Career Opportunities at Care - 4 Positions

REF: CSCPM/03/2018

BACKGROUND:

Weather and Climate Information Services for Africa (WISER) is an initiative funded by The UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID) and managed by the Met Office, the UK’s national weather service. WISER’s mission is tdeliver transformational change in the quality, accessibility and use of weather and climate information services at all levels of decision making for sustainable development in Africa.

Under the WISER programme, a project titled “WISER Support tIGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) Project” (W2-SIP) is being implemented from March 2018- March 2020 by a consortium of institutions that includes ICPAC, United Kingdom Met Office, Columbia University International Research Institute for Climate & Society (IRI) and its’ Enhancing National Climate Services Initiative (ENACTS), North Carolina State University (NCSU), and CARE International.

The project’s overall outcome is tcontribute tenhancing the resilience of poor people and of economic development tweather and climate related shocks. It aims tdthis by increasing the use of co-produced reliable weather and climate services tinform regional and national level policy and decision making. In doing so, the project will strengthen the capacity of ICPAC tdeliver wide-reaching, usable, new, improved weather and climate products and services that are anchored in principles of coproduction and user engagement.

Tooften, climate information and services are not user-centric and their potential timpact decision making and planning at multiple levels, remains limited. Taddress this the project is utilizing a multi-stakeholder co-production approach, ensuring that climate products will be transformed with and by users as well as producers intdecision ready information and advice for key sectors, targeted treach the most vulnerable and marginalised groups and communicated through a range of channels determined with regional users. Additionally, ICPAC’s capacity tbe a knowledge and learning hub on user centred co-production and knowledge brokering in climate services will be strengthened.

JOB SUMMARY & PURPOSE:

The Regional Climate Services Co-Production Project Manager is primarily responsible for providing overall project management and technical support tCARE’s deliverables under the W2-SIP consortium project. The position will work closely with the consortium of partners (ICPAC, NCSU, IRI ENACTS, UK Met Office), with the targeted networks and platforms (IGAD Drought Disaster Resilience and Sustainability Initiative (IDDRSI), Food Security and Nutrition Working Group (FSNWG), Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF), Kenya National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) and with other regional initiatives and WISER projects) tfacilitate the co-development and coproduction process of relevant climate products and services. A major aspect of this role will be tsupport improving ICPAC’s capacity and role in facilitating dialogue and linkages between providers and users of climate services and information tensure that user needs are met. This will contribute tbetter decision making and planning as information provided will actionable. Another key aspect of the position will be toversee the Co-production Capacity Building Officer tensure that effective capacity is being built at ICPAC around co-development and co-production processes. The incumbent will work together with the assigned CARE international staff whwill provide strategic direction and support tCARE’s role in the project.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Job Responsibility 1: Project planning, coordination, and management:
  • Act as the CARE’s focal point in the consortium, supporting communication within the CARE assigned team and CARE W2-SIP Capacity Building Officer while alsliaising and communicating with other partners as needed tensure effective project coordination;
  • Develop and maintain strategic partnerships, and represent CARE in relevant workshops, events, meetings, and networking events;
  • Supervise the management of project staff and project/field operations;
  • Ensures that the project interventions are implemented according tthe project guideliens, agreed upon plans and signed agreements;
  • Monitors the implementation of project and documents progress on project objectives and areas for correction, and ensures that appropriate follow-up actions are taken;
  • Maintains an updated work plan tall of CARE’s W2-SIP activities ;
  • Provide effective budget oversight and monitoring in line with CARE’s operational procedures;
  • Ensure that project is implemented in a cost-effective manner, within the approved budget framework and ensuring the donor requirements are met on spending at the forecasted level every quarter;
  • Responsible tproduce and ensure early preparations of narrative reports and financial reports according tdonor standards and compliance;
  • Completes all CARE performance management activities including: performance planning, monitoring, and annual performance appraisals.
• Job Responsibility 2: Linking and Networks connection:
  • Link delivery agencies tICPAC, Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forums (GHACOF), and relevant climate services actors and processes in the region;
  • Support and promote collaboration across interlinked regional initiatives including current and upcoming WISER projects;
  • Ensure CARE’s contribution tW2-SIP and co-production knowledge is shared with the SSN TRANSFORM WISER project;
  • Establish and maintain formal and informal communication mechanisms with consortium members, regional partners, donors and other stakeholders particularly in the weather and climate information services sector;
    Actively participates in the project steering committee and Technical Advisory Committee tensure the project direction is in line with CARE’s inputs on co-production and that new information, innovations and lessons are shared and capitalized on.
    Establish links on coproduction and climate knowledge brokering between ICPAC and relevant Universities in the GHA region whare involved in CSRD (University of Nairobi, Makerere, Sokoine). This includes meetings, training module development and other regional WISER events.
• Job Responsibility 3: Co-development and Co-production of climate services:
  • Design and conduct regional scoping and user mapping meetings in five East African countries;
  • With ICPAC, facilitate dialogue between regional users (i.e. Food Security and Nutrition Working Group (FSNWG) and the IGAD Drought Disaster Resilience and Sustainability Initiative (IDDRSI)) and providers tmatch climate information products with user decision making needs, processes and systems tenable actionable information at regional and national levels;
  • Support the design & publication of ICPAC guidance, training materials, policy papers and communications on co-development and co-production of climate services;
  • Build on existing approaches such as PSP, FEWSNET scenaridevelopment under FSNWG, FCFA Climate Risk Narratives (CRN), forecast based early warning approaches and services developed by the BRACED programme and others.
• Job responsibility 4: Innovation and learning:
  • Promote innovative communications across the full coproduction value chain, linked tuser organisations and assisting users tmake decisions based on potential impacts through and with user engagement;
  • Study current Monitoring and Evaluation approaches among key climate services user programmes and seek for innovative ways tmeasure change in capacity for knowledge brokering and learning on climate services;
  • Incorporate robust user based monitoring and feedback systems tensure information on actual use and impact of accessed climate products informs flexibility and improvements in climate products and the coproduction approach;
  • Ensure W2-SIP is appropriately linked and sharing information and learning with WISER TRANSFORM.
• Job Responsibility 5: Capacity Building of ICPAC and Stakeholders:
  • In collaboration with the CARE assigned team, provide support and backstopping tthe CARE W2-SIP Capacity Building Officer;
  • Contribute towards the strengthening of ICPAC skills in facilitating multi-stakeholder learning processes, climate knowledge brokering, decision making processes and user feedback through training, on-going mentoring and regular reflection spaces;
  • With ICPAC, develop guidelines for user centred co-production of climate services and link with the TRANSFORM project. Within this, support the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for climate information services;
  • Work with ICPAC tshape GHACOFs tbe better suited tuser and decision-maker needs, more participatory and with a broader focus beyond the seasonal forecast;
  • Design and ensure delivery of stand alone trainings with IPAC and regional bodies and users on user based coproduced climate services;
  • Design and ensure quality facilitation of innovation and learning events with ICPAC, regional bodies, and national met agencies at the OND GHACOF meetings;
  • Support engagement and capacity-building with all users and producers as needed.

AUTHORITY

Spending Authority:

Spending up ta maximum of Kenya Shillings 350,000 as stipulated in the CARE financial policy.

Supervision:

The Project Manager is responsible for supervising the Capacity Building Officer.

Decision Making:

Will exercise decision making over all aspects of the program implementation, supervision, monitoring & development in consultation with the CARE technical team and CI UK.

CONTACTS/KEY RELATIONSHIPS (internal & external):

External

The program requires maintenance of relationship and high degree of networking.

The main contacts will be:

• ICPAC
• IRI
• URI
• UK Met office
• IGAD Drought Disaster and Sustainability Resilience Initiative (IDDRSI)
• Food Security and Nutrition Working group (FSNWG)
• Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF)
• Network of Climate Journalists of the Greater Horn of Africa (NECJOGHA)
• Strengthening Climate Information Partnerships - East Africa Project (SCIPEA)

Internal

• Sector Manager - Resilience and Climate Change at CARE Kenya
• Senior Technical Advisors- Climate Change and Resilience (UK)
• Senior Technical Advisor- climate change adaptation and climate services (East Africa Region, Ethiopia)
• Co-production Technical Consultant (Kenya)
• All Senior Officers and Managers at the regional and national level

WORKING CONDITIONS:

The incumbent is based in Nairobi. His/her time will be split between the CARE office and the ICPAC office, where it is anticipated they will be seconded several times days a week.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

M.Sc/M.A degree from a recognized institution/university in the following areas: climate change and society, meteorological sciences, Disaster management, International development, or other relevant field.

Experience

• Preferably a minimum of 7 years relevant professional experience in development of climate change or related sector operations, project management, policy formation, capacity building, early warning systems, community based development programming, or closely related fields;
• Experience in the development of climate information services and products ;
• Experience building capacity of government and regional institutions and actors;
• Understanding of climate risks and vulnerabilities in the East Africa region;
• Work experience in an international organization is an advantage;

Skills and Competencies

• Analytical skills: Proven writing and analytical skills in climate change operations; ability tinitiate innovative approaches and originality at work; sound analytic, conceptual and strategic thinking;
• People Skills: Proven ability for team-working and multi-tasking; resourcefulness, attention tdetails and client orientation; Ability tprovide leadership and strategic guidance tteam. Demonstrated ability tlisten tand support project staff and partners, and twork with communities in a sensitive and participatory manner.
• Communication Skills: Well developed written and oral communication skills in English. Able tcommunicate clearly and sensitively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Computer Skills: Basic computing skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Preferably skills related tvirtual network communication using the Internet.
• Integrity: Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment tCARE's core values and humanitarian principles.
• Resilience/Adaptability and flexibility: Ability toperate effectively under difficult circumstances. Willing ttravel up t30% of time.

Right to Work

This position is based in Nairobi. Kenyan nationals and those with a right twork in Kenya are invited tapply.