Program Officer 94 views1 applications

Reports to: U-GIRLS 2 Program Manager

Status: Full-time, Fixed-term

Background

Cuso International is a Canadian development non-profit organisation that works to reduce poverty and inequality through the efforts of highly skilled volunteers, collaborative partnerships and compassionate donors.  Cuso International main areas of interventions are (i) harnessing the power of volunteerism to achieve the SDGs; (ii) advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls; and (iii) improving access to and quality of economic opportunities for young people.

With a funding of Global Affairs of Canada, Cuso International has designed UGIRLS2 Project to promote access to higher education for high school girls and to address a number of barriers that impede adolescent girls’ education in Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. The project will enhance academic, social and soft skills for adolescent girls, including those with disabilities, and strengthen the capacity of teachers and education institutions to deliver quality and gender-sensitive education. The initiative seeks to adopt a holistic and transformational approach to address barriers to girls’ higher educations, including through community engagement. Cuso International will implement this project in partnership with Institute of International Education (IIE) in selected high schools of BSG Regional State.

The post holder will have the key role in providing a range of operational, administrative and coordination supports for the effective implementation of UGIRLS2 project and other CPO programs. This will include managing all administrative system of the projects and ensuring effective coordination support to the program and volunteer professionals. Some of the key areas of responsibility includes visa and work permit processes for volunteers, and organising In-country Orientation for volunteers. The post holder will also work with the CPO team, partners, other field and HQ based staff to actively contribute to the strategic development of our operational and administrative functions, effective documentation and utilisation of program resources.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Coordination and Administration Support

• Prepare and maintain project beneficiaries and program partners’ portfolio database and accurate contact details;
• Oversees schedules of in-kind and cash distribution for project target beneficiaries are conducted as per the signed contribution agreement with GAC;
• Provides support to Program Mangers in organising meetings, partnership workshops, or volunteer’s placement assessments and crosscheck the relevant Cuso International standard documents are organised to be used in the organised events;
• Support development of documentation requirements of different projects and oversees project related document filing system of the CPO, both hard copy documents and soft copy documents on SharePoint;
• Coordinate content preparation for Cuso Staff Newsletter and submit project highlight, at least once a month;
• Regularly surveillance of proposal calls for funding opportunities for programs in Ethiopia;
• Provide logistic assistance in running workshops / trainings and conduct payment for participants when appropriate;
• Participate in the process announcing bids, assessing bid documents and awarding bids
• Proactively manage CPO program staff, IIE staff or members of partner organisations travel logistics (airline, accommodation, documentation to carry, etc)

Volunteer Administration and Support

• Develop and maintain Cuso International volunteer portal information page on a regular basis;
• Manage the process of online visa request and resident permits for international volunteers, as well as when there is a need for HQ staff / international partners;
• Organise In-country Orientation and language training for international volunteers, including in-placement language trainings;
• Conduct regular check in with volunteers via phone / email about their health, welfare and personal situations as and when required and involve relevant staff to take appropriate action;
• Provide agreed financial and logical support to international volunteers in terms of household furniture / utensils purchase, supplies and in-country transportation / flight;
• Inform volunteers about relevant changes in Cuso International policy and practices and help organize bi-annual Volunteers’ Engagement Committee meetings;
• Maintain accurate volunteer records on CusoBase, including emergency information sheets, medical information, partnership agreements, reports, leaves, transfers, extensions, etc.;
• Take appropriate action to ensure volunteers’ safety at all time and especially in times of civil unrest and/or natural disaster;
• Make sure that all international volunteers have personal security plans, know the safety rules and guidelines and possess security tools (wallet card for emergency contact; country security plan, emergency contacts displayed in home, security evacuation plans).
• Coordinate with relevant staff members timely submission of an a status of all key documents of international volunteers are update in office 365 SharePoint and/or CusoBase (the documents include 3-way agreement, revised placement documents, quarterly MEAL reports, volunteer survey, etc.) and coordinate with, / inform relevant,  staff members to take appropriate timely action;  Coordinate timely submission of volunteers’ reports as well as exit interviews and reference documents
• In line with Cuso International quality management indicators, conduct an assessment whether all relevant documents of volunteers’ placements are uploaded on CusoBase and submit an assessment report to the country representative in a quarterly basis;
• Ensure exit interviews, volunteers’ references, and end of service forms are completed for all volunteers and data updates are entered Cusobase 1 week after their departure.
• Contact the HQ to ensure international volunteers are informed of next steps in the volunteer journey one month before their end of placement.

Other Duties:

• undertake specific additional responsibilities from time-to-time, as may be agreed upon with their Line Manager, that may include networking with other development agencies and organisations working in similar sector or project location;
• Provide cover to other staff as needed.
• Attend meetings and contribute to relevant discussions of program development;

Language Requirements : English and Amharic

ESSENTIAL POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

• A bachelor’s degree in business administration / management or in Social Science fields

Experience

• Minimum of five years full-time program support experience, including project management
• Experience working in development programs that require participation grassroot beneficiaries in the project design and management
• Experience working with NGOs or with international professionals from a variety of cultural and national backgrounds;
• Experience in event organisation and working with local mass-media agencies

Skills

• Administration – experience of handling a heavy and routine office workload;
• Organisation and time management;
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Proven listening skills
• Analytical
• Practical and resourceful problem solving
• Liaise with people at all levels
• Computer literacy (word processing, spreadsheets, databases, social media. etc)
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to negotiate, persuade, coach, mobilize and develop positive relationships with others internally and externally.

Personal Quality

• Tact and diplomacy
• Self-confident
• Flexibility to adopt to new situations and people;
• Tolerance;
• Patience in dealing with others and cooperative
• Objectivity and sound judgement in dealing with individuals;
• Ability to work effectively under pressure;
• Able to work independently, and as a team member;
• Good self-presentation
• Ability to work with diverse teams;
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
• Organized and takes initiative to deliver
• Eager and willing to add to their knowledge base and skills

Circumstances

• Ability to spend time away from base to work with partners and project beneficiaries;
• Ability and willingness to work long / irregular hours when appropriate during project implementation;

Desirable

• Working experiences in general education sector, especially supporting girls’ education and community mobilisation,
• Knowledge understanding of the role of volunteers in development;
• Interest and/or knowledge of International development issues (Gender, Climate change)
• Basic financial and budgeting skills
• Experience of dealing with national and local government departments, including knowledge of immigration procedures for processing work/resident ID cards.
• Demonstratable commitment for learning