Position Title: Regional Program Officer (East & Southern Africa)
Position Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Arusha, Tanzania; or Kampala, Uganda
Reports to: Regional Program Manager
Works closely with: Senior PD Manager, Director of Operations, Country Leads, Program Officers; Country Program Managers/Coordinators, Project Officers; Finance Officers, Financial Analysts; Specialty Teams & Depts
Type of posting: External
Application deadline: November 18, 2020
Starting in October 2020, Farm Radio will implement a short duration 7-country project for the German international development agency, GIZ. The project will use a variety of strategies to increase awareness, knowledge and uptake of good agricultural, nutrition, health and gender practices. The project will be executed in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, which means that distance methods, not just for broadcasting but also for design and training, will be at the forefront. Countries include Cote d’Ivoire, Mali and Togo in West Africa; Ethiopia in East Africa and Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia in Southern Africa. Farm Radio has existing offices in Ethiopia and Mali and a longstanding strategic partnership with Farm Radio Trust in Malawi.
The Regional Program Officer will play a critical role in the overall successful implementation of the project in Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, including linking the global project team to countries teams in the region. The RPO also plays an important role in partnership development and resource mobilization to ensure the sustainability of programming.
(Regional) Project implementation and administration: 60%
(Regional) Monitoring, evaluation, research & learning: 20%
(Regional) Program development: 20%
Project Implementation (PI) and Project Administration
Under the supervision of the Regional Program Manager and working closely with Country and Specialty Teams, contribute to the effective implementation of the regional GIZ project to the highest standards and to the satisfaction of all stakeholders, including farmers, funders, radio partners, extension services, and project collaborators. Specifically:
Compliance and funder relations
Ensure compliance to FRI policies and procedures, including risk review, spending variance, documentation and archiving, etc.
Monitor funder documents and communications, ensuring that requirements are understood, all staff are clear on responsibilities and deadlines are met
Project planning & implementation
Working with the Project Delivery Lead and Project Coordinators in three countries, develop and ensure the execution of project implementation plans in line with FRI procedures and templates, including start-up, implementation, monitoring, adaptation, evaluation and reporting
Working with Country Program and Finance Teams, oversee and monitor timely implementation of projects in line with annual workplans and spending plans and FRI policy and procedures, including monthly PI reviews, quarterly updates of work and spending plans, etc.
Working with Country Program and Finance Teams, manage consultants and project implementation partners to ensure quality, timely implementation of specific activities and results
Liaise with FRI Specialty Teams and Radio Network Department concerning project planning, implementation and reporting
Reporting
Working with Project Delivery Lead and Country Project Coordinators, synthesize project activities, results, findings and lessons learnt for
FRI’s internal reporting
Reporting to funders and other stakeholders
Other communication needs, in concert with FRI’s Communications Team
Backstop country Program Managers and Project Coordinators in the execution of their duties, including project agreements, contracts and MOUs; execution of project activities in line with implementation plans, workplans and spending plans; management of project staff; management of sub-recipients; reporting, etc.
Monitoring, evaluation, research & learning
Under the supervision of the Knowledge Management Team Manager and Regional Program Manager, East & Southern Africa, the RPO will contribute to the organization's monitoring-evaluation, research, learning and knowledge-sharing activities. More specifically:
Design, with the support of the knowledge management team, logic models and performance measurement frameworks and monitoring and evaluation plans
Contribute to the design of survey tools and other assessment instruments
Analyzes data generated by surveys, interviews, qualitative assessments, listeners' responses to on-air / online surveys
Preparation of baseline study, mid-term evaluation and final evaluation reports
Write project resumes (briefs) highlighting the results of the projects, the learnings and the implications in terms of best practices
Organizer or contribute to the experience of capitalization processes with partners and parties to projects
Contribute to the preparation of various knowledge sharing products for various audiences
Contribute to the sharing of learning and evidence of best practices internally to enable RRI staff to improve their approaches and impacts.
Program Development (PD)
Under the supervision of the Senior PD Manager and working closely with Country Representatives, contribute to the effective implementation of all PD processes within the region to the highest standards and to the satisfaction of all stakeholders: strategic and teaming partners, funders, radio broadcast partners and all other PD collaborators. Specifically:
Research & analysis
Scan opportunities for new program (funding) opportunities in the region
Analyse and present program opportunities to FRI program management in line with PD systems
Networking and relationship building
Proposal development
Prepare documentation in support of proposals, e.g. teaming agreements, contracts, etc.
Plan, design, and write concept notes and full proposals, including budgets, in response to funding opportunities
Coordinate, supervise, and support country staff to make their contributions to the success of PD proposals and processes
Ensure compliance to FRI risk review, documentation, and archiving procedures for proposals
Experience, credentials, and requirements
5+ years of experience in program management, especially communication for development
Degree/Diploma in Agriculture, Communication, International Development, Environmental Studies or related field, Masters preferred
Fluent in English with very strong written and oral communication skills; ability in other East & Southern African languages an asset
Functional Portuguese a major asset
Willingness to travel
Knowledge
Knowledge and experience of program development and project implementation, including project cycles and results-based management
Knowledge of radio broadcasting and ICT
Knowledge of relevant agricultural and health practices in sub-Saharan Africa
Knowledge of national/international funders and strategic/implementing partners in East & Southern Africa
Skills and attributes
Functional French an asset
Good research, evaluation, data analysis, and writing skills
Excellent cross-cultural communication skills
Good organisational and time-management skills; ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines
Comfortable working under minimal supervision and with limited resources
Additional