Project Officer at Finn Church Aid

The Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers (the Network) was founded in 2013 as a concrete response to the growing awareness among peace mediation organization and the United Nations, that religious and traditional actors are vital, but underutilized, actors in peacemaking processes. Since its founding, the Network has grown into a community of peacemakers ranging from grassroots religious and traditional actors to international NGOs, think tanks, and academic institutions. The Network strengthens peacemaking through collaboratively supporting the positive role of religious and traditional actors in peacebuilding processes and through connecting them to national and international peacebuilders. Since its founding, the Network Secretariat has been hosted by Finn Church Aid (FCA), Finland’s largest development agency and provider of humanitarian aid while the steering body of the Network, the Core Group, consist of variety of actors from UN Agencies to Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Religions for Peace and KAICIID Dialogue Center.

The Network together with Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), Islamic Relief Kenya (IRK), The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) and Tangaza University is implementing a project “Religious minorities in Kenya: Overcoming divides, respecting rights”. The objective of this project is to address the problems affecting the full enjoyment of rights by the Muslim minority and the African Traditional Religions (ATR) communities in Kenya, arising from mistrust and excessive repression by the State authorities, misunderstandings with other faith-communities, and limited knowledge of constitutional rights, including promotion of gender equality.

The Network is looking for a Project Officer based and employed by FCA Kenya Office in Nairobi to coordinate the implementation and monitoring of the project “Religious minorities in Kenya: Overcoming divides, respecting rights”. The main tasks and competence required are described below.

• Coordinate the overall implementation of project activities led by the Network, and under supervision of the Network Program Manager coordinate the planning, budgeting, monitoring and reporting (internal and external) of those activities
• Support the development of a communication strategy and social media platforms to promote religious tolerance and inter-faith dialogue
• Coordinate with local partners on programmatic, financial, procurement and logistical issues
• Maintain good relations and communication with project partners together with Network Program Manager
• Preparing work plans and produce timely reports – financial and progress reports
• Promotes identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned for organizational sharing and learning
• Maintain effective communication with the project team in FCA Kenya Country office and Network Secretariat Perform other duties as assigned by Network Program Manager

Requirement

• Bachelor’s degree in peace and conflict studies, development studies, human rights, anthropology, religion/theology, project management or similar
• Minimum of 3 years working experience in development aid/peacebuilding/project management
• Proven strong project coordination skills and knowledge about the Project Cycle Management
• Experience of financial reporting, project administration and procurement
• Experience in utilizing different media channels in advocacy and campaigning
• Ability to work independently and proactively manage work
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to meet deadlines under pressure
• Experienced in working in a multicultural and global environment
• Ability to travel to security risk areas
• Strong knowledge of the local context of Kenya, especially coastal and Somalia border regions; assets include experience in inter-faith initatives, promotion of human and constitutional rights, community mobilization, prevention of violent extremism
• Excellent teamwork and inter-personal skills
• Proficiency in English and in Swahili (oral and written), working knowledge of Arabic or Somali is an asset
• Well and timely implemented project
• Quality narrative and financial reporting
• Effective and well-functioning collaboration with project partners