Senior Project Officers – Early Warning System, Vulnerability Based Targeting & Market monitoring.

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For nearly 60 years, CRS has taken the lead in responding to natural and man-made disasters affecting Ethiopia’s most vulnerable communities. Moving beyond emergency response, CRS’ disaster mitigation and recovery projects in drought and flood-prone areas have rebuilt individual and community assets through non-food aid in the form of agriculture, livestock, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation assistance. CRS’s humanitarian work in Ethiopia also provides livelihoods support to farmers and entrepreneurs, promotes equality and inclusion, and mitigates the impact of COVID-19.

As part of CRS family, you will join the more than 5000 strong and vibrant individuals working globally to accomplish the mission of CRS. CRS/Ethiopia invites you, the qualified candidate, to apply for the following position.

Background: 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) Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC). JEOP provides emergency assistance to protect their lives and livelihood where recurrent drought resulted 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).

Job Title:                        Senior Project Officer – Early Warning System, Vulnerability Based Targeting & Market monitoring.

Band:                              VIII (8)

Required number:        Four (1 for Amhara, Benishangul & Gambella based at Bahirdar; 1 for Oromia, Dire Dawa & Somali based at Dire Dawa; 1 for Sidama & SNNP based at Hawassa and 1 for Tigray and Afar based at Mekelle)

Department:                 JEOP, Program Quality Unit

Employment Term:      Definite Term (Till April 27, 2027)

Reports To:                   PMII – Early Warning System, Market and VBT

Country/Location:       CRS-Ethiopia/1 at Bahirdar, 1 at Diredawa, 1 at Hawassa, and 1 at Mekele

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) Ethiopian 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.

 Job 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) platform 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 platform.
• 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 JEOP partner’s 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 platform.
• 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.

Education and Experience

• Completion of BA/BSC Degree in related field with 4 years’ relevant experience.
• Additional education may substitute for some experience.
• Computer skills required.

Personal Skills

• Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with diverse groups.
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented

 Required/Desired Foreign Language: English, Amharic. Fluence in one of the regional official language is mandatory for the region candidate is applying.

Travel Required (include percentage of required travel, if applicable): 75-80% of travel

 Key Working Relationships:

• Supervisory: None
• Internal: Senior Project Officer (Early warning and disaster risk reduction), Addis and field based JEOP team members, PDP staffs
• External:  JEOP consortium members, church partners, local government authorities

Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• 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.

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