Senior Project Officer - Child Development, Care, and Protection

Background:
CRS is seeking Senior Project Officers for an anticipated multi-county child development, care, and protection project. The overall objective of the project is to strengthen national systems that protect vulnerable children, support families, and improve early childhood development through locally led and sustainable approaches. The project will improve outcomes for vulnerable children by strengthening child protection systems, supporting families and caregivers, advancing integrated early childhood health and development, and reducing reliance on residential care.

Job Summary:

As a member of the project team, the Senior Project Officer will lead implementation at either of the three countries mentioned above (Kisumu, Mombasa, or Nairobi) in collaboration with government counterparts, local partners, community structures, and faith-based networks. The incumbent will support child protection systems strengthening, ECD services, family strengthening, referrals, family-based care, case management, monitoring, and reporting, advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. The Senior Project Officer’s coordination and relationship management skills will ensure that the project applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Organize and lead the implementation of all assigned project activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Ensure learning properly accompanies project activities throughout the project cycle. Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and guiding partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences. Analyze implementation challenges and report any inconsistencies and/or gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules.
• Coordinate and oversee working relationships with all local project stakeholders and serve as the liaison between them and the project team to mobilize local actors and promote project activities and impact.
• Oversee and perform ad-hoc inspections of various processes and resources at project sites to ensure timely project activities implementation and adherence to established process standards and procedures. Ensure proper tracking of resource use for project activities through periodic budget/milestone reviews and follow-up with and assistance to implementing partner.
• Support and coordinate capacity building and technical support activities to ensure assigned project activities are implemented per project guidelines and standards.
• Coordinate provision of any logistical and administrative support to staff and partners.
• Ensure project documentation for assigned activities is complete with all required documents and is filed per agency and donor requirements. Assist with preparation of trends analysis reports and documentation of case studies and promising practices.

Required Languages - Abilityto clearly communicate in written and spoken English and Kiswahili. Knowledge of the local language of the county is an added advantage.

Travel Required: Senior Project Officer will be expected to travel 70% of the time within the project areas of operation as needed.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgments.
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners.
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented mindset.
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
• Ability to effectively use MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Demonstrated commitment to respect, equity, diversity, and inclusion, including gender equality

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in International Relations, a field of Child Protection, or a related field.
• Experience working with partners, participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Anticipated project staff, Health, Education and Social Services Unit, and CRS Kenya MEAL Unit

External: LocalImplementing Partners, GOK, interfaith networks, faith-based organizations, Careleavers, relevant private sector entities, local communities, beneficiaries, donors and other stakeholders.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Minimum of 4 years of work experience in project support, ideally in the field of Child Protection and in an NGO.

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.

Core Values:

• Child-focused. Children always come first in our work. We place the rights and needs of children, and their safety, protection, and well-being and the center of everything we do.
• Accountable. We take responsibility for our actions when carrying out our programs, exercising great care in the use of our resources and seeking to deploy them to maximum effect, always considering the consequences and impact on children.
• Transformative. We support change to create a positive and sustainable difference to the lives of children, and transformation that brings lasting benefits.
• Inclusive. We aim to ensure access to opportunities for everyone. We endeavor to operate in open and honest ways in both our internal and external relationships, developing and delivering flexible approaches that address the needs of all. We involve young people both in matters that affect them and in our advocacy activities

MEAL Competencies:

• Track portfolio and project MEAL requirements – both CRS MEAL Policies and Procedures (MPP) and donor requirements.
• Work with MEAL staff and partner staff to implement the MPP and donor MEAL requirements applicable to your projects.
• Complete the annual MEAL procedure self-assessment for your project and develop an action plan to advance MEAL practice.
• Ability to use MEAL data for program improvement, adaptation, and learning.

Disclaimer:

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

What we offer:

CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package and the opportunity to work in a collaborative, mission-driven culture that is committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world. CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting men, women, boys and girls safe from abuse, exploitation, and harm.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply for this position, especially those from marginalized and people with disabilities backgrounds

Data Protection/Disclaimer:

Catholic Relief Services is committed to ensuring the security and protection of the personal information that we process, and to provide a compliant and consistent approach to data protection.

Recruitment Disclaimer:

We wish to notify that CRS does not demand or charge any fee/charges from the aspiring candidates for considering their candidature, or at any time during the recruitment process, nor have we authorized any individual, agency or firm to recruit candidates for us. Any person seeking employment with CRS needs to be cautious and not trust any agency or individual claiming to be our representative and charging fees for providing/securing employment with us.

By applying this job, I understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect, and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics.

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.