Women for Women International Regional Social Development Officer, Africa Job in Kenya

Regional Social Development Officer, Africa

The Regional Social Development Officer (R-EDO) guides implementation of Women for Women International’s social development programming in the four countries of the Region.

The Officer is the primary point of contact between the Country Offices, the Regional Office, and the Headquarters Office, for all issues related to the organization’s lifeskills, men’s engagement, and other social development activities.

He or she serves as a resource for the Lifeskills Managers and other senior staff in each Country Office, who manage and implement social development programming.

The R-SDO also guides the development and implementation of complementary programming areas, including support for training program graduates, linkages with partnering institutions, and technical content and implementation of grant-funded projects.

Duties and Responsibilties

Social Development Program Management:

• Serve as the primary support, technical assistance, and monitoring point of contact for Lifeskills units in Country Offices.
• Carry out regular monitoring and technical assistance visits to Country Offices to support the effective implementation of their social development programming.
• Communicate with Country Office staff in charge of specific grants to monitor the implementation of any relevant grant-funded social development activities.
• Directly implement any specific HQ-based outputs included in donor-funded project workplans that are related to design, implementation, or management of the social development program (for example, development of syllabus or guideline documents)
• Contribute to the strategic planning of the organization
• Advise Country Offices in the development of annual operational plans
• Provide strategic advise to regional and senior management to guide policy, planning and on-ground programmes delivery.

Quality of Social Development Program:

• Provide substantive advice to help ensure the quality of lifeskills, men’s engagement, and related training in Country Offices.
• Monitor global and country-specific outcome indicator data, and other evaluation reports related to lifeskills development programming.
• Monitor adherence to program guidelines.

Capacity Building and Staff Development:

• Provide direct formal or informal training to Country Office staff, including to trainers, especially on training content, delivery and quality as well as on operational tasks.
• Provide direct hands-on operational support in the field to the Lifeskills Managers and teams to assure quality of program implementation
• Link each office with local, regional, and international training development resources

Program Design:

• Contribute to the development of new lifeskills strategies, men’s engagement, and other program improvements.
• Provide substantive contributions to refinement of existing social development activities.
• Contribute to the development of new initiatives that complement lifeskills support, such as access to health care and men’s engagement.
• Offer technical contribution for grant proposals, new project concepts and reports as needed.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of international developments, best practices, and innovations in lifeskills, men’s engagement, women’s empowerment, etc.

Leadership

• Provide leadership for field lifeskills teams undertaking social development projects within the region.
• Engage in establishment and cultivation of relationships with lifeskills teams and relevant stakeholders in the region.
• Work with Country Offices’ teams to identify new opportunities in lifekills development, men’s engagement, etc.

Communication & Teamwork:

• Regular communications with Country Offices
• Communications with Africa/EMEA Regional Director and VP, Programs in the HQ
• Coordination with other departments, including Sponsorship, Grant Management and Monitoring and Evaluation as well as the other Regional Offices
• Communication with colleagues
• Represent the organization as needed at conferences and other speaking engagements.

Professionalism:

• Accepts constructive feedback
• Positive attitude
• Judgment
• Work ethic
• Initiative and proactive problem solving
• Commitment and respect for Women for Women International’s mission and values
• Discretion with sensitive materials

Qualifications:

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree, preferably a Master’s degree, in international development, or related field
• Minimum of six years of relevant work experience in international development, with emphasis on grassroots development
• Minimum four years work experience in developing countries
• Direct experience with strategic planning
• Supervisory experience;
• Work experience oversees, preferably in WfWI Region countries.
• Strong ability to plan projects, timetable activities
• Very strong skills for, and experience with, staff development and capacity building in development management and field implementation of programs
• Analitical ability and experience with creating project implementation plans and guiding their completion as well as budgeting.
• Demonstrated capacity to serve as a coach or mentor of individuals from diverse cultural, linguistic, and professional backgrounds;
• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant social development issues such as women’s rights and empowerment, rural development, etc;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English;
• Understanding of conflict environments;
• Strong computer skills in MS Word, Excel, internet, email applications.
• Creative problem-solving skills;
• Language ability in one of the countries where WfWI operates is a strong asset.

This job description may be modified from time to time at the discretion of WfWI

How to apply:

Please apply online at www.womenforwomen.org.