Job Title: Project Officer
Organisation: Self Help Africa
Department: Programmes
Location: Kilifi County, Kenya
Salary: Gross annual salary Kshs. 1,056,000/-
Benefits: 22 days annual leave, Medical Insurance (self + spouse and up to 4 children), 10% Employer pension contribution and 25% leave allowance
Reports to: Programme Manager – Strengthening the Competitiveness of the Cassava Value Chain in Kenya
Expected Travel: 70% Country-level travel

ABOUT SELF HELP AFRICA:

Self Help Africa (SHA) is an international NGO, dedicated to the vision of an economically thriving and resilient rural Africa. Working in ten countries throughout Africa, SHA focuses on agriculture and agribusiness as the engine of growth in Africa.

We believe in market-based solutions to the alleviation of longterm poverty and our primary clients are smallholder farmers in Africa. We work with all participants in the agricultural value chain and believe that you can only achieve longterm sustainable growth by creating profitable businesses (whatever the size) and farmer organisations that can operate at scale.

Our approach is collaborative and market-based: although we see our primary clients as smallholder farmers in Africa, we work with all participants in agricultural value chains. SHA currently runs programmes on behalf of a range of organisations including two Challenge Funds for the European Union, Irish Aid, the World Food Programme and the UK Department for International Development. SHA has an ambitious growth strategy to increase its global footprint and expand into new areas.

The organisation also has a number of social enterprise subsidiaries – TruTrade, which supports market access for small-holder farmers in agricultural value-chains and Partner Africa, an ethical auditing and consultancy firm that operates across more than 40 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

JOB PURPOSE:

The purpose of the job is to support the local implementing Partner-USTADI Foundation, to manage a Cassava Value Chain Programme funded by the European Union, whose overall objective is to increase food and nutrition security, employment and income among 20,000 smallholder-farming households (at least 60% women) in Six Counties (Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Siaya, Busia and Kilifi).

Specifically, the programme intends to increase income levels amongst target households through increased cassava production for both subsistence and trade; it will reduce the hunger gap amongst target households by promoting cassava, a drought-tolerant crop; Create 5,600 net equivalent jobs amongst the Farmer Business Groups supported by the programme; increase the decision-making power of female farmers through an integrated gender sensitive approach and improve on the dietary diversity of cassava-producing households through the promotion of intercropping with legumes and pulses, cassava products and nutrition education.

The Project Officer will be based in Kilifi County supporting the Implementing partner. Specifically, he/she will be responsible for supporting the partner field implementing staff in monthly/quarterly activity planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of all the project activities, while supporting the Project M&E officer undertake some M&E activities within the county. This position requires a highly committed, self-starter and results-orientated person with good coordination and communication skills.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide guidance to the partner field staff in the implementation of all aspects of the programme in Kilifi, including detailed work planning and implementation and monitoring.
• Work with the partner organisation to ensure that the monthly plans are implemented as per the approved budgets and activity lines.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly monitoring reports on the project implementation activities.
• Provide appropriate and timely updates to key stakeholders including the Head of Programmes, and Programme Manager on project implementation.
• Maintain project files and related documentation
• Work closely with Government institutions at the County level as Self Help Africa’s representative in collaboration with the Partner staff
• In liaison with the M&E officer and Program Manager, document and share lessons learnt and best practices with partners, stakeholders, and SHA.
• Support the Partner in coordination and organisation of workshops and public events at the county level.
• Work with Programme Coordinators to ensure that Nutrition, Gender and social inclusion, enterprise development and Agriculture and Financial Inclusion issues are effectively mainstreamed in the program.
• Ensure adherence to all relevant SHA and EU policies (gender and social inclusion policy) during implementation of project activities.
• Follow all SHA safety and security guidelines and ensure that all safety or security incidents (fires, accidents, theft, etc.) are recorded and reported.
• Ensure efficient use and management of project resources including transport.
• Any other duties as assigned by the Programme Manager.

Key Relationships:

Internal

• Head of Programmes
• Programme Coordinators
• M&E Coordinator
• M&E Officer

External

• External stakeholders, government departments, banks.
• Implementing partner organizations.
• Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade.
• County Government of Kilifi

Knowledge & Experience:

• Good understanding of project cycle management approaches, project appraisal, monitoring, evaluation, and partners’ capacity building.
• Good report writing skills.
• At least 3 years’ experience with community-based programming
• Skills in training/facilitation of development processes, including organisation and mobilisation of communities
• Experience in networking among different development partners such as community-based organisations, government officers and other NGOs.
• Commitment to international and humanitarian NGO codes, standards and practices and donor reporting mechanisms.
• High level of integrity and high standards of personal conduct.
• Proficiency in computer packages especially with Ms Word, Outlook and Excel and other related packages.

QUALIFICATIONS/OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• At least degree in Agriculture, Agronomy and agribusiness, rural development or related disciplines.
• Experience working with agriculture, agribusiness and value chain projects/ resilience and food security and livelihoods and community development projects at a similar level.
• Experience in M&E related activities, an added advantage.

Role Competencies and Values:

• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to work as part of team across different cultures.
• Ability to work with minimum supervision and take initiative.
• Ability to solve problems and take appropriate corrective action.
• Ability to spend up to 70% of time in field travels.
• Valid motorcycle licence mandatory.

Download the full job description at our website: https://selfhelpafrica.org/ie/project-officer-based-in-kilifi-county-kenya/

This Job Description only serves as a guide for the position available and SHA reserves the right to make necessary changes.