Field Project Officer at Comitato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo dei Popoli (CISP)

Job Purpose:

• CISP is seeking an experienced Field Project Officer with technical expertise in Project Management, Community Engagement, Resilience, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Early Warning (EW) systems in Tana River County. This position will lead the implementation of the activities for the “Improving Livestock Insurance Trigger Mechanisms and Gender-Responsive Products for Drought-Affected (Agro-)Pastoralists in Kenya” project in the Tana River County.

Role and Responsibilities
Project Planning and Implementation

• Responsible for selecting and verifying beneficiaries in coordination with the consortium partners, the community committees, and local authorities.
• Plan field missions, supervise project activities and assign staff to ensure activities are carried out as per project work plan.
• Facilitate adoption of best practice/approaches/models in the course of the implementation of the project.
• Collaborate with relevant National and County government ministries and partners at the Ward, County and community levels to ensure integration and high-quality implementation of all activities.
• Assist and participate in the planning and implementation of trainings, workshops and participatory assessments designed by CISP technical team and Consortium Partners.
• Provide technical support to Consortium partners with the targeted communities.
• Participate in the production of technical support materials and guide the project team on the delivery of mechanisms that will ensure effective implementation of activities as well as early recovery.
• Participate in the preparation of overall workplan and budget planning for project related activities on the field, and systemically review the budget and control field expenditures within the approved project budget.
• Liaise with the Administration team to process payments during workshops and field activities related to the project and provide adequate support documents.
• Act as referral person for all CISP departments in need of information of materials regarding the project (Communication, MEAL, Administration and Procurement).
• Perform other related duties as per the directives of the supervisor.

MEAL and Quality Assurance

• Support MEAL activities in coordination with relevant stakeholders.
• Travel extensively in the County for beneficiary engagement, support, supervision and monitoring of project activities.
• Work closely with relevant authorities to ensure all activities are in alignment with approved guidelines and standards agreed.
• Provide technical inputs in the planning and design of project specific operational researches, including inception report, beneficiary mapping, baseline, and midline and end line evaluations related to the livelihoods outcomes and disseminate research publications for learning purposes.
• Participate in regular project review meetings, team meetings and other monitoring mechanisms to assess project progress and resolve implementation bottlenecks.
• Participate in the establishment of a Complaints and Feedback Mechanism and ensure it is effectively disseminated and utilized by project stakeholders and staff.
• Provide technical support and timely feedback to the Project Manager on livelihood activities.
• Track and prepare monthly, quarterly, bi-annual and annual progress reports on the project’s activities and indicators, including documentation of key lessons learnt and successes stories.
• Write impact stories, collect photos, and draft field reports in line with CISP communications guidelines.
• Identify other opportunities in an ongoing manner that will add value to the overarching goal of the project.
• Ensure cross-cutting themes such as gender and environmental protection are integrated into the activities.
• Ensure that the Country office is kept informed of all changes in Government laws, policies and budgets in respect to the activities being implemented.
• Work with Country office and partners to engage in advocacy activities with the government structures at the Ward/County level to address the needs of local communities and inform national level advocacy initiatives.
• Ensure the correct visibility of CISP in front of beneficiaries and local authorities at the field level.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Development, Project Management, Disaster and Risk Management, or a closely related field from a recognized university.
• Minimum of 3 years’ progressive experience in coordinating development activities, including livelihoods projects.
• Demonstrable experience with workshops and trainings planning and implementation.
• Experience in managing community and team logistics, venue and transportations booking, etc.
• Demonstrable experience in designing and implementing projects focused on DRR, climate, drought resilience, preparedness, response and recovery, and knowledge of climate financing mechanisms.
• Experience with, Budget, and Financial reporting.
• Fluent in both spoken and written English and Kiswahili.
• Driving Licence and availability to drive and travel to activities locations. • Strong self-starter, able to take initiative and adapt to changing circumstances and priorities.
• Experience working in the ASAL Counties in Kenya and familiarity with the Tana River context.
• Flexible and willing to work in a remote environment with extensive travel to multiple field locations.
• Ability to conduct community needs assessments, program planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of resilience interventions and commitment to participatory approaches at all stages of the project cycle.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation and representation skills.
• Excellent computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Ability to work under pressure, make decisions, and multi-task.
• Positive attitude towards community work with an emphasis on the ability to learn from communities and support innovative approaches to problem-solving.
• Energetic and connects well with people of all backgrounds, and able to inspire and motivate people.
• Honest, gains trust easily and demonstrates a high level of integrity.
• Commitment to CISP values and Child Protection Policy.
• Desirable experience:
• Experience in Early Warning (EW) systems.
• Knowledge and interest in Livestock Insurance in Kenya.
• Experience with Community Engagement activities (and support to the interactions between communities and public decision-makers).
• Knowledge of Advocacy, Disaster Management, Peacebuilding
• Knowledge of Gender-responsive programming initiatives will be an added advantage.
• Knowledge of Livestock Insurance Trigger Mechanisms