Project Officer

Position:                                  Project Officer

Reports to:                              Project Manager

Location:                                 Lusaka, Zambia

Length of Contract:                 18 month with a possibility of renewal

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 28 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 55 countries, our 8,990 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Action Against Hunger USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network. As an independent NGO, Action Against Hunger USA currently manages operations in 8 countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Haiti.

Summary of position

The Project Officer will oversee the implementation of the project activities under the strategic guidance of the program coordinator. The officer ensures the day-to-day running of the project related matters, including community engagement, capacity development, financial and budget delivery management, information sharing and monitoring. He/she will ensure activities are approved, implemented, monitored and reported and contribute to the assurance of project success. He/she will work collaboratively with all team members but most closely with program coordinator. The officer will be required to work in a changing and dynamic environment with multiple priorities and pressing demands.

Essential Job Duties

• Develop project activity plans, updated on monthly basis in collaboration with stakeholders and oversee implementation to high standards by scope and timelines.
• In collaboration with Climate Smart leaders, identify and promote local innovations through adaptive research among stakeholders (farmers) in response to climate change in their communities
• Ensure for successful planning, coordination and implementation of integrated and multi-sectoral activities targeting households including market assessments and other interventions.
• Ensure that the “Seeds of Hope and other project activities in the assigned area of operation are implemented in accordance with Action Against Hunger standard rules, regulations and operational procedures, agreed strategies, implementation plans and requirements.
• Organize and support running of all SoH project activities in the target camps, with groups and associations.
• Provide inputs to the design & utilization of project information gathering tools & project activity manuals throughout project implementations as well as participate in Food Security and Livelihoods related data collection including rapid needs assessment and joint assessments.
• Contribute to the development of viable community mobilisation strategies for targeting, registration, and follow-up of Seeds of Hope beneficiaries.
• Plan and execute Food Security and Livelihoods related capacity building for targeted communities.
• Ensure that targeting of beneficiaries is done in a transparent and gender sensitive and conflict sensitive way.
• Ensure conduct robust community and beneficiary mobilization and registration as per the procedural standards while engaging effectively with community structures including village committees to maintain good working relations.
• Prepare and compile activity project reports on weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually and yearly and share with the team and supervisor.
• Take lead in documentation and sharing of impact/success stories and best practices to promote learning.
• Ensure the validation and use of project tools both Action Against Hunger and other donor requisites.
• Organize and link project documentations into the Action Against Hunger’s No Hunger Forum (NHF) for record and follow up.

Requirements

Required qualification and proficiency experiance

• Bachelor’s degree in social science, agricultural economics, veterinary, agronomy and development studies.
• Minimum of 3+ years of experience in direct implementation of integrated projects (preferably climate change adaptation, agricultural resilience , value chain analysis, agri-business training)
• Extensive experience in community participation and consultative-implementation methods.
• Flexibility to adjust to new implementation practices and new strategic guidance.
• Experience in monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning in NGO context.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and be self-driven
• Good facilitation, analytical, planning and report writing skills
• Experience in community engagement and mobilization exercises
• Good supervisory and organizational skills, good interpersonal skills
• Excellent analytical skills combined with a proactive, energetic approach to problem solving
• Knowledge in one of the technical sector (Food Security & livelihoods, Water Security and Nutrition).
• Excellent management, communication (oral presentation and written) and organizational skills; flexibility and ability to multi-task.
• Experience and knowledge of working with INGOs and previous experience in Western Province desirable
• Willing to extensively travel throughout all project areas
• Proficient in MS Excel, MS Word and Outlook

Professional proficiency in spoken and written English is required

Fiscal Responsibilities

• Prepares project budget and financial report for the Project

Gender Equality commitments & Zero Tolerance to Abuse

·  Foster an environment that reinforces values of people of all genders equal access to information.

·  Provide a work environment where people of all genders must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.

·  Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all stakeholders, particularly for children, beneficiaries, and members of staff.

·  Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.

·  Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.

·  Value and respect all cultures.

 Physical demands

• To travel to Action Against Hunger’s areas of operations, the employee must attest to a level of physical fitness capable of enduring physically difficult, highly stressful situations which may include the necessity to walk long distances, to eat a limited diet and/ or to reside in potentially uncomfortable housing or tents.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Benefits

Application Process.

Interested? Then apply for this position by clicking on the apply button. All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated resume and both must be in the same language as this vacancy note. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing non discrimination in em