CRS JOB DESCRIPTION

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) 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.

For nearly 60 years, CRS has taken the lead in responding to natural and man-made disasters affecting Ethiopia's most vulnerable communities. Moving beyond emergency response, CRS' disaster mitigation and recovery projects in drought and flood-prone areas have rebuilt individual and community assets through non-food aid in the form of agriculture, livestock, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation assistance. CRS's humanitarian work in Ethiopia also provides livelihoods support to farmers and entrepreneurs, promotes gender equality, mobilizes for immunization and mitigates the impact of COVID 19.

As part of CRS family, you will join the more than 5000 strong and vibrant individuals working globally to accomplish the mission of CRS. CRS/Ethiopia invites you, the qualified candidate, to apply for the following position.  

Job Title:                  Project Officer – Accountability (Community Engagement)

Department:      JEOP, Program Quality Unit

Band:                VII

Required Number:     One

Employment Term:    Indefinite term contract contingent upon funding of JEOP

Reports To:            Accountability Senior Project Officer

Application Deadline:  March 31, 2022

Background: The Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP) is an emergency food assistance program targeting transitory food insecure households through a project participant targeting process led by the Government of Ethiopia’s (GoE) Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC). JEOP provides emergency assistance to protect their lives and livelihood where recurrent drought affected in significant harvest loss, livestock death and price increase of essentials. The consortium is led by CRS and includes consortium partners, CARE, Food for the Hungry, Relief Society of Tigray (REST), World Vision and Organization for Relief and Development in Amhara (ORDA). CRS also works thorough local implementing partners Hararghe and Meki Catholic Secretariat (HCS and MCS).

 Job Summary:

• Collaborate with partners on a weekly basis to ensure that all feedback across channels is effectively collected from woreda level fed into a wider accountability data management clearing house online which CRS is in the process of establishing. This will include data cleaning, verification, and upload into the dashboard.
• Participating in the technical working group on accountability across JEOP partners meeting monthly to share best practices and analyze data
• Collaborate with counterparts in the CP on the telephone hotline and the safeguarding unit
• Promote CRS’ safeguarding policy among staff and community members

The Accountability Project Officer for Data management will support the feedback channels as follows:

• Feedback and complaint box: Deliver training and ongoing support to identified suggestion box focal points across partners and geographic locations, ensuring that complaints follow the correct reporting channels and that the feedback loop and timeline are respected
• Community Help Desk (CHD): Roll out improved guidance tools for partners for inclusive CHDs (recruitment, training, supervision) that promote diverse representation (gender, age, language, disability status, displacement status) and ensure that these tools are translated into local languages. Participate in surprise visits to cross check practice and understanding of policy. Support roll out of a remote SMS/IVR mechanism for capturing feedback and complaints and sharing training to community help desk members. Participate in an annual survey to see perceptions and gap analysis.
• Face to face feedback and complaints: Provide training on tools and guidance for field staff, appropriate for various levels and functions, regarding receiving feedback and providing response – including frequently asked questions and how to safely/appropriately respond to different types of feedback (e.g., sensitive versus non-sensitive).
• Telephone: oversee community level training and refinement of the system and lead communication to various stakeholders using diverse methods for information sharing. Monitor utilization at field level.
• Focused Group Discussions (FGD): Implement accountability FGD checklists to orient JEOP Accountability Mechanism (JAM) focal persons. Promote use of FGDs as a means of adaptive management rather than a tick-box exercise.
• Letters: support response at community level to feedback received by letter.

Alongside the tasks outlined above, the Accountability – Community Engagement PO will support the following;

•  Awareness campaign: Ensure consistent dissemination and awareness campaign of JAM system at community level via creation of posters (translated into relevant languages) flashcards, audio loops to be played at distributions and other means as appropriate. This includes messages targeting project participants, contactors, community members and staff
• Liaison: Coordinate closely, and work hand in hand with the JEOP safeguarding project officer, CRS CP Accountability and telephone hotline staff and partner level counterparts. Play a role in a strong committed and cohesive team of accountability focal persons.
• Innovation: participate in the CRS / JEOP accountability community of practice, sharing best practices and ideas for improvement. Actively support innovation.
• Training and tools: provide appropriate practical training for CRS and partner staff at all levels on the accountability mechanism. Ensure availability of all standardized, approved tools, checklists, questionnaires, and formats to collect real time data.
• Operationalization: ensure that all channels are operational, even in emergency settings, and support partners to trouble shoot or roll out new mechanisms as necessary.
• Learning: collect success stories and lessons learned. 

Job Requirements

• Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:
• BA degree in Community or International Development, Sociology, Psychology, Social Work, Rural Development, or other related field. Additional experience may be substitute to for a BA.
• At least three years of relevant experience at community level with a non-governmental organization (NGO).
• Demonstrated capacity in partnership capacity building at community level and supporting community-led activities.
• Ability to use in Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook email.

Desired Education and Experience

• Demonstrated understanding of accountability, data security and information requirements.
• Experience working with a telephone hotline.
• Previous experience with an international NGO.
• Experience in Commcare.

 Personal Skills

• Manages information safely and confidentially.
• Ability to work under remote supervision as part of a large team in fast-paced emergency environment according to CRS Standard Operating Procedures and CRS MEAL Policies.
• Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment in a service-oriented way.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners in a collaborative way, prioritizing subsidiarity.
• Attention to accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
• Strong empathy skills. 

Required/Desired Foreign Language: Tigrinya and English essential. Amharic and other Ethiopian national languages a plus.

Travel Required: 50% by road and air across Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR, Sidama and Dire Dawa City Administration (subject to need and flexible to family commitments) 

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

Supervisory: N/A

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: MEAL unit, Safeguarding staff, Communications Manager, Compliance and Risk Monitoring Unit, Supply Chain staff
• External: accountability staff across JEOP consortium, contractors, technology companies, other INGOs & NGOs.

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. CRS 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.

How to Apply

You should fill the application form through this link: https://form.jotform.com/220791572253557 and attach your up-to-date CV on / before the application deadline March 31, 2022.

Note: You will be contacted only if selected for written exam/interview. Phone solicitations will not be accepted. These job opportunities are open to Ethiopian nationals only. Qualified women are highly encouraged to apply.