Project Officer Sr – Early Warning, vulnerability-based targeting and market monitoring

Job Description

Term of Employment: Definite period (until April 27, 2027) contingent up on program funding
Number required: One

Duty Location: Mekelle

Language: Fluency in Tigrigna Language is required.

Job Summary:

The Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP) is an emergency food assistance program targeting transitory food insecure households through a project participant targeting process led by the Government of Ethiopia’s (GoE) Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC). JEOP provides emergency assistance to protect the lives and livelihood where recurrent drought and other disasters affected in significant harvest loss, livestock death and price increase of essentials. The consortium is led by CRS and includes consortium partners, CARE, Food for the Hungry, Relief Society of Tigray (REST), World Vision and Organization for Relief and Development in Amhara (ORDA).

CRS also works through local implementing partners Hararghe and Meki Catholic Secretariat (HCS and MCS).
In this position you will closely work with regional Government counterparts, regional food cluster, and JEOP partners operating in the region in multiple areas which need your support, including need estimation and assessment, context monitoring, vulnerability-based targeting (VBT)and market assessments. You will provide close support to the JEOP partners so that partners ensure quality of programming.

The position requires meeting with households and communities to ensure that targeting is conducted appropriately, and needy people are prioritized, through a VBT approach. You will also work closely with regional Government officials and stakeholders in harmonizing need estimation triangulating HEA analysis with JEOP finding from food security analysis and VBT.
You will provide support to CRS/JEOP on a range of program design and implementation areas in Early Warning, market monitoring and nutrition in line with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices to CRS country program team and JEOP team to advance the delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. Your advice, knowledge, and support will contribute to determining how effective, adaptive and innovative CRS’ programming is across the globe.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Actively work with partners in implementation of vulnerability-based targeting (VBT) including providing technical support to increase understanding of VBT approaches and tools, training on VBT, and field level supervision during VBT implementation.
• Conduct post VBT meeting with households and community in JEOP operation areas to ensure VBT quality implementation measures are adhered and complaint and feedback handled properly.
• Ensure that the JEOP targeting identifies the most vulnerable households.
• Provide training on VBT for regional Government counterparts and other stakeholder when needs there be.
• Support partners in implementation of video based behavioral change messaging activities, aimed to bring attitude and behavioral change in disaster risk management, resilience building, and nutritious food preparation and feeding habit.
• Ensure the woreda based partners staff effectively use Integrated Voice Response (IVR) plateform for early warning data transmission.
• Work closely with regional, zonal and woreda DRM offices in non-partners operation woredas and zone to timely prepare and submit monthly early warning report using the IVR plateform.
• Conduct a scheduled and regular monitoring visit to partners’ operation areas to examine partners’ implementations of early warning and market monitoring activities in reference to the quality standards.
• Represent CRS in quarterly zonal level early warning data review and analysis meeting when organized by partners.
• Attend selected woreda level monthly food security data review and analysis meetings to generate learnings and promote good practices.
• Work closely with HCS JEOP and RFSA team members to increase linkages and coordination of early warning and community based early warning activities; explore linkage opportunities with RFSA programs implemented by other partners.
• Attend seasonal multi-agency assessment representing JEOP and CRS; represent CRS/JEOP in regional/zonal level food clusters, ENCU or other relevant clusters.
• Provide close support to partners in implementation of MIRA in the community based early warning system in JEOP operation woredas.
• Conduct a regular monitoring activity to ensure that partners field-based staff and/or enumerators collect and submit quality market monitoring report; support and acquaint partners’ woreda level staff with commcare based data transmission plateform.
• Follow up with partners’ and local Government to ensure implementation of complaints and feedback related to JEOP early warning, nutrition and targeting activities.
• Lead zonal/regional level JEOP-RFSA coordination meetings.
• Work closely with CRS compliance and risk monitoring team to ensure gaps identified in relation to VBT are addressed timely.
• Follow up and monitor level of mainstreaming of safeguarding, and inclusion issues in JEOP early warning, nutrition, and environment programming.

Required Languages – Fluency in English, Amharic, and Tigrigna are required

Travel – up to 75%.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities
• Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with diverse groups

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with partners, participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Staff supervision experience a plus.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Supervisory Responsibilities: none

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: JEOP early warning team, Addis and field based JEOP team members, PDP staffs

External: JEOP consortium members, church partners, local government authorities

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• Masters or Bachelor’s Degree in Rural Development, Climate, Disaster Risk Reduction, Agriculture, and other related field of studies.
• Minimum of 3 years for MA and 4 years of work experience for bachelor’s degree in project support, ideally in the field of early warning system, disaster risk reduction, resilience and livelihood in an NGO sector.

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity – Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust – Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

 

What we offer

CRS offers U.S. based staff a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan.  Benefits packages for successful candidates employed outside the U.S. are based on the country of employment/in-country office where the candidate will perform the role.  CRS´ work culture is a collaborative, mission-driven culture committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.

Note: This position is for Ethiopian national only

About Us

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.  Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.  We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse.  The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. 

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

General Requirements

CRS offers are contingent on the selected candidate’s ability to legally work where the position is to be performed. Every government has a unique set of work permit eligibility requirements.  All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside a home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical clearance; some work permit processes require clearing a separate government administered medical examination.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.