Job Summary:

As a member of the Nawiri project team, the Project Officer, Gender, and Youth will support effective execution of Nawiri gender and youth focused strategies to ensure effective implementation of the gender youth and social dynamics (GYSD) analysis interventions. S/he will facilitate, monitor, and report on all project activities related to the GYSD. S/he will support consortium and local partners as well as relevant national and county government departments to coordinate Nawiri project activities and related GYSD data collection, analysis, and reporting. The officer will ensure that the project consistently applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to the target communities.

Job Responsibilities:

• Support coordination and implementation of Nawiri interventions in Isiolo and Marsabit counties in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Support Nawiri project mapping, mobilization and reporting for the gender youth and social dynamics analysis validation and sensitization workshops
• Support implementation of SMART Couple pilot interventions, monitoring, and evaluation during Nawiri research and design phase
• Lead capacity building and mentorship for the gender and social norms pilots and the gender youth and social dynamics analysis among the implementing communities
• Monitor and report any challenges and/or gaps identified to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. Assist partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences.
• Support social behavior change (SBC) monitoring and tracking including documenting community shifts in attitudes and perceptions on the drivers of acute malnutrition.
• Inform and gain in-depth understanding of key nutrition messaging and uptake of communication platforms in the community that are both nutrition specific and sensitive e.g., new platforms such as socialization within the targeted communities.
• Collect information on staff capacity needs and technical assistance needs of partner organizations including county government and monitor technical support activities to ensure effective impact.
• Collect information on staff capacity needs and technical assistance needs of partner organizations including county government and monitor technical support activities to ensure effective impact.
• Collect information on provider-based gaps in initiating and sustaining behavior change (providers include Facility and Community healthcare workers, agriculture extension workers, social protection officers, financial inclusion persons and WASH officers in the community)

Personal Skills 

• Observation, active listening, and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Good relationship management skills and ability to work with local partners, County governments, and local community members.
• Ability to exercise diplomacy and tact demonstrated in previous roles that require communication with broad and diverse groups and partners.
• Attention to details, accuracy, and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
• Ability to work in challenging and changing environments, see through challenges to find solutions.
• Proactive, resourceful, results-oriented, and solution-oriented.

Required/Desired Foreign Language

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; ability to draft and edit reports.
• Excellent verbal communication skills in Kiswahili with local Marsabit/Isiolo County dialects a plus.
• Preference will be given to candidates from Marsabit and Isiolo Counties

Travel Required: 60% travel to USAID Nawiri projects sites in Marsabit and Isiolo counties.

Supervisory: None

Key Working Relationships: 

Internal: County Head of Offices; Gender, Youth and Social Dynamics Lead; SBC Specialist: Nawiri Project Officers and all Nawiri Technical Leads.

External:  Consortium partners, Implementing partners, Marsabit/Isiolo County government and relevant national government departments e.g., Internal security, Gender, Education, and Department of Children services.

QUALIFICATIONS

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Gender and Development Studies, Sociology, Anthropology, International Development, or other relevant fields.
• Minimum of 3 years of work experience in project support.
• Experience with conducting gender and youth analyses, assessments and evaluations and other related research, including applying data collection tools and methodologies.
• Deep understanding of gender and youth dynamics, nutrition and operational research in Northern Kenya similar livelihood and geographic contexts (a plus)
• Experience in participatory action planning, community engagement and projects monitoring.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Demonstrated knowledge and commitment to gender responsive programming safeguarding, respect, equity, diversity and inclusion including gender equality.