LOCATION: Yaoundé, Cameroon with regular field travel
CONSULTANCY DURATION: Part-time position, within a six-month (6) extendable contract
START DATE: ASAP
COMPENSATION: to be negotiated
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BACKGROUND:
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) is the lead federal agency coordinating international disaster assistance. BHA provides and oversees U.S. Government (USG) humanitarian aid abroad, aiming to save lives, alleviate human suffering, and mitigate the physical, social, and economic impacts of both rapid- and slow-onset disasters. BHA achieves this by supporting at-risk populations in building stable foundations to better withstand humanitarian shocks and stresses.
Through the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance Support Contract (BHASC), Team Credence provides operational and administrative support to BHA, ensuring the agency’s capacity for humanitarian assistance and 24/7 disaster response. The BHASC comprises five tasks, with Task 3—Field Program Support—ensuring BHA’s evolving field support needs are effectively met.
Global Emergency Group, Inc. (GEG) serves as the Task 3 Field Program Support lead for Team Credence and BHASC. Established in 2007, GEG provides readiness and operational response support services to the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), aiding in crisis response efforts globally. This includes the provision of monitoring, logistics, administrative and other services. While GEG’s headquarters is located near Winchester, Virginia, our team operates worldwide, ensuring a truly global presence and impact.
REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW
Global Emergency Group (GEG) is seeking to establish a pool of surge consultants to provide part-time field monitoring support services in Cameroon on an as-needed basis. Selected consultants will be responsible for conducting field monitoring, including data collection and analysis, in areas where GEG partners are operating. Surge Field Monitoring Specialists (FMS) will monitor program activities and report findings to meet GEG’s requirements, contributing to GEG’s overall risk management efforts. The Field Monitoring Specialist (FMS) will report directly to and take direction from the Field Monitoring Coordinator (FMC). The FMC reports to and takes direction from the GEG Field Programs Director.
Scope of Work
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Field Monitoring Specialist (FMS) will conduct field monitoring site visits to areas where USAID/BHA implementing partners are providing humanitarian assistance to persons in need. If sites are inaccessible, FMS will coordinate with local enumerators for data collection and produce reports based on enumerator findings. The primary objective of each field site visit is to monitor the activities of partners. Assignments may vary in scope and duration, depending on the requirements specified by USAID/BHA.
The FMS is expected to operate from Yaoundé and support technical and logistical aspects of site visit planning and execution. FMS consultants should be prepared to adapt their portfolio of responsibilities and activities based on USAID/BHA programmatic priorities, as directed by Team Credence/GEG staff.
POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
The Field Monitoring Specialist will be responsible for the following:
- ***Develop a Contextual Baseline and Conduct Context Monitoring:***The FMS will develop an understanding of humanitarian developments within Cameroon, while also maintaining knowledge of BHA’s humanitarian portfolio and field visit priorities. The FMS will need to stay abreast of new humanitarian developments at a localized level and provide regular verbal and written reporting to the FMC in Cameroon. This will include providing reports on site visits, attending meetings, and providing context on other related issues.
- Monitor Implementing Partner Humanitarian Programs: The FMS will maintain contact with USAID/BHA implementing partners. She/he will travel to partner implementation locations to verify project activities and document progress and challenges (including access issues) against approved project scopes. The FMS will report on partner progress and share beneficiary feedback. While monitoring activities, the FMS will apply the following good practices, protocols and standards:
- Humanitarian principles of Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, and Independence
- Deliver objective, fact-based data collection and reporting reducing to the greatest extent possible bias or subjectivity
- Implement a “Do No Harm” approach to mitigate adverse impacts on vulnerable populations
- Safeguard confidentiality and ensure ethical representation in all interactions
- Must be familiar with and adhere to the SEA Reporting Protocols for site visits, ensuring all incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by aid workers during USAID/BHA-funded programs are documented, reported, and addressed following USAID/BHA’s Sexual Misconduct and Harassment Policy.
- Perform Needs Assessments: The FMS will independently travel to locations USAID/BHA staff cannot access that are experiencing new and evolving crises to assess humanitarian needs. These areas may be within “Red Zones” or regions of high conflict. The FMS will report to the appropriate personnel (USAID/BHA, the FMC and/or FPD) on his/her assessment findings.
- Coordinate Data Collection from Local Enumerators: The FMS will coordinate with local enumerators to facilitate data collection at sites that are not accessible to FMS. This includes providing enumerators with clear guidance on tools to ensure the integrity of the data collected, briefing them on the award document and USAID/BHA priorities, and synthesizing findings for further reporting.
- Assist USAID/BHA Staff in Conducting Remote Site Visits: The FMS will assist USAID/BHA staff in implementing virtual or remote site visits to areas where USAID/BHA staff cannot travel. The FMS will work with USAID/BHA staff, including technical specialists, and implementing partners to plan and conduct these remote site visits.
- Link to USAID/BHA’s Technical Standards: To the greatest extent feasible, the consultant will use USAID/BHA and humanitarian community technical standards for monitoring site visits and assessments. The FMS will also brief enumerators on USAID/BHA technical standards and ensure compliance during site visits when FMS is not present.
POSITION QUALIFICATIONS
Required
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field such as development studies or international relations
- At least five years of experience monitoring humanitarian and/or development programs
- Experience working in Cameroon, specialized in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)
- Cameroonian national citizenship
- Fluency in written and spoken English and French
- Travel 50 – 75% of the time within Cameroon
Desired
- Familiarity with USAID/BHA and humanitarian community monitoring practices and standards
- Ability to access Anglophone and Francophone areas
- Ordinarily resident in Yaoundé
- Local language skills
REQUIRED POSITION COMPETENCIES
- Engagement with stakeholders: Handles stakeholder, beneficiary and USAID/BHA questions and complaints, excellent communication, handles service problems politely and efficiently, always available for stakeholders, beneficiaries and USAID/BHA, follows procedure to solve problems, understands company services, maintains pleasant and professional image
- Accountability: Takes ownership of work responsibilities and holds high standards. Keeps commitments and takes appropriate actions to ensure obligations are met. Pursues efficiency and effectiveness and adheres to USAID/BHA policies and procedures
- Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates ability to work in cooperation with others and communicate effectively with co-workers, supervisors, colleagues, clients, and other outside contacts
- Continual Learning: Assesses and recognizes own strengths and weaknesses; pursues professional development that is aligned with organizational role, contribution, and goals. Proactively shares knowledge with others to foster learning across the organization
- Innovation: Takes initiative to propose new ideas/approaches and demonstrates ability to find new and better ways to accomplish work
TRAVEL FREQUENCY
The FMS is expected to be based in Cameroon during the period that they are contracted. The exact number of the days of field visits outside of Yaoundé will depend on the location(s) visited, duration of travel required, and access limitations posed by the conflict.
WORKING CONDITIONS
The FMS will work primarily remotely or from the office that will be established by GEG in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The FMS will travel to different sites on an as-needed basis using vehicles provided by GEG or its suppliers. The advisability of safe travel will be determined by the FMS after consultation with the FMC, informed by local sources and Implementing Partners. The FMS will adhere to security management directives and policies as developed with and advised by themselves in consultation with the GEG Safety and Security Officer, FMC and GEG national/regional security support services.
About Global Emergency Group
Founded in 2007, GEG is a benefit corporation that supports vulnerable people affected by crisis in 52+ countries by providing a broad range of humanitarian support services to a wide range of organizations, including the United Nations, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, donor governments, companies, major international and national NGO’s and local communities. Every day, these organizations and communities rely on GEG’s emergency response expertise, and on the combined capabilities and dedication of its people to implement strategies, find solutions and seize opportunities to assist the world’s most vulnerable people.
Global Emergency Group is committed to being an equal-opportunity employer and recruiting people of diverse backgrounds and experiences. GEG does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion or belief, colour, gender, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family structure, age, medical condition, disability, ancestry, national origin or ethnic group. All recruitment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.
As a part of Team Credence, Global Emergency Group provides field support to USAID ’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance.
Please send your motivation letter and CV in English to [email protected] no later than 19 December 2024, with “Field Monitoring Specialist Cameroon” as the subject title of your email.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. References will be contacted after interview.
