JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Community Project officers

PROJECT: GAC Foundations/Thrive

GRADE: 4

LOCATION: Kailahun

Type of Contract: Fixed Term

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people.

ROLE PURPOSE:

Save the Children Sierra Leone country programming “Strengthening Adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health project” is a 6 years’ project funded by the Global Affairs Canada in Sierra Leone, Mali and Niger to ultimately increase decision-making by in-school and out-of-school adolescent girls on their SRH and rights and the use of SRH services.

The Community Project Officers are responsible for the day-to-day direct implementation for the out of school adolescents’ girls’ components of the project within targeted communities in Kailahun district. S/he will be responsible for establishing and developing informal adolescent girls’ groups, outside of the school setting; Women Action Groups (WAGS). The Community Project Officers will be responsible for the on-the-ground facilitation of the Adolescent girl’s group and the women action groups (WAGs). She/he will be involved in community mobilization, sensitization and advocacy programmes, and interface with traditional institutions, religious leaders, community leaders, and local government authorities towards ensuring quality implementation of all Foundation components at the community levels. CPOs would be expected to work closely with all other staff and partners in the project, and with all other SCI departments and programmes.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Senior Project Manager

Number of Positions: Three (3)

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Partnership Management: Joint monitoring/ support to the community Health and protection service providers and local partners

Budget Responsibilities: None

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Project Coordination

• Coordinate and work on the start-up and implementation of the girls-only and Women Action groups and activities, ensuring groups are formed in a safe, comfortable, and confidential manner and environment
• Work directly with groups and communities across all aspects of programming, including:
• Capacity building – training, workshops and mentoring
• Community engagement and mobilization
• Awareness raising and behaviour change
• Work with adolescent girls and women
• Psychosocial support and well-being
• Economic empowerment
• Women and girls’ leadership, voice and solidarity building
• Work with implementing partners PPASL and Ndomakeh including Rainbo Centre, Family Support Units/One stop Center and the Ministry of Health’s Peripheral Health Units etc.
• Collaborate with child protection service providers including the family support unit of the police force, Legal Aids board, District chapter of NSRTP and the child protection committee in the community to identify and response to SGBV cases.
• Support continuous quality improvement of adolescent sexual reproductive health and protection services.
• Ensure implementation of Foundation’s activities in line with the National Adolescent Sexual and reproductive Health policies
• Develop and adapt all relevant ASRH IEC materials with support from SCI Advocacy team and project partners for publications and dissemination to stakeholders.
• Support the facilitators in the delivery of SRH section of safe space curriculum/ girl shine curriculum etc.
• Participate in internal and external technical meetings/working groups to contribute to learning on ASRH intervention outcomes in the districts of operation.

Budget and Financial Management

• With directives from Senior Project Manager develop activity budget and concept notes for implementation
• Ensure familiarity with all SCI and donor regulations and compliance requirements for spend and retirement
• Ensuring that all available resources i.e. safeguarding risk assessments are completed; and that all procurement/ logistical needs are planned well in advance.

MEAL: Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

• Work with the MEAL team and project team to adapt MEAL package, with data collection and reporting tools on SRH services
• Ensure that monitoring and evaluation, and documentation of ASRH interventions and activities are carried out and reported to on a timely basis
• Ensure that all project/programme reports, and other documents are completed in a timely manner, and in line with reporting requirements and SC/donor guidelines.
• Help coordinate all programme review meetings, lessons learned activities, and other monitoring and review/evaluation activities as relevant.

Other Duties

• Prepare and submit regular weekly/monthly plans and reports of activities.
• Participate in and represent Save the Children in external events/meetings as requested.
• Undertake any training required to meet the objectives of the post or as relevant to SCI.
• Comply with all relevant Save the Children policies and procedures, including, but not limited to fraud and anti-bribery, child safeguarding and code of conduct, sexual harassment and gender equality, safety and security, finance, procurement, and human resources.
• Ensure all project activities are implemented in line with safe programming procedures/protocols.
• Other significant duties as may be assigned by his/her line manager

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (SCI Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A minimum certificate of a diploma/Degree in community development, social work or equivalent in any relevant discipline.
• Minimum 3-years’ experience in management of Adolescent sexual health and development work at community levels.
• Minimum of one (1) year experience in International Organisation

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Strong skills in building a team, ability to provide training, and on the job mentoring.
• Experience leading the development and delivery of trainings, coaching and supervision of healthcare workforce.
• Advanced training/experience in Adolescent sexual health and community development programming
• Strong computer skills (i.e. Word Excel, Outlook).
• Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure
• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a demanding workload comprised of diverse and challenging tasks and responsibilities
• Strong oral and written skills
• Ability to be self-sufficient and resourceful, proactive in identifying and addressing challenges, yet consulting and asking for assistance as needed/relevant.
• Strong interpersonal skills with managing multicultural teams
• Expertise in management of sexual and gender- based violence cases
• Experience working within the INGO
• Demonstrated relationships with district and national stakeholders within and outside the government
• Experience working in rural settings
• Willing to commit to Save the Children’s aims, values and principles.
• Motorbike riding skills with valid license are considered a plus.

Equal Opportunities

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures, and all other relevant policies, procedures, and protocols.

Additional job responsibilities

The job duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the Post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.