Project support officers provide different types of services for the successful execution of a project as part of a horizontal project management office. They offer administrative support, assistance and training to project managers and other staff members, manage the project’s documentation and assist the project manager with project scheduling, resource planning, coordination and reporting. Project support officers are responsible for quality assurance activities and for monitoring the adherence to methodology guidelines and other organisational standards. They also offer advice on project management tools and related administrative services.

Contract Details:    Definite period 

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

    Project Management

•    Conduct needs assessment and share needs assessment report with the respective Woreda team leader.

•    Participate in developing specific activities to address priority gaps identified.

•    Participate in preparing detail implementation plan (DIP) of activities based on priority gaps identified.

•    Participate in regular data collection, compilation, analysis and interpretation at Woreda level and submission to area office and head office.

•    Prepare work plan based on the project agreement for the Woreda and ensure the implementation of each planned activities.

•    Make regular follow up of multisectoral project activities (Health, Nutrition, Agriculture and WASH) at Woreda level.

•    Prepare and submit biweekly, monthly, and quarterly donor and government reports timely to Woreda team leader.

•    Support senior technical assistants (Health & Nutrition, WASH, Agriculture, MPCA), which includes technical support, training, and supportive supervision.

•    Work closely with the relevant Zonal and Woreda local Gov’t staff, which include integrated supportive supervision and review meeting.

•    Collaborate with local partners to improve Concern’s effectiveness and efficiency in the respective Woreda.

Human Resources

•    Manage Woreda level Health & Nutrition, WASH, Agriculture, Cash, and etc. senior technical assistants.

•    Identify technical capacity gaps and training needs among Woreda level project staff, partners, and government counterparts.

•    Provide technical support (coach Woreda level technical staff in order to build their capacity and to perform their assigned roles and responsibilities.

•    Identify HR related issues if any and report in a timely and appropriate manner.

Financial Management

Together with the Woreda team leader:

•    prepare detailed budget plans and implement the approved budget in line with Concern finance and grant management policies and procedures

•    Ensure the proper, efficient and timely utilization of allocated program/project budget, including purchasing of materials, and monthly review of the budget monitoring tool.

•    Prepare a project procurement plan and ensure its timely implementation

•    Implement activities as per direction from Woreda team leader.

Monitoring and Reporting

•    Contribute to the drafting of learning papers/ case studies based on the project implementation and share with partners and stakeholders, to be incorporated into future preparedness and responses. 

•    Ensure that the crosscutting issues and in particular GENDER considerations and Conflict sensitivity are prioritized while implementing project action plans.

•    Ensure the work plans are on track and report any amendment or significant changes to your line manager 

•    Ensure appropriate reporting tools are in place, if not already in place to ensure reporting formats are understood and used by staff and provide the information required for high quality donor reporting purposes. Provide regular feedback on reports.

•    Carry out regular visits to the project sites, monitoring the activities and making technical recommendations, identifying challenges and proposing solutions 

•    Support woreda team leader in prepare internal reports and donor reports and ensure that they are developed to a high standard and that all deadlines for the receipt of these reports are met. 

•    Organizing/supporting joint supportive supervision by involving the key health partners at woreda level.

•    Contribute to ensuring that strong complaints response mechanisms are in place across the project

•    Ensure that Core Humanitarian Standards are met and that any concerns are raised to the Woreda team leader 

Liaison and Coordination

•    In consultation with the Woreda team leader, liaise with other NGOs/INGOs, and relevant government agencies at zone and woreda level to ensure coordination and learning across partners.

•    In consultation with the Woreda team leader, organizing and facilitating review meetings to discuss best practices, lessons learned and challenges related to project activities progress in the targeted woreda.

•    Support /replace the woreda team leader in representing Concern Worldwide in relevant local and emergency response planning and implementation technical meetings and discussions.

Gender Equality

•    Demonstrate understanding of Concern Ethiopia’s Gender Equality Strategy

•    Contribute to ensuring that Concern Ethiopia is a place where men and women are treated equally and with  dignity and respect 

•    Demonstrate gender equality awareness and gender sensitivity and an ability to integrate a gender equality perspective into tasks and activities.

Accountability

•    In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS): 

•    actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E); 

•    work with relevant colleagues  to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed; 

•    Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behavior is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Safeguarding

•    Able to seek appropriate advice and report concerns, and feel confident that they have been understood.

•    Understands local safeguarding structures and arrangements.

•    Practice in a manner that seeks to reduce the risk of abuse, harm or neglect.

•    Identifies and refers to appropriate services any other associated persons including carers, family members and children at risk.

•    Able to document safeguarding concerns, and maintain appropriate record keeping, recording the wishes and views of the adult or child at risk, differentiating between fact and opinion.

Emergency response

Concern is committed to responding to emergencies efficiently and effectively in order to help affected people meet their basic needs, alleviate suffering and maintain their dignity. To this end, when emergencies strike and the Ethiopia Programme is to respond, all staff are required to actively participate in the response, regardless of location and contribute to the efforts aimed at achieving the humanitarian objective of the organization.

Job Requirements

Person specification:

Person Specification & Qualification

•    BSc in Health, Social Science and Development studies. MSC in the relevant studies.

•    4 years of relevant experience with the first degree with a strong background in implementing health, nutrition, WASH and nutrition projects.

•     2 years of relevant experience plus post graduate degree.

•     NGO experience is a plus. 

Skills Required 

•    Basic supervisory/managerial skills.

•    Technical and report writing skills 

•    Computer literate. 

•    Fluent spoken and written English. 

•    Good communication and interpersonal skills

•    Profound experience working in health, nutrition, WASH and agriculture interventions.

•    Have relevant computer software skills, including at a minimum, MS Office, etc.

•    NGO experience in emergency projects is highly advantageous

•    Good negotiation skill with government and other agencies 

•    Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written English.

•    Good interpersonal skills and team player with sensitivity to cultural diversity

•    Ability to work under pressure

•    Team management experience.

•    Able to work under pressure and to strict deadlines;

•    Experience of community health work / community mobilization

Competencies:

.Knowledge of participatory approaches 

 .   Ability to work with teams at distance and good team player 

 .  Capacity Building skills

 .Ability to plan own work, set priorities, complete work under pressure or when faced with competing demands and report

Analytical skills

 .Strong interpersonal and communication skills

 . Computer proficiency

What we offer

•    A competitive salary and benefit package

•    Excellent medical benefits (100% cover including dependents)

•    20 days annual leave

•    26 weeks (paid) maternity leave, 18 weeks (unpaid) parental leave\

How to Apply

Interested and qualified applicants can apply online using THIS LINK