Job Description

Position: Project Officer- (Re-Advertised)
Locations:  Sana’a
Technical Supervisor: Project Coordinator
Vacancy Reference Number: POL/SAN-SHR

PURPOSE OF DIVISION:

The Food Security and Livelihood (FSL) Programs Division closely works with the country program team in identifying, planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating development and emergency projects and programs in collaboration with local, national, and international partners. 
Currently, FSL focuses on the Recovery and Development of strategic areas and support communities to develop a sustainable livelihood, coherent microfinance system, food security, based on social cohesion and community participation to support communities affected by conflict, civil war, natural and man-made disasters. The overall objectives of the FSL division are to alleviate poverty and suffering of human kinds by providing them with long term sustainable program, improve the health conditions of the targeted beneficiaries,  increase access to food for vulnerable families through involvement in conditional cash interventions such as Cash for Work (CFW), Cash for Apprenticeship (CFA), and Food for Assets (FFA) programs, increase households income, and rehabilitees food security assets in areas with a high level of food insecurity, where vulnerable households’ livelihood assets are at near collapse and coping strategies are almost exhausted leading to spiraling extreme coping behaviors like sale of houses, land, and productive assets which is greatly compromising their household food security status and reduce malnutrition rate of women and children in collaboration with international donors, INGOs, and UN agencies.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Livelihoods Project Officer reports to the project coordinator and holds the duty of formulating, scheduling, and executing livelihood activities based on the project outcomes at the field level. The Livelihoods Project Officer will collaborate with team members and hold the responsibility and creating connections among all project team members, groups, stakeholders and officials at local level. The Livelihoods Project Officer will also ensure that the project coordinator receives punctual, precise and high-quality reports.
    
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Job Responsibilities:

Activity Implementation

• Planning – ensure good planning exists through timely sharing of procurement needs, development of clear Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) for field-level activities, as well develop plans for responding to risks and issues that arise or will arise.
• To ensure that the planned material distributions (grants, cash, farm inputs, livelihoods inputs) are conducted timely and beneficiaries receive without hindrances.
• Ensure local authorities and communities have been sensitized to the project’s objectives, activities, and selection criteria and that these processes have been adhered to during project selection. 
• Carryout initial site assessments and feasibility feedback on project options to assist in prioritization processes.
• Verify that project activities are developed in consultation with communities and ensure all project activities have considered the needs of children, women, vulnerable groups, and the environment. 

Community Mobilization

• Sensitize local authorities and communities to the project’s objectives, activities, and selection criteria.
• Review and develop beneficiary selection criteria with government, local authorities, and community members to identify project beneficiaries according to IRY’s project vulnerability and target criteria.
• Organize and run community meetings and workshops in a participatory and inclusive manner, to ensure that project activities are developed in consultation with communities.
• Conduct training as necessary to a range of community stakeholders and structures.  
• Take into account the structures of local government and communities and ensure all project activities have considered the needs of children, women, vulnerable groups, and the environment.
• Be in regular contact with communities, to link them to IRY and ensure transparency and information sharing.
• Lead in conflict resolution of disputes between communities and members related to IRY project activities.

Coordination

• Build, coordinate, and oversee working relationships with all local project stakeholders in livelihoods in Yemen, including government stakeholders, NGO partners, and other service providers.
• Engage and strengthen partnerships relevant to livelihoods using appropriate partnership concepts, tools, and approaches.
• Ensure close coordination, information sharing, and regular field-level meetings with FSL and non-FSL partners. As measures to reduce duplication of activities, as well as achieve strong activity integrations
• Coordinate with other project officers to ensure that activities are carried out in line with community needs.
• Coordinate with the relevant government ministries to ensure compliance and good relations. 
• Support the integration and communication with other sectors: WASH, Orphans & Health activities.
• Participate in Field Office meetings with management and other departments, as required.
• Develop good relations with community leaders and other community structures like volunteer groups, as well maintain a strong relationship and engagement with other departments like finance, logistics, supply chain, safety and security, etc. 

Assessment, Monitoring, Evaluation, & Quality Control

• Lead all field-level assessment activities working closely with MEAL teams focusing on market, needs assessment,  assessment, household and communities’ socio-economic assessment, etc. 
• Ensure learning accompanies project activities throughout the project cycle and coordinate project evaluation activities where relevant.
• Collect and analyze program data, contribute to reflective discussions, capture and share lessons learned and best practices to facilitate improvements in decision-making.
• Ensure a project progress database is complete and regularly updated.
• Assist the M&E team in creating appropriate monitoring tools for project impact, quality, Post Distribution Monitoring, and measurement of IPTT indicator tracking. Focus on quality control checks for each project type.
• Conduct regular feedback sessions with the M&E Officer and Accountability Assistants to ensure that all findings are addressed and adjustments made to the project throughout implementation.
• Carry out regular implementation monitoring and submit relevant reports to the project coordinator.
• Implement MEAL project quality visits recommendations as measures to improve service delivery
• Working closely with the Accountability team, ensure the rollout of IRY toll-free numbers, banners, flyers, etc in all communities where projects are implemented.
• Participate in forums in the area of livelihoods to collect and share best practices and promote IRY’ work.

Reporting

• Compile and write weekly and monthly progress reports (narrative and data) in English.
• Analyze implementation challenges and report inconsistencies and/or gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

A) EDUCATION/TRAINING 

Required:

• University degree in economics, social science, agriculture, or other discipline relevant to livelihoods.

B) EXPERIENCE  

Required:

• Three years’ experience working with INGO/NNGO  two out of three working in Livelihood’s activities (ex. vocational skills training, Microenterprise microfinance, etc.) 
• Relevant training on the delivery of livelihoods components/aspects, including at least two of the following, SMEs, IGA, apprenticeship and VSLS. 
• Experience drafting and compiling narrative reports in English.
• Experience with the application of participatory methods in community engagement such as mapping, ranking, assessing, etc.

Desired:

• Familiarity with programming in emergency situations.
• Experience in Business incubators and accelerators is an advantage. 

C) Competencies 

Knowledge and Skills:

• Excellent in English (speaking, writing, reading, and typing).  
• Ability to diplomatically and sensitively resolve conflicts within and between communities/stakeholders. 
• Capacity and willingness for extensive field travel. 
• Capacity to arrange schedules, handle various duties, and analyse data from numerous origins
• Compliance with selection criteria and attention to detail.
• Proficient in computer applications (MS Office, including Outlook for email).

Other COMPETENCIES

Core Values (Required):

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

Core Competencies (Required):

• Communication
• Working with People
• Drive for Results

Functional Competencies (Required):

• Formulating strategies and concepts 
• Planning and Organizing

Safeguarding 

• Understanding of and commitment to safeguarding, child safety and protection from sexual abuse and exploitation principles.

PROBLEM SOLVING (Thinking Environment)

• Ability to deal with a complex situation and solve issues and problems.    

WORKING CONDITIONS AND LEVEL OF TRAVEL REQUIRED 

• This position is located in Sana’a - Yemen with 60% visits to the project sites in Sana’a and Dhamar Governorates in the targeted areas. 

D) CONTACTS/KEY RELATIONSHIPS  

• The employee will work closely with the relevant project Coordinator and FSL team in the field and office.