Fresh Vacancies at Catholic Relief Services - 2 Positions

Department: Programming - MWENDO Project

Grade: 6

Reports To:** Senior Project Officer- Systems Strengthening/Cluster Leads

Country/Location: Kenya - Nandi County, Kapsabet Town

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:

As a key member of the MWENDO Project Cluster team, you will be seconded to the county Department of Children Services (DCS) office to provide coaching, mentoring, and technical assistance. You will monitor and 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:

• Support the coordination, implementation, and monitoring of all assigned project activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Monitor and report any challenges and/or gaps identified to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. Assist local implementing partners (LIPs) in their efforts to reflect on project experiences.
• Provide technical assistance and coordinate with DCS to identify their assets, strengths, and goals for in-service professional development and use this information to develop costed annual work plans that incorporate capacity building activities; and a sustainability plan for continuing DCS development after the project ends.
• Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and assisting DCS in their efforts to collect and analyze project data per specified mechanisms and tools. Collaborate with DCS to prepare reports per established reporting schedule.
• Collect information on technical assistance needs of LIPs. Provide technical support and monitor capacity building and technical support activities to ensure effective impact.
• Complete project documentation for assigned activities. Assist with identifying information for case studies and reports on promising practices. Actively engage in dissemination and use of relevant knowledge in the field.
• Represent CRS in meetings at county and cluster levels, working groups, and other events as requested, to support forging relations with the GOK, LIPs, other stakeholders, and the community.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of all assigned project activities per donor and CRS standards and established schedules.

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• 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 in monitoring projects and collecting relevant data preferred.
• Excellent understating of GOK.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Personal Skills

• Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners and community members and inspire teamwork among diverse partners without direct supervisory responsibilities
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented

Required/Desired Foreign Language

Able to clearly communicate in written and spoken English

Travel Required

This position is based at the DCS office. 30% of the time will include travel to MWENDO project sites.

Key Working Relationships:

Supervisory: None

Internal: MWENDO Team, Systems Strengthening Specialist, project technical team, Finance, Procurement, and HR/Administration

External:* Donors, government ministries/institutions at the national and county levels, relevant private sector entities within the County.

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.

• Trusting Relationships
• Professional Growth
• Partnership
• Accountability

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