Job Title: Project Coordinator
Hiring Organization: Danish Refugee Council
Location – Locality: Nairobi
Location – Region: Kenya
Industry: NGO
Job Type: Full Time
Salary: KES
Date Posted: 05/28/2024
Overall
purpose of the role:
The post-holder will provide day to day technical leadership, implementation management and support of a 3-year BPRM Economic Inclusion and Social Protection Project in Nairobi County and hopefully in its expansion to Nakuru and Mombasa subject to funding availability and intervention outcomes including lessons learned in its Nairobi implementation in year one. The International Labour Organization (ILO) with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) have come together to work on a project that will seek to promote pathways to economic inclusion and social protection for urban refugees and host communities in Kenya and the Project Coordinator (PC) will be technically responsible to lead DRC’s assigned implementation in the project and will also act as main focal point of contact for DRC’s partners in the project (ILO and UNHCR) in consultation with the DRC Urban Area Manager and the Head of Programmes.
The
Project Coordinator shall help to develop and standardize, to the extent
possible, systems and procedures and to ensure cross-functional learning among
the project members including with other existing DRC urban projects and to
provide effective backstopping for DRC project staff. The PC and his/or her
team will ensure that all project objectives are met and contribute to
strengthened social cohesion between refugees and host communities in DRC’s
areas of work. The Project Coordinator will also be expected to contribute to
the identification and securing of new sources of funding and technically
supervise the project staff in matrix coordination with the DRC Urban Area
Manager. The PC will also lead and provide technical expertise in consultation
with country/or regional relevant sector technical colleagues and deep insights
into economic inclusion and social protection programming to support effective
execution of the project.
Responsibilities:
R1:
Project Management, Development, Monitoring and Evaluation:
Ensure
the project is implemented in ways responsive to the beneficiary communities,
donor compliance procedures and vision/mission of each of the partner
organizations. This includes working closely with (private sector where
appropriate), project members, local government and community structures to
successfully implement and strengthen local capacity.
Ensure
all project interventions are aligned with the Government of Kenya and partners
social protection agenda to safeguard sustainability of project activities.
In close
working relationship with the MEAL unit, ensure that the project has
appropriate monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning systems
established (including impact evaluation), and that the project documentation
is comprehensive (electronic and hard copy).
Ensure
project activities are delivered according to the agreed project proposal and
implementation plan, and that all activities and deliverables are completed
within the agreed timeframe and budget, reports are submitted as per the agreed
schedule and formats are fulfilled as specified in signed agreements.
Ensure
work plans are regularly updated in collaboration with the project team, ensure
project plans and project tracking tools are used by the project team, and
monitor project activity implementation.
Ensure
community participatory planning and targeting in line with project design and
needs and following donor compliance procedures.
Provide
on-site support through frequent visits to all project sites.
Engage
with the various technical staff from ILO and UNHCR to facilitate support to
the team.
Serves as
the primary contact with respect to project implementation for the donor in
consultation with the Urban AM
R2:
Economic Inclusion & Social Protection Expertise:
Provide
technical assistance to the implementing teams in areas of economic inclusion
and social protection and working alongside project stakeholders, DRC county
and regional office technical coordinators and DRC Kenya colleagues
Support
the development and dissemination of advocacy piece for refugees right to work
and launch of a campaign to raise awareness of refugees’ rights and ways to
access social protection schemes.
Provide
support to conduct a rapid assessment of barriers and opportunities for
refugees’ access to ID and sim cards.
Pilot
models of SOPs to inform refugees access to IDs and sim cards – community
meetings and ongoing support for refugees.
Support
to conduct/or lead a component of the business assessment of existing BDS and
financial service providers and training needs of refugees and vulnerable host
communities
Pilot
schemes for more inclusive and accessible social protection schemes/facilitate
registration (supporting the Ministry of Social Protection in registration of
refugees in National Social Register)
Pilot
schemes to align cash support to urban refugees with national social protection
schemes (support the elderly/PSN/refugee child welfare on protection and basic
needs).
R3:
Training & Capacity development:
Support
in the identification of training needs of team and explore options for meeting
them.
Contribute
to build internal team capacity, especially in economic inclusion and social
protection.
Provide
continuous technical support and mentorship for Project Officers, Project
Assistant, Community Engagement Facilitators in the project to develop their
professional and technical competencies.
Participate
in all relevant training offered by all project partners and/or externally to
become technically equipped for project implementation and monitoring.
Ensure
that minimum standards for project management and accountability are met.
R4:
Coordination & Partnership:
Coordinate
the day-to-day implementation of the project and ensure effective integration
among the members, with special attention for the specific needs and
expectations outlined in the project documents.
Ensure
proper communication mechanisms are in place to guarantee effective and timely
communication between project staff and the project members and management.
Participate
in regular external stakeholder meetings, and maintain external relations with
the relevant government agencies, and stakeholders across the project areas.
Support
to ensure there is a system for networking and communication with relevant
local government line departments, DRS, ILO, UNHCR, relevant actors, and
community representation in the project areas.
Promote
collaboration and synergy between the project members’ project activities and
similar projects and activities in the project areas.
Promote a
positive profile of the project and good understanding among other actors and
communities about the project.
Assist
the AM to develop and maintain strong working relationships with all
stakeholders.
Represent
the project at interagency coordination meetings and other key stakeholder
forums related to the sector.
R5:
Budget Management:
The post
holder will support BPRM project budget monitoring and control, cash
forecasting and BFU reviews, revisions while working closely with DRC AM, ILO
and UNHCR. He/or she is expected to oversee the project budget to maintain
project expenditure within budget parameters, ensuring adherence to DRC
financial procedures and donor requirements.
Track
budget spending and ensure timely reviews of financial transactions and budget
utilization every month and bring any issues requiring attention and support to
the Area Manager.
Support
team members to utilize financial planning tools, such as spending plans,
procurement plans, and work-plans based on activities and budgets.
R6:
Technical Supervision of Staff:
Technically
support the AM to lead and supervise Project Officers, Project Assistant and
Community Engagement Facilitators.
Contribute
to ensure project staff have clear objectives and receive regular supervision
and reviews. Develop a plan and oversee programmatic supervision of all project
staff.
Ensure
appropriate staff participation in project management, daily implementation and
decision making as per project donor and documents (proposal and budget)
expectations and escalating issues to the structures to be set up in the
project lifespan to the Area Manager.
Ensure
project staff members attend and participate in weekly and monthly office
management meetings as per schedule.
Support
the AM to ensure timely recruitment of highly competent project staff whenever
a need arises.
Contribute
to monitor and provide objective feedback related to staff performance,
including objective-setting, probation & performance evaluations to promote
growth and development.
Experience
and technical competencies:
Minimum
of 5 years of relevant technical experience working in multi-donor-funded
and/or multi-stakeholder projects focusing on providing support in economic
inclusion/or livelihoods and social protection programming in an International
NGO’ or other relevant agency.
Experience
working in and deep understanding of government, private sector enterprises
and/or implementing livelihoods/ or self-reliance, protection or advocacy
interventions within urban refugee and host community context.
Understanding
of IT and ERP tools commonly used in NGOs.
Experienced
project coordinator, demonstrating a good understanding of project cycle
management
Able to
navigate between international bodies workstyles and their agenda’s
Experience
in capacity-building staff and in convening and facilitating trainings and
workshops.
Strong
analytical and excellent spoken and written communication and presentation
skills.
Very
strong planning and organizational skills coupled with conflict management
skills
Experience
with technical supervision of staff including remotely whenever required.
Possess a
sense of cultural awareness, sensitivity and respect for diversity
Strong
organizational, team spirit and teamwork skills
Knowledge
of the key issues and current trends in refugee affairs.
Education:
A degree
or master’s in international development studies, humanities/social sciences,
social policy or related discipline relevant to the requirements of this post.