Position Title: Project Officer (based in Baringo County, Kenya)
Organisation: Self Help Africa Location: Baringo County Restrictions: Fixed term, full time Hours: 37.5 hours per week Reports to: Programme Manager Annual Consolidated Gross Salary: Kes.1,056,000/- Benefits: 22 days annual leave, Medical Insurance (self + spouse and up to 4 children), 10% Employer pension contribution and 25% leave allowance
Organisation Overview: About Self Help Africa & United Purpose In late 2021 Self Help Africa (SHA) and United Purpose (UP) merged. The two organisations – one headquartered in Ireland and the other in Wales – implement projects to end extreme hunger and poverty.
This merger doubled our size and reach – and means that in 2022 we are implementing poverty eradication projects in 17 countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Collectively, we are also part of a group that includes social enterprise subsidiaries Partner Africa, TruTrade and Cumo Microfinance. In 2022 our work will reach more than six million people and invest upwards of €45m in more than 100 development programmes designed to improve food systems, facilitate access to markets and financial services, combat climate change, gender inequality, and improve access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene.
This is an exciting time to join us as we unite two like-minded and entrepreneurial organisations seeking to tackle the global challenges in progressive and innovative ways.
Job Purpose:
The overall objective of the European Commission-funded project is to contribute to improved food, nutrition and income security for 60,000 beneficiaries in Baringo, Kenya. Specifically, food security will increase through increased agricultural production and diversification; and agri-enterprise development, nutrition security will improve through the promotion of nutrient rich crops and fruit trees, kitchen gardening and infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practises and improved nutrition and dietary diversity awareness. The income security of households (HHs) will increase through improved agricultural and livestock productivity; farmer level organisation; improved land and water management; integration into profitable value chains; and improved access to market information and financial services.
It is expected that 10,000 HHs in Baringo County adopt productive, climate-resilient and nutrition sensitive agriculture and livestock production strategies. By the end of the project, 90% of targeted households (HH) will have improved access to extension services and will be diversifying their farming systems. 70% of HHs will have increased crop/livestock production and 50% will have disposable income above the standard of living threshold. Furthermore, 85% of targeted HHs will be applying improved nutrition and hygiene practices and 90% will have an acceptable dietary diversity score, leading to a 5% reduction in stunting of children <24 months at sub-county level. At least 20,000 hectares will be under improved land management.
The Project Officer will support the Programme Manager in the day-to-day implementation of the Baringo Resilience project by keeping track of all output implementation activities and project data/information and assist in collection and analysis of data. This is a challenging and important role for SHA as it is the first contact with the project beneficiaries.
Key Responsibilities
1.) Effective Planning and Implementation
- Provide effective, innovative, and technical leadership for the implementation of the project.
- Develop detailed, realistic, and timely plans that will support delivery of the project goals and objectives throughout the project period appreciating the unique context.
- Facilitate adoption of proposed practices/ approaches/ models during the implementation of the project.
- Ensure the project implementation focuses on the right beneficiaries as intended.
- Manage community expectations in terms of the support that the can provide and enhance accountability & transparency mechanisms.
- Ensure that business processes, standards and guidelines related to Livelihood & resilience initiatives are effectively applied in project implementation.
- Track, in liaison with Project Accountant, project implementation expenditure levels and manage work plans and budgets & implement project audit recommendations.
- Ensure timely and effective implementation of all project interventions as well as the successful achievement of proposed outcomes and intended impacts.
- Support producers to set up robust extension systems that effectively serve smallholder livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, and bees) farmers and crop (sorghum, finger millet, green gram, cassava and sweet potato) farmers to increase production and productivity
- Work with input service providers, distributors, plant doctors and other stakeholders to ensure that they deliver training and quality services to famers including seeds, agrochemicals, feeds, equipment, technical advisories and breeding and vaccination services.
- Work with technical officers from county government departments to facilitate the training of Lead Farmers and follower farmers on the aspects of agriculture and livestock production and productivity
2.) Quality Assurance - Monitoring, Reporting and Documentation
- Monitor project interventions in strict adherence to EU, SHA, Kenya government regulations and other agreed standards.
- Ensures participatory monthly data collection are conducted (involving communities and partners) using the standardized tools.
- Use the Daily Questionnaire tool for data collection regularly as per the project guidelines.
- Ensure Monthly, Quarterly, Semi- Annual and Annual reports prepared and submitted.
- Ensure budgetary utilization is within acceptable limits/range.
- Contextualization and utilization of reporting guidelines.
- Ensure that the project achieves acceptable financial and operational audit results by implementing activities in accordance with established norm and policies
- Submit timely weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports indicating progress for each of the targeted producer groups
- With guidance from the M&E Assistant and the Program Manager, implement robust production monitoring indicators including a database for all production and productivity parameters
- Develop and regularly update a database for all farmers recruited and trained.
- Undertake monthly monitoring of the farmer trainings and their effectiveness together with group performance and submit a report on the same every month
- Produce monthly field monitoring reports
- Prepare weekly, monthly, and quarterly work plans for implementing in line with the project operational plans and submit them within the expected timelines.
3.) Enhanced Empowerment & Capacity Building
- Mobilize and sensitize community for common actions, empowerment, and sustainability
- Build the capacity of the community to enable them to effectively intervene in food, nutrition and income security and economic empowerment appropriately.
- Together with SHA programme team, conduct regular reflection and learning events.
4.) Advocacy, Engagement, Networking and Partnerships
- Strengthen networking with relevant government departments especially Ministries of Forestry and Natural Resources, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, and Water and Irrigation to lobby for their active participation in building relevant structures for sustainability.
- Ensure that Project interventions are in synergy with other related Programs within the area of coverage for sustainability.
- Participate in the Baringo County Government’s Planning and Budgeting process and influence resource allocation to the priority needs within the sector.
- Ensure active engagement on policy at county level on issues to do with the food and nutrition security sustainable use of natural resources.
- Engage in advocacy activities with the government structures at the County level, to address the needs of local communities.
- Facilitate the training of farmers groups on group dynamics and social capital strengthening
5.) Other Duties
- Perform any other duty assigned to you by the supervisor (PM).
Key Relationships:
Internal
- Head of Programmes and Programme Coordinators
- Finance and Administration Team
- Cassava Value Chain Programme staff
- Self Help Africa Kenya Country Management Team
External
- Project implementation partners
- Stakeholders including government, research institutes, financial institutions, external auditors, donors, academic institutions and private companies
Knowledge, Experience and Other Requirements:
Essential:
- Bachelor’s Degree preferably in Agriculture, Agri-business or a related field.
- Strong computer skills especially with MS Word and Excel and other related packages
- At least five years’ experience in the implementation of agri-business projects, market systems/value chain or related projects, at a similar level
- At least 3 Years of staff management experience
- Experience in managing multi-year donor-funded programmes
- A thorough understanding of project cycle management approaches and tools – including participatory vulnerability and capacity assessment and planning, project appraisal, monitoring and evaluation and partners’ capacity building,
- Experience in working with Agricultural MSMEs
- Experience in Agri- Value chain financing and working with financial institutions
- Experience in designing strategies and approaches for enhancing agricultural production and rural livelihoods among small holder farmers
- Familiarity and experience with EU funding and regulations preferred
- Experience in networking among development partners and government departments
- Ability to work in partnerships with local NGOs: diplomatic, supportive (including coaching), capable of ensuring best practice and dealing with performance issues
Desirable:
- Excellent verbal, analytical, organisational and writing skills
- People management skills
- Proactive and motivated with a strong commitment to Self Help Africa’s vision, mission and values
- Strong computer skills especially with MS Word and Excel and other related packages
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and team building skills
- Ability and resilience to cope with multiple internal and external demands
- High level skills and experience in capacity building and mentoring skills
- Ability to work as part of team across different cultures
- Ability to work with minimum supervision
- High level of initiative, motivation, commitment and professionalism
- Ability to ride a motorbike in rough terrains
How to apply
To download the Job Description and apply online, please visit our website: https://selfhelpafrica.org/ie/category/careers/