EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

PROJECT OFFICERS

SOS Children’s Villages Malawi is a non-governmental child protection and development organisation established in Malawi in 1991. Our vision is that every child belongs to a family and grows up with love, respect and security. Our mission is to build families for children in need; we help them shape their own futures, and we share in the development of their communities. In pursuit of the vision and mission, we work in collaboration with the Government of Malawi and other partners to implement various projects focusing on child protection and development; entrepreneurship and vocational skills training for young people; livelihood improvement for vulnerable households; child and youth education, as well as advocacy in the areas of child rights and protection. Our programme coverage is country-wide, operating from Chikwawa, Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzimba and Mzuzu.

In this context, we are looking for suitable candidates to fill the vacant positions of Project Officers in the organization as follows:

Position : Project Officers – 4 positions

Responsible to : Project Manager

Function / project : Standard Project

Locations Officers : Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Blantyre, Ngabu

Employment contract : 2 years – full-time, fixed-term employment contract renewable upon funding availability and performance.

Job Purpose

SOS Children’s Villages Malawi will implement a Standard Project focusing on protecting children at risk of losing parental care and those who are at risk of losing parental care. The project has three components: family strengthening, alternative care; and advocacy. The Project Officer will be responsible for the day-to-day implementation and coordination of the Family Strengthening and advocacy components of the Standard Project in line with the project document; organizational policies, procedures, and strategy in collaboration with key stakeholders.

Key performance areas and responsibilities:

Responsible for Project Activity Planning Set Up and Overall Implementation

• Ensure activity budgeting and plans are executed on time and guided by project documents and plans.
• Mainstream Gender, disabilities, and environment in project implementation
• Facilitate the identification and training of community facilitators/ peer educators in Family Development Planning processes

Capacity building of families and communities

• Facilitate the empowerment of facilitators/ peer educators in Family Development Planning for their effective and efficient contribution to the strengthening of families.
• Organise and Facilitate families/ caregivers access to child rights, child development and family empowerment interventions
• Facilitate the development of the CBO’s organisational management, that is, formation of properly constituted boards & committees, writing CBO constitution, registration of CBO, developing the CBO vision statement, mission statement, strategy and values.
• Organise and facilitate training in child rights

Networking and Partnership with the community-related local stakeholders

• Explore project partnerships at community and district levels in pursuit of project goals and outputs
• Collaborate with community development structures, other NGOs and government departments for effective service delivery to programme participants
• Facilitate stakeholder analysis within the project, maintaining and updating stakeholders’ profiles.
• Support the functional sustainability of community-based children’s support and other relevant development initiatives.

Monitoring & Evaluation of the project’s activities according to the plans

• Undertake ongoing project monitoring and on-time reporting regarding project progress
• Facilitate timely updating of family files, Program database and community-based partners’ files.
• Put in place measures to monitor resource use, to ensure spending aligns to approved activities and budget.
• Facilitate regular data collection through appropriate monitoring tools on project
• Carry out regular visits to the community, the CBOs, family support groups and other partners in the respective community for timely and relevant project support.

Problem Solving:

• Address project issues and challenges, often in consultation with the Project Manager, to keep the project moving forward.

Child Safeguarding, Prevention of Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse (PSHEA) and asset safeguarding

• Conduct yourself in accordance with the guidelines of the Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, Prevention of Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse (PSHEA) and all other organisations’ policies and procedures in both personal and professional life, which includes reporting suspicions of any abuse.

The suitable candidate should have the following minimum qualifications and attributes: –

• Bachelor’s degree in development studies, Social Work, Agriculture, or any other relevant qualification from a recognised university.
• Possession of a motorcycle license is a must
• At least 3 years’ experience in implementing child and community development programmes.
• Sound understanding of child rights, rights-based programming, and management of CBOs.
• Must be Excellent in English communication skills, both written and verbal and have the ability to write reports in English
• Excellent training, facilitation, and communication skills.
• Excellent personal organisational skills, including time management, and the ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure.
• Willingness to travel to field offices
• Relevant significant people management skills/experience and proven ability to create an environment which encourages team-working and motivates a team across various geographical areas.
• Local applicants are preferred.
• Good communication and reporting skills

• Ensure activity budgeting and plans are executed on time and guided by project documents and plans.
• Mainstream Gender, disabilities, and environment in project implementation
• Facilitate the identification and training of community facilitators/ peer educators in Family Development Planning processes
• Facilitate the empowerment of facilitators/ peer educators in Family Development Planning for their effective and efficient contribution to the strengthening of families.
• Organise and Facilitate families/ caregivers access to child rights, child development and family empowerment interventions
• Facilitate the development of the CBO’s organisational management, that is, formation of properly constituted boards & committees, writing CBO constitution, registration of CBO, developing the CBO vision statement, mission statement, strategy and values.
• Organise and facilitate training in child rights
• Explore project partnerships at community and district levels in pursuit of project goals and outputs
• Collaborate with community development structures, other NGOs and government departments for effective service delivery to programme participants
• Facilitate stakeholder analysis within the project, maintaining and updating stakeholders’ profiles.
• Support the functional sustainability of community-based children’s support and other relevant development initiatives.
• Undertake ongoing project monitoring and on-time reporting regarding project progress
• Facilitate timely updating of family files, Program database and community-based partners’ files.
• Put in place measures to monitor resource use, to ensure spending aligns to approved activities and budget.
• Facilitate regular data collection through appropriate monitoring tools on project
• Carry out regular visits to the community, the CBOs, family support groups and other partners in the respective community for timely and relevant project support.
• Address project issues and challenges, often in consultation with the Project Manager, to keep the project moving forward.
• Conduct yourself in accordance with the guidelines of the Child and Youth Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct, Prevention of Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse (PSHEA) and all other organisations’ policies and procedures in both personal and professional life, which includes reporting suspicions of any abuse.

• Excellent English communication skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to write reports in English
• Excellent training, facilitation, and communication skills
• Excellent personal organisational skills, including time management
• Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
• Relevant significant people management skills/experience
• Proven ability to create an environment which encourages team-working and motivates a team across various geographical areas
• Good communication and reporting skills

• Bachelor’s degree in development studies, Social Work, Agriculture, or any other relevant qualification from a recognised university.
• Possession of a motorcycle license is a must
• Sound understanding of child rights, rights-based programming, and management of CBOs.