NGO Jobs in Kenya - Catholic Relief Services

About CRS: Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. 

We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.
 

Job Title: Information Officer – Turkana County

Ref. 2015/27
 
Department: Programming

Job Location:
 Turkana County

Band / Grade:
 Grade 5

Reports to:
 Snr. Officer - County Program Lead – Turkana County
 
Background: Catholic Relief Services Kenya is seeking an Information Officer for a multi-donor funded 5-year WASH & Livestock program in Kenya. 


In day to day operation the Information Officer will take the specific responsibility of coordinating all Information/ICT related activities. 

Reporting to the county program lead, S/he will work closely as a member of the County Coordinating Unit based in Turkana and with other technical leads/officers in the program. 

The Information Officer will be located in Turkana County. It is a full time position. The position is contingent upon successful signing of an agreement with donor.
 
The Kenya Resilient Arid Lands Partnership for Integrated Development (KENYA RAPID) is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) program, in which multiple partners cooperate. 

It aims to support sustainable and resilient livelihoods in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL’s), by improving water availability and water service delivery to people and livestock, and improve rangelands. 

KENYA RAPID mobilizes financial and technical resources from development partners, national government, county government and the private sector.
 
Over the next five years (2015-2020) the KENYA RAPID program focuses on five Kenyan counties with high poverty rates, chronic food and water insecurity and low access to basic services: Marsabit, Garissa, Isiolo, Wajir, and Turkana. 

The Kenya RAPID program will facilitate a process that supports the growth and capacity strengthening of public, civil society, community and private sector institutions to increase access to water for people and livestock and rebuild a healthy rangeland management ecosystem. 

The program is designed to create a successful intervention model that, with local adaptation, can be replicated by other counties and thus substantially contribute to the Government of Kenya’s goal of universal coverage of WASH services in Kenya by 2030.

There are three strategic objectives:
  • A responsive and accountable governance framework is in place and operational at county government level that ensures sustainable provision of water and pasture;
  • Replicable and scalable business models for sustainable WASH and livestock service delivery are developed and operationalized; and
  • Communities have increased access to sustainable WASH services and improved rangeland management
Reliable and regular information on key metrics is required to deliver and sustain services over time. 

However, reliable data on issues such as water point functionality status, revenue generation, asset condition, life cycle costs, and tariff structures for people vs. livestock and commercial vs. domestic uses, simply do not exist on any level in any of the five counties where the program will operate.

KENYA RAPID will focus on supporting established county government agencies/authorities to access data, information, and communication and technology tools for improved investment, efficiency, and managerial decision-making in the WASH and livestock sectors.
 
One of the program results will be the development and roll out of a Water Management as a Service Platform (WaMasP). 

IBM Research Africa and SweetSense Inc. (www.sweetsensors.com) will play a crucial role to develop this, supporting a systematic approach towards collecting and managing information, managing communication flows and supporting informed decision making processes in order to enable full adoption of (new) solutions. 

Existing data available in Kenya such as water point mapping studies and migration routes will be combined with new data generated and integrated in the WaMasP. 

The WaMasP system will be owned and managed by the county government; however, the vision is that key data contained within it will be available in the public domain. 

The Information Officer is expected to support and facilitate the development of the WaMasP and ensure uptake among end users.
 
Job Summary: On a day to day operational level, the KENYA RAPID program will be coordinated by a County Coordination Unit (CCU), led by a County Program Lead and located within the Turkana County Government administrative offices. 

The Information Officer will be part of this CCU and S/he will work closely with the developers of the WaMasP and with county employees assigned to work with the CCU from relevant ministries (e.g. water, agriculture, livestock, health, planning) to implement the approved work plan for the county.

Specific Responsibilities
 
Responsibility 1: Project implementation and reporting including monitoring, evaluation and learning.
  • Support IBM Research, Sweetsense and other development partners in the development of the Water Management as a Service Platform (WaMasP);
  • Support in the development of ICT tools to improve access to Integrated Water Resource Management information for CCU and county extension staff;
  • Lead the roll out process of the WaMasP and other ICT tools;
  • Provide hand on technical assistance to the CCU and County extension staff on use of the WaMasP and other ICT tools;
  • Train trainers on use of ICT tools and (mobile) data collection;
  • Diagnosing hardware and software problems;
  • Liaise with the CCU and development partners to troubleshoot, provide technical support and give feedback on any weaknesses and issues with the WaMasP and other ICT tools;
  • Install/configure new computers/android phones with WaMasP and other ICT applications;
  • Repair/upgrade PC hardware, software and android phones;
  • Ensure tracking and documentation of project progress, beneficiaries and report back to MWA;
  • Collaborate with selected Counties to identify their project needs and feedback into management decisions;
  • Collaborate with selected Counties in mentoring assessing the performance of the extension staff;
  • Work with the CCU and ICT development partners to develop a framework to monitor and evaluate the progress and impact of the WaMasP and other ICT tools;
  • Ensure the identification, documentation, sharing and adoption of best practices and lessons learned;
  • Facilitate dissemination and learning platforms to discuss findings from surveys, evaluations and special studies and to generate and document lessons;
  • Identify and escalate situations that require urgent attention;
  • Stay current with system information, changes and updates;
  • Participate in the preparation of periodic reports for submission to the donor.
Responsibility 2: Networking, representation and collaboration
  • Strengthen capacity of ICT department at county level;
  • Advance the use of WaMasP and other ICT tools within KENYA RAPID;
  • Organize meetings/workshops with the respective Counties for critical thinking and learning to guide decision making and action;
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
  • Serves with Integrity
  • Models Stewardship
  • Cultivates Constructive Relationships
  • Promotes Learning
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
 
Key Working Relationships:
 
Internal:
  • County Program Lead - Turkana County, Project Manager/County program lead Isiolo, Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods officer – Turkana County, CRS Program Quality and Support Department (PQSD).
External:
  • The Turkana County Government’s ministries of water, irrigation, health, finance and planning, information and communication;
  • Program consultants;
  • IBM Research Africa, SweetSense Inc., County Program Steering Committee, Millennium Water Alliance Program Coordinating Unit and the program technical leads.
Competencies Relevant for the Specific Position:
  • Knowledge of backup and disaster recovery solutions;
  • Overall knowledge of software and hardware firewalls;
  • Basic network troubleshooting skills;
  • Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring and other formal and non-formal methods;
  • Familiarity with adult learning principles/techniques;
  • Excellent interpersonal, organizational and written/verbal communication skills;
  • Ability to work effectively under pressure and to organize and prioritize competing activities;
  • Strong leadership skills and ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment;
  • Good communication skills using speech and writing;
  • Experience with working with county governments, civil society, donors and local communities;
  • Strong conceptual and analytical skills
  • Demonstrate high levels of initiative
  • Flexibility in tasks undertaken
  • Extensive knowledge of participatory approaches
  • Understanding of development/relief issues
  • Experience in ASAL counties, proven sensitivity to the setting and its challenges
Required Qualifications and Experience:
  • Bachelor degree in a field related to ICT and project management, a master’s degree will be an added advantage;
  • IT Certification, Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate or equivalent;
  • At least 5 years work experience in progressive responsibility in relief and development programs, including some significant time in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL);
Required Foreign Language: None.
 
Required Travel (where and expected %): 30% field travel and 70% office in Turkana.
 
Work Environment: Turkana County.
 
Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

Job Title: Project Officer - Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods – Isiolo County

Ref. 2015/25

Department:
 Programming
 
Job Location: Isiolo County
 
Band / Grade: Grade 5
 
Reports to (Job title): Project Manager – K-RAPID WASH Program/ County Program Lead -Isiolo
 

Background: Catholic Relief Services seek a Project Officer - Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods Officer (PO - FSNL) for a multi-donor funded 5-year WASH & Livestock program in Kenya. 

In day to day activities the FNL Officer will take the specific responsibility of coordinating all food security, nutrition and livelihoods related activities.
 
Reporting to the County Program Lead/Manager, S/he will work closely together with the Millennium Water Alliance FSNL Specialist based in Nairobi and with other technical leads/officers in the program. The FSNL Officer will be located in Isiolo. 

This is a full time position. The position is contingent upon successful signing of an agreement with donor.
 
The Kenya Resilient Arid Lands Partnership for Integrated Development (KENYA RAPID) is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) program, in which multiple partners cooperate. 

It aims to support sustainable and resilient livelihoods in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL’s), by improving water availability and water service delivery to people and livestock, and improve rangelands. KENYA RAPID mobilizes financial and technical resources from development partners, national government, county government and the private sector.
 
Over the next five years (2015-2020) the KENYA RAPID program focuses on five Kenyan counties with high poverty rates, chronic food and water insecurity and low access to basic services: Marsabit, Garissa, Isiolo, Wajir, and Turkana. 

The Kenya RAPID program will facilitate a process that supports the growth and capacity strengthening of public, civil society, community and private sector institutions to increase access to water for people and livestock and rebuild a healthy rangeland management ecosystem. 

The program is designed to create a successful intervention model that, with local adaptation, can be replicated by other counties and thus substantially contribute to the Government of Kenya’s goal of universal coverage of WASH services in Kenya by 2030.
 
There are three strategic objectives:
  • A responsive and accountable governance framework is in place and operational at county government level that ensures sustainable provision of water and pasture;
  • Replicable and scalable business models for sustainable WASH and livestock service delivery are developed and operationalized; and
  • Communities have increased access to sustainable WASH services and improved rangeland management
Job Summary: On a day to day operational level, the KENYA RAPID program will be coordinated by a County Coordination Unit (CCU), led by a County program lead manager and located within the Isiolo County administrative offices. 

The FSNL Officer will be part of this CCU team and will report to County program lead and work closely with the FSNL Specialist based in Nairobi and with county employees assigned to work with the CCU team from relevant ministries (e.g., water, agriculture, livestock, health, planning) to implement the approved work plan for the county.

Specific Responsibilities
 
Responsibility 1: Project implementation and reporting including monitoring, evaluation and learning.
  • Lead the development and implementation of an innovative Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods programme, through community based systems, addressing the needs of the most vulnerable members of society;
  • Lead in development of a contextual analysis of economic policy, food security, nutrition and livelihoods issues affecting the county and particularly the target groups;
  • Facilitate the county in development of a detailed food security, nutrition and livelihoods strategy that aligns with the county integrated development plans
  • Formulate food security and livelihoods related guidelines, regulations and plans for KENYA RAPID operations at the county level and ensure the program operates efficiently and effectively;
  • Participate in the development and implementation of operational work plans in accordance with the budget, results framework, and administrative guidelines approved by the Program Steering Committee (PSC);
  • Participate in budget processes and periodic budget reviews for Food security, Nutrition and Livelihoods related activities;
  • Stay abreast of new developments in Food security, Nutrition and Livelihoods and participate actively in related technical working groups and forums;
  • Provide technical assistance in the areas of agricultural/livestock productivity, seed systems, agricultural/livestock value chains, land and water management and trade/marketing of agricultural/livestock products;
  • Implement decisions made by the Program Steering Committee (PSC) and the County Program Steering Committee (CPSC);
  • Select intervention sites, expansion areas and (new) program partners based on set criteria by the county and after consultation with all stakeholders;
  • Support the CCU team in compiling reports every six months to be provided to the CPSC that summarizes program achievements, key challenges, lessons learned to date and detailing budget expenditures and investment plans from all stakeholders.
  • Develop a MEL plan for the FSNL activities in the program in close consultation with the information/data management officer;
  • Monitor progress of FSNL activity implementation, identifying issues (technical and coordination) and formulate solutions to address the identified issues.
Responsibility 2: Networking, representation and collaboration
  • Strengthen program linkages and foster good working relations with civil society organizations, government representatives, private sector and community based organizations;
  • Facilitate training needs identification and capacity building for the county staff and other public and private partners;
  • Support the information/data management officer to develop annual learning agenda, data analysis from the field and producing customized reports for various applications/interventions;
  • Coordinate the adoption of new products and/or approaches in Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods development and marketing;
  • Technical support to the CCU in launching tenders and calls for proposal; contract service providers and implementing entities;
  • Monitor compliance of FSNL contract service providers, consultants and implementing entities contracted by the CCU;
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
 
Key Working Relationships:
 
  • Internal:
  • Project Manager/County program lead Isiolo, information officer – Isiolo County, CRS Program Quality and Support Department (PQSD).
External:
  • The Isiolo County Government’s ministries of Water, irrigation, health, finance and planning, agriculture and livestock.
  • Program consultants
  • County Program Steering Committee, Millennium Water Alliance Program Coordinating Unit and the program technical leads.
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
  • Serves with Integrity
  • Models Stewardship
  • Cultivates Constructive Relationships
  • Promotes Learning
Competencies Relevant for the Specific Position:
  • A broad grasp of socio - economic policy issues with respect to food security, nutrition and livelihood development in both in rural and urban settings
  • Technical knowledge in Food security, Nutrition, Livestock and other Livelihoods, Social Protection, Gender issues and Environment
  • Experience with working with county governments, civil society, donors and local communities;
  • Diplomacy, tact and negotiating skills;
  • Training/coaching skills
  • Strong conceptual and analytical skills
  • The ability to work independently, think innovatively and strategically and work effectively within a team
  • Fluency in written and spoken English
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Detailed understanding and experience of gender and diversity issues and commitment to addressing inequalities in all the key areas of responsibility
  • Demonstrate high levels of initiative
  • Flexibility in tasks undertaken
  • Ability to work under pressure and deadlines
  • Extensive knowledge of participatory approaches
  • Understanding of development/relief issues
  • Commitment to humanitarian principles and action
  • Needs good strategic thinking and vision
  • Strong financial/budget management skills required
Required Qualifications and Experience:
  • Bachelor degree in Agriculture/ livestock or related development field, a master’s degree will be an added advantage
  • At least 5 years work experience in Food security, Nutrition and/or Livelihoods programming
Required Foreign Language: None.
 
Required Travel (where and expected %): 30% field travel and 70% office in Isiolo.
 
Work Environment: Isiolo County.
 
Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

Written applications indicating the reference number of position applied for and CV including day-time contact phone numbers, as well as names and contact information of three references should reach the below-mentioned by Close of Business Friday September 4, 2015;

Human Resources Manager
Catholic Relief Services – Kenya Program
E-mail: hr@ke.earo.crs.org

Please indicate the Reference Number (Ref: 2015/25) on the ‘email subject. 

Only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Note:
 Catholic Relief Services (CRS) does not charge any fees from applicants for any recruitment. 


Further, CRS has not retained any agent in connection with this recruitment.