Project Officer Sr – IWARC (Ghanaian Nationals Only)

Job Description

Job Description

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

CRS launched its work in Ghana in 1958 and currently has robust programming in Agriculture and Livelihoods, Health, WASH, Migration, Youth Development and Peace Building, Gender and financial inclusion. To combat the harmful effects of climate change on water and food security, CRS is launching the Integrated WASH and Agriculture in Resilient Communities (IWARC). Over the past five years, CRS Ghana has laid the foundation through strategic investments in the areas of WASH, agriculture, landscape restoration and livelihoods for innovative landscape restoration projects. This work will now be leveraged to deliver critical outcomes for food and water security and livelihoods to riparian communities in the White Volta River Basin. Under the agriculture portfolio, CRS works in partnership with the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocesan Development Office, Tamale Archdiocesan Development Office, the Yendi Diocesan Development Office, the Damongo Diocesan Development Office, the Farmer Training Center in Bolgatanga, the Regional and District Departments of Agriculture and other relevant agencies. The Senior Project Officer (SPO) will work closely with the partners and relevant stakeholders to achieve the goals of the project.

Job Summary

As a Senior Project Officer for the IWARC project team, you will facilitate the achievement of project objectives through coordinating and reporting on all project activities and providing technical guidance and advice to staff and implementing partner(s) advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your coordination and relationship management skills will ensure that the project for which you are responsible 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 principles 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.
Supervise 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 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.

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree required. Degree in International Relations or in the field of Agriculture, Agribusiness Development, Development Studies, and Project Management would be a plus.
Minimum of 4 years of work experience in project support, ideally in the field of development management, agriculture and project management and for an NGO.
Additional experience may substitute for some education.

Required Languages – Fluent in English Language and a local language in the project geographic targets.

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 25% of her/his time.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment
Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners
Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented
Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working with partners, participatory action planning and community engagement.
Proven experience on land restoration and/or climate-change projects.
Staff supervision experience a plus.
Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.
Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Key Working Relationships

Internal: Country Representative, Head of Programming, Business Development Specialist/Officer, Finance Manager, Sector Engagement and Local Leadership Advisor, Risk and Compliance Officer, Agriculture, Livelihoods and Landscapes Program Director, other AG/WASH SPOs, POs, Senior/Regional Technical Advisors: Agriculture and Livelihoods, Private Sector Enterprise, Gender and Protection and Youth.

External: District Assemblies, Decentralized relevant state departments, ministries and agencies, Catholic Diocesan Church Partners and Caritas Ghana, I/NGO partners, Government partners, technical partners, consultants, research and academic institutions, local government units.

Responsibilities

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 principles 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.
Supervise 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 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.

Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working with partners, participatory action planning and community engagement.
Proven experience on land restoration and/or climate-change projects.
Staff supervision experience a plus.
Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data.
Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Key Working Relationships

Internal: Country Representative, Head of Programming, Business Development Specialist/Officer, Finance Manager, Sector Engagement and Local Leadership Advisor, Risk and Compliance Officer, Agriculture, Livelihoods and Landscapes Program Director, other AG/WASH SPO/POs, Senior/Regional Technical Advisors: Agriculture and Livelihoods, Private Sector Enterprise, Gender and Protection and Youth.

External: District Assemblies, Decentralized relevant state departments, ministries and agencies, Catholic Diocesan Church Partners and Caritas Ghana, I/NGO partners, Government partners, technical partners, consultants, research and academic institutions, local government units.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

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.

Integrity
Continuous Improvement & Innovation
Builds Relationships
Develops Talent
Strategic Mindset
Accountability & Stewardship
Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. 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 protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

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

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer