Senior Project Officer -Systems Strengthening at Catholic Relief

Ref.2019/020

Department:** Programming

Grade:** 8

Reports To:** Capacity Strengthening and Partnership Specialist

Country/Location:** Kenya/ Mombasa Covering Nairobi and Coast

Length of Contract:** Two years

Background:

CRS is implementing a 5-year orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) program, MWENDO, which seeks to empower local and county-level OVC stakeholders to strengthen the formal and informal HIV and child protection systems and services and the linkages between them, including cross-sectoral service referrals and coordination to ensure quality service delivery for OVC and their households.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Capacity Strengthening and Partnership Specialist you will work closely with Department of Children Services (DCS) and Local Implementing Partners (LIPs) to support improvements in OVC program areas. You will manage, oversee, and monitor activities and targets associated with strengthening the organizational capacity of local implementing partners (LIPs) and facilitate relationships with LIPs and Department of Children Services (DCS), advancing CRS’ work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your project management skills and technical knowledge of this sector will ensure that CRS Kenya delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of the MWENDO project

You will report on all project activities related to county systems strengthening, specifically with respect to OVC in support of CRS’ work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your thorough and service-oriented approach will ensure that the project consistently applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve. You will coordinate closely with other Mwendo Project Officers to contribute to a holistic, integrated, and comprehensive project implementation.

Job Responsibilities:

• Lead sustainability and investment case technical section, monitoring and reporting activities throughout relevant project cycles – project design, start-up, implementation and close-out - in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices to ensure quality, timeliness and efficiency of all deliverables on the case management systems and referral networks component of the project. Ensure project team and partner staff use the appropriate systems and tools.
• Lead the conceptualization and implementation of MWENDO’s holistic approach to sustainability at the County level to support OVC and household graduation/transition and social service system strengthening ensuring alignment with national case management guidelines
• Coordinate and work closely with the other component SPOs to ensure integrated approach to sustainability within MWENDO project.
• Engage and strengthen partnerships relevant with Government of Kenya-department of children services, applying appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Facilitate linkages with government programs and other stakeholders to ensure that activities complement other economic strengthening initiatives and adhere to county, national and global standards.
• Provide capacity strengthening to project staff and partners through trainings, workshops, facilitated group interactions as well as accompaniment through regular communication via email, telephone and site visits to support the successful mainstreaming of sustainability approaches across implementing partners.
• Champion learning with project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following MEAL policy. Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation obstacles.
• Identify/adapt and promote evidence-based sustainability tools, methods or approaches that DCS and the LIPs can use to advocate for funding and support of child welfare issues for sustainable support of vulnerable children and their households and strengthening of a HIV-sensitive social service system
• Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to achieve the assigned project outcome. Through planning and oversight ensure efficient use of project resources.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Accountability & Stewardship
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Strategic Mindset

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

• Master’s or a bachelor’s degree in Social Science, Gender, Public Health, International Development, Development Economics or a related field.
• At least 2 years of work experience for Master’s degree holders or 4 years of work experience for bachelor’s degree holders in project support in the field of child focused integrated ECD, HIV/AIDS, and other health-related projects in Kenya and for an NGO.
• In-depth understanding of donor expectations for program results, outcomes, impact, and reporting.
• Experience in participatory action planning and engagement of stakeholders at various levels.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data preferred.
• Excellent understating of GOK structures and systems.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint

Personal Skills

• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Strong communication, relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with local stakeholders. Representation abilities.
• Presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Required/Desired Foreign Language: Strong technical writing skills in English

Travel Required (include percentage of required travel, if applicable)

Up to 30 % of time to MWENDO project sites

Key Working Relationships:

Supervisory: No supervisory role.

Internal: MWENDO technical staff

External: GOK, IPs, other stakeholders, and the community.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.