The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their lives. The IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict, and disaster and the host communities that support them, as well as those who remain within their homes and communities. We began work in Ethiopia in 2000 and currently implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response.

The IRC has a focus on narrowing the gender gap in humanitarian aid and ensuring that we contribute to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in both our programs and operations by working to establish a context where our clients (including those from minority groups) enjoy the same rights and opportunities as well as equal access to services. The IRC also has a strong commitment to creating an equitable and inclusive culture, where safeguarding is upheld in our workplace and programs. We are determined to protect our clients and staff from safeguarding violations through prevention and, where misconduct is alleged, to address it without fear or favor.

Job Overview: 

IRC is planning to undertake integrated and comprehensive lifesaving Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Health, Nutrition, cash assistance, livelihoods support, Protection, and Agriculture response interventions for flood and drought affected IDPs and host communities in Afder and Sitti Zones of Somali region, Ethiopia. In alignment with USAID/BHA’s mission to save lives, alleviate human suffering, and reduce the impact of disasters by helping people in need become more self-reliant, IRC will administer comprehensive multi-sector and multi-site, humanitarian interventions which will allow vulnerable communities reeling from flood, extended drought, recurrent humanitarian, and climatic disasters to recover and regain control of their lives. The main objective of the Economic Recovery and Market Systems (ERMS Increase access to food, disposable income and facilitate livelihood protection and early recovery for drought and flood affected households. These will be achieved, by enabling meeting basic needs through engaging in paid temporary work to restore key community and natural assets, and facilities affected by the flood, and allow households to generate temporary income while restoring livelihoods during emergencies, further reducing reliance humanitarian assistance and use of negative coping mechanisms.

Duties & Responsibilities

The ERD -Project officer will be responsible for supporting and strengthening the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of cash-based intervention including the cash for work activities, and Market assessment. They will collaborate closely with other project staff within IRC and government staff, community groups and among partner agencies, government, financial service providers, and community groups. They will give support to the program to ensure technically sound and complementary programming. The Project Officer is responsible for carrying out all aspects of program delivery with respect to Cash for work and agricultural activities implementation in the project area. The position is filed based, and the position holder will spends most of his/her time in the field and will technically report to ERD project manager at field office.         

Detailed responsibilities and tasks:

Participate in awareness creating, targeting and verification of target groups of the project

• Provide awareness and sensitization on cash for work implementation modalities and cash transfer mechanisms to targeted households and stakeholders.

• Lead and Coordinate establishment of community- based targeting and appeal committee members in coordination with woreda and kebele level government stakeholders and community representatives.

• Lead and coordinate the process of Cash for Work beneficiaries’ selection, verification, registration and baseline survey collaboration with other program team, MEL team and government stakeholders in the intervention woredas in line with IRC SOP for Cash

• Prepare and validate CfW beneficiaries’ selection criteria in coordination with government stakeholders at different levels, community-based targeting committee members and IRC project team.

Train target groups in climate smart agriculture practices as well as natural resource management 

• Establish and maintain visible, functional relationships with target communities.

• Ensures daily activities at the field level follow implementation guidelines.

Successful implementation of crop production and cash for work related activities

• Work closely with woreda and zonal line offices particularly agriculture and rural development office.

• working closely with the ERD project manager and providing technical support on the implementation of operational elements of cash for work and agricultural related program activities.

• He/she is technically responsible to provide support on planning, implementing, Supervise and follow up cash for work/ temporary employment work as well as prepare attendance sheet, maintain standard of project implementation, and ensure safety and security during public work.

• He/she is responsible to supervising and identifying Cash for work (CFW) delivery mechanisms, appropriate community-based infrastructure rehabilitation (Market infrastructure, cleaning water point areas, forage development, road rehabilitation, soil, and water conservation structures, and etc) for cash for work activities in IRC designated project area. 

• Responsible for preparing beneficiaries’ master lists and payment sheet, submitting to supply chain and finance to effect payment timely.

• Identify Community Leaders and organize meetings to clarify the needs and problems of the community and to identify solutions.

• Contribute to the needs assessment in the project operation areas and planning of new activities.

• Responsible for daily supervision of cash for work project activities.

• Provide financial and program information draft reports of cash for work project for internal and donor reporting as per CFW implementation guidance.

• Set up and strengthen beneficiaries compliant feedback response mechanisms according to the IRC complaint response standards ensure project implementation quality and transparency. 

• Follow up and ensure CFW beneficiaries’ registration on cash tool according to the IRC Standard operation of program.

Ensures successful distribution of inputs to target clients.

• Facilitate successful distribution of agricultural inputs and tools to the target clients.

Safeguarding Responsibilities: -

• Promote and actively participate in initiatives and efforts to build team engagement, inclusion and cohesion in IRC [team/office]

• Foster ongoing learning, honest dialogue and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and to promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies.

Job Requirements

Educational Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or MSC in Economics, Agriculture economics, Development study, Rural development, or related social science fields.

Preferred experience & skills:

• A Minimum of 1 year for MA holders, 2 years for BA holders, and 5 years for diploma holders, Proven abilities in agriculture development, crop production, livestock production, and cash-for-work program implementation (specific abilities or skills required)

• Good interpersonal and communication skills.

• Strong organizational and time-management skills; proven ability to prioritize and deliver on time.

• Strong analytic problem-solving skills

• Highly proficient in the Microsoft Office suite

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with stakeholders at all levels.

• NGO experience is a plus.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced/changing, deadline-oriented environment.

• Proficiency and experience in facilitating training, experience in developing training lesson plans and technical skills in facilitating cash-for-work activities.

• Self-motivated with good organization, and planning skills, including prioritizing work and multi-tasking.

• A clear understanding of gender, power protection issues

• Personal qualities: Works well in and promotes teamwork, is comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible, and able to handle pressure well.

Language Skills: Proficiency in English is mandatory and local language is advantageous.

How to Apply

Candidates meeting the above qualifications are encouraged to apply only through THIS LINK

• Please include 3 references from current and former employers.

• Applications will not be returned. IRC discourages phone calls or personal visits.

• Only applicants meeting the minimum qualification will be short-listed and contacted.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Your application letter/cover letter must include the following information.

• Name of the position you have applied for

• Date of application

• Summary of your qualifications and experience

• Motivation/objective of why you have applied for the job

• Permanent Address and present address (if different from permanent) and telephone number if possible also email address

• Disclose any family relationships with existing IRC employees.  

IRC is an equal employment opportunity employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

IRC strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, embody our culture statement creating a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible services to our clients.

Professional Standards: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive sec