare a project procurement plan and ensure its timely implementation
• Implement other PHEM related activities as per direction from senior health response coordinator 

Monitoring and Reporting

• Contribute to the drafting of learning papers/ case studies based on the project implementation and share with partners and stakeholders, to be incorporated into future preparedness and responses.
• Ensure that the crosscutting issues and in particular GENDER considerations and Conflict sensitivity are prioritized while implementing project action plans.
• Ensure the work plans are on track and report any amendment or significant changes to your line manager
• Ensure appropriate reporting tools are in place, if not already in place to ensure reporting formats are understood and used by staff and provide the information required for high quality donor reporting purposes. Provide regular feedback on reports.
• Carry out regular visits to the project sites, monitoring the activities and making technical recommendations, identifying challenges and proposing solutions
• Support woreda team leader in prepare internal reports and donor reports and ensure that they are developed to a high standard and that all deadlines for the receipt of these reports are met.
• Organizing/supporting joint supportive supervision by involving the key health partners at woreda level.
• Contribute to ensuring that strong complaints response mechanisms are in place across the project
• Ensure that Core Humanitarian Standards are met and that any concerns are raised to the Health and Nutrition Program Manager
• Communication, information sharing within the Programme and promoting participation of staff, beneficiaries and other stakeholders to all the steps of the Programme cycle.

 Liaison and Coordination

• Liaise with other NGOs/INGOs, relevant government agencies and the RHB at zone and woreda level to ensure coordination and learning across partners.
• Organizing and facilitating review meetings to discuss challenges and progress in  implementation woredas
• Support /replace the woreda team leader in representing Concern Worldwide in relevant local and emergency response planning and implementation technical meetings and discussions.

Gender Equality

• Demonstrate understanding of Concern Ethiopia’s Gender Equality Strategy
• Contribute to ensuring that Concern Ethiopia is a place where men and women are treated equally and with  dignity and respect
• Demonstrate gender equality awareness and gender sensitivity and an ability to integrate a gender equality perspective into tasks and activities.

Accountability

In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS): 

• actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E); 
• work with relevant colleagues  to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed; 
• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Safeguarding

• Able to seek appropriate advice and report concerns, and feel confident that they have been understood.
• Understands local safeguarding structures and arrangements.
• Practice in a manner that seeks to reduce the risk of abuse, harm or neglect.
• Identifies and refers to appropriate services any other associated persons including carers, family members and children at risk.
• Able to document safeguarding concerns, and maintain appropriate record keeping, recording the wishes and views of the adult or child at risk, differentiating between fact and opinion.

Emergency response

Concern is committed to responding to emergencies efficiently and effectively in order to help affected people meet their basic needs, alleviate suffering and maintain their dignity. To this end, when emergencies strike and the Ethiopia Programme is to respond, all staff are required to actively participate in the response, regardless of location and contribute to the efforts aimed at achieving the humanitarian objective of the organization.

Job Requirement

Person specification

• BSc in Health. MSc degree in Public Health/MPH is an added advantage.
• 4 years of relevant experience with the first degree with a strong background in implementing health and nutrition programs; CMAM, MIYCN,MHNTs
•  2 years of relevant experience plus post graduate degree.
•  NGO experience is a plus.

Required Skill

• Basic supervisory/managerial skills.
• Technical and report writing skills
• Computer literate.
• Fluent spoken and written English.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Profound experience working in health (MHNTs) and Nutrition (CMAM, IYCF) interventions
• Have relevant computer software skills, including at a minimum, MS Office, etc.
• NGO experience in emergency projects is highly advantageous
• Good negotiation skill with government and other agencies
• Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written English.
• Good interpersonal skills and team player with sensitivity to cultural diversity
• Ability to work under pressure
• Team management experience.
• Able to work under pressure and to strict deadlines;
• Experience of community health work / community mobilization

What we offer

• A competitive salary and benefit package
• Excellent medical benefits (100% cover including dependents)
• 20 days annual leave
• 26 weeks (paid) maternity leave, 18 weeks (unpaid) parental leave