Programme Support Officer – Burundi/Rwanda At Concern Worldwide

About the role

This is a 12-month (renewable), volunteer position with unaccompanied terms based in Bujumbura, Burundi with up to 30% of the time scheduled and spent in the programme areas, with an annual allowance of 11.063 Euro.

You will report directly to the Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience (CC&R) Technical Adviser and you will liaise with the Programme Director (PD), Country Director, Systems Director, Country Finance Controller, Programme Quality and Development Coordinator (PDQC), Technical Advisers and other programme staff as required.

We would like you to start on 1st of May 2024.

Your purpose: The PSO will support the CC&R Technical Advisor in all aspects of the programme cycle in Burundi/Rwanda, including, but not limited to the development of reports for donors, internal monthly reports and activity reports, the design of CC&R programmes; the drafting of expressions of interest, concept notes, project proposals, etc. The PSO will support teams in relation to the quality of CC&R projects as well as the establishment and maintenance of knowledge management systems; the development of communication materials and case studies ; and representing Concern, if necessary, in coordination bodies (Technical Cluster, thematic and regional working groups…).

Main duties include, though not limited to:

Design and support the development of projects with a CC&R component for Burundi and Rwanda

• Support in conducting evaluations and analyses of Concern’s intervention areas with the intention to propose relevant actions and identify technical guidance needs.
• Support the development of narrative donor reports for ongoing CC&R programmes and regular internal reports (activities/monthly/annual).
• Assist in coordination with implementing partner NGOs and strengthening their capacities.
• Participate in the design of training content and tools.
• Work with the CC&R technical advisor, PD, PQDC, and project coordinators to develop and draft expressions of interest, concept notes, and proposals within a CC&R component.
• Support the CC&R technical advisor, PD, and PQDC in maintaining a donor database and a database of potential national partners.
• If necessary, assist in coordinating visits from headquarters staff or consultants and accompany visitors and advisors in the field.
• Compile management responses to reports, evaluations, technical advisor travel reports, etc., and assist the CC&R technical advisor and programme managers to ensure that plans are implemented.
• Provide support to the CC&R technical advisor, PD, and PQDC for the filing of documentation, both electronic and paper.
• Conduct field visits to monitor, review, and understand programmes incorporating a CC&R component, identify strengths and weaknesses, and make recommendations for further development.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• In collaboration with the CC&R technical advisor, the programme director, and the PQDC, ensure that plans, databases, and monitoring and evaluation tools related to CC&R activities are in place for the programmes, and oversee that teams clearly understand what information needs to be collected for monitoring purposes.
• Assist in the analysis of data and review of survey, evaluation, appreciation reports, and commissioned case studies related to CC&R, aiding in the finalization of documents.
• Provide support to the CC&R technical advisor and the programme director in organizing programme review workshops.

Knowledge and Information Management

• Assist in the translation of key documents from French to English and vice versa as needed.
• Enhance the compilation and dissemination of information within the programme.
• Ensure document version control and the filing of final reports and proposals from headquarters, donors, and M&E.
• Fill in group matrices and briefing documents with support from the programme teams.
• Record and produce minutes of management and programme meetings or other relevant meetings. Ensure timely distribution.
• Support any planned research initiatives and liaise with the knowledge management department in Dublin and project managers to record knowledge on programme implementation. Support project managers in collecting and documenting learning.
• Produce and improve maps and visualizations of existing programmes for a better understanding of our intervention areas.

Communications and Representation

• Support the PD and the PQDC and their team in updating and creating communication materials (Concern Burundi brochures, quarterly updates, summaries for public events) for local and international communication.
• Produce brief documents with informative material for a better understanding of Concern’s policies and key documents.
• Liaise with the communication teams in Dublin and London to contribute to campaigns and communication calls, sending material for their use or completed works for their review.
• Produce case studies, and write blogs for the Concern website and support colleagues in the collection of communications content and the production of high-quality communications material.
• Represent Concern in various coordination forums in the field of CC&R (Clusters, meetings, thematic and regional working groups…)

Accountability

In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS):

• actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E);
• work with relevant colleagues to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed;
• work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behaviour is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Other

• Be aware of, understand and comply with all of Concern’s policies and procedures (Code of Conduct and Associated Policies, Whistleblowing policy, Anti-fraud policy, finance, logistics, HR, security management etc.).
• Support programme teams in the reinforcement of the Concern Code of Conduct and Associated policies, as well as the participation of women in programme activities.
• Undertake other related duties as may reasonably be required by the line manager

Your skills and experience will include:

Essential:

Education, Qualifications & Experience Required:

• Appropriate qualification at Master’s degree level or above, in international development/relations, business, economics, environment, climate action or other field relevant to community resilience
• Good knowledge of Programme Cycle Management.
• Good understanding of programme design and successful proposal development
• Demonstrated documentation skills

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:

• Excellent English and French writing and communication skills with previous experience of research, documentation and/or report writing.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, organise and prioritise workloads taking initiative when necessary.
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to cope with stress and work under pressure; often to strict deadlines.
• Self-motivated, proactive.
• Good knowledge and competence of computer applications such as Microsoft Office

Desirable:

Education, Qualifications & Experience Required:

• Experience of working in Central or East Africa region (or elsewhere under similar conditions) would be an advantage.
• Knowledge of conducting an agrarian diagnosis
• Knowledge of key donors (e.g. Irish Aid, EU, UN, ENABEL, USAID).
• Understanding or knowledge of equality and accountability initiatives and standards (i.e. CHS, Sphere, etc.…)

Any Other Special Requirements:

• Good team player, flexible and capable of working with a multinational country team, politically and culturally sensitive
• Female candidates are encouraged to apply