Program Support Specialist: Chalmers Project Officer - Compassion International

The Chalmers Project Officer will be stationed in Tamale in northern Ghana to lead the implementation of the project in the northern part of Ghana.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Chalmers Project implementation.
• Work closely with the Frontline Church Partners, Partnership Facilitators and other stakeholders in implementing the Chalmers Project.
• Ensure project activities are implemented according to the agreed timelines.
• Work and plan with consultant to conduct baseline, mid-term, and final evaluations of the project.
• Facilitate and share ideas on social innovation identified in the project communities.
• Participate in meetings and network with other people and stakeholders in the donor circles to foster the smooth implementation of the Chalmers project.
• Ensure timely preparation and submission of project reports.
• Manage project budget.

The key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Supports holistic caregiver empowerment and provides ongoing subject matter expertise in individual areas of specialization.
• Regularly assesses changing needs for and ability to deliver programming within his/her area of expertise. Consolidates national and local data to identify common gaps and patterns. Supports the development and implementation of strategy within his/her area of expertise.
• May facilitate the identification of resource components (internal and external) for specific caregiver development strategies and plans in support of the partnership facilitator’s efforts with FCPs. May provide input to and/or develop Interventions for funding within area of expertise.
• Designs, implements, and monitors caregiver interventions.  Works with the partnership facilitators by ensuring intervention records, reports, and other documentation are accurate, complete and delivered to appropriate stakeholders.
• Promote the use of modern farming practices and techniques through organizing/facilitating training, advising caregivers, farm/site visits and demonstrations to transform targeted families from subsistence to commercial enterprises.
• Collaborate with district and municipal authorities and identify strategic partnerships.
• Work with key stakeholders in designing and developing various rural/urban commercialization strategies that promote food security and livelihoods among caregivers.
• Support the expansion of innovative caregiver development programming such as transformative caregiver livelihoods, cash transfer/safety, net group savings and loans and related approaches.
• Facilitate the identification and sharing of social innovative practices identified during project implementation.
• Participate in networking and coaching meetings with colleagues and stakeholders working on other projects funded by the donor.
• Ensure timely preparation and submission of project reports.
• May provide expertise to FCPs and other staff in the National Office.

Core Competencies

• Maintains a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Is a consistent witness for Jesus Christ, maintains a courteous, Christ-like attitude in dealing with people within and outside of Compassion, and faithfully upholds Compassion’s ministry in prayer.
• Acts as an advocate for children – raising the awareness of the needs, neglect, nurture, and potential of children in poverty and challenging and enabling those within one’s influence to greater involvement and effectiveness on behalf of children.
• Knowledge of National policies on sustainable livelihood interventions.
• Possess community development skills including participatory community assessment and planning techniques, with skills in community level livelihoods capacity building.
• Experience in creating and developing sustainable relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Aware and sensitive to cultural differences and have proven ability to work in a wide variety of cultural contexts.
• Have strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Have strong facilitation, analytical, relationship-building and creative problem-solving skills.
• Ability to easily navigate IT tools such as MS office, Google drive etc.
• Ability to design and implement training modules and other tools on livelihoods for frontline church partners.
• Demonstrate an excellent understanding of the food security, caregiver livelihoods and social protection sector within the Ghanaian context.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

• Significant experience with an advanced understanding of at least three of the following:
  • ? Social protection systems for resource-poor households.
  • ? Innovative caregiver livelihoods programming based on local value chain development principles/approaches.
  • ? Job creation and, or small and medium enterprise development.
  • ? Financial inclusion for resource-poor caregivers (e.g. savings and loans schemes, commodity-based insurance products, etc.)

Faith

• Has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Culture

• Accountable for supporting, upholding, and engaging in Compassion’s core “Cultural Behaviors” in all internal and external communication and relationships.

Education

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Development and Marketing or other related field.
• 3-5+ years of relevant experience in project management, agric-business, value chain and market systems will be preferred.

Travel Requirements

• You may be required to travel up to 70% of your normal schedule.