Senior Project Officer – Accountability & Learning – NAWIRI At Catholic Relief Services

Reports To: Strategic Learning Lead Country/Location: Kenya/Nairobi (with up to 70% time in the counties)

Length of Contract: 2 years (up to 30th September 2024)

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

CRS has worked in Kenya since 1965. Over the years, CRS’ focus shifted from direct relief and food distributions to a comprehensive development program that works with partners and enhances local capacity. CRS Kenya development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microf inance, and peacebuilding.

Background

CRS is leading a consortium of international non-governmental organizations, local implementing partners and international/ national research institutions to implement a five-year USAID Bureau for humanitarian Assistance (BHA) Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) called Nawiri (“flourishing” in Swahili). The overarching goal of this multi-sectoral activity is to sustainably reduce levels of persistent acute malnutrition in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), focusing on Isiolo and Marsabit counties. Following completion of Phase 1 (Oct. 2019 – Feb. 2022), the project is now in its implementation phase, focused on systems and institutional strengthening (March 2022 – Sept. 2024).

Job Summary

The Senior Project Officer for Accountability and Learning (SPO A&L) will manage and work closely with Nawiri’s Marsabit and Isiolo POs for A&L, supporting the Strategic Learnin g Lead (SLL) to facilitate and actively support a collaborative learning and accountability culture across Nawiri on an on-going basis. S/he will strengthen collaborative learning and consortium use of learning for informed program adaptations (CLA). Championing participatory adult learning approaches across Nawiri processes and teams lies at the heart of this. S/he will also co-lead and actively support the implementation of Nawiri and joint county/ Nawiri accountability systems, overseeing and co-facilitating related processes and documentation, in line with Nawiri systems, CRS program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines and industry good practice. The SPO – A&L will work closely with all consortium leads and teams to co-lead and actively support learning, accountability, related documentation and capacity development at all levels, to institutionalize the use of emerging data, information and knowledge for high-quality consortium/ collaborative programming. S /he will work in collaboration with and complement Nawiri M&E work, especially supporting the timely interrogation and use of emerging M&E system findings, reflecting a whole-systems approach to Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL).

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

Actively support establishing and nurturing a culture of learning across Nawiri actors and initiatives, especially in the counties, to strengthen collaborative learning, Nawiri responsiveness and informed program adaptations, with SLL and County Heads of Office guidance.
In collaboration with A&L team, core county/ activity teams and Nawiri leads, facilitate and support Nawiri staff and key actor reflection/ learning sessions and consortium/ wider learning events.
Strengthen team critical reflection and documentation skills including on achievements, challenges, good practice and lessons learned. Support consortium/ county teams to lead, facilitate and document the same.
Contribute to quality A&L system design and roll out, including Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) implementation, in proactive, collaborative ways. Critically oversee and/ or review related developments in line with donor and CRS reporting requirements, as guided.
Help ensure Nawiri actor compliance with agency and donor A&L requirements, guided by Nawiri’s Adaptive Learning Strategy, USAID’s CLA resources and consortium MEAL DIP activities, in close liaison with the M&E team and project leadership.
Oversee quality implementation of Nawiri’s accountability system, in collaboration with A&L team, the SMT and CRS Kenya accountability and ICT managers. Support personnel (Nawiri, LIP, county actors, as guided) to understand and fulfill related roles and responsibilities in quality ways, to ensure effective program feedback systems. Lead and support related process and outcome documentation, for internal and wider learning and dissemination.
Provide leadership and support to Nawiri/ LIP teams to review and refine consortium accountability and learning practices on a regular basis, addressing gaps and challenges that arise.
Strengthen capacity and support field teams to document and disseminate core activity processes and outcomes (emerging findings), for project and wider learning.
Working with the M&E team, support the collective analysis and/ or interpretation of project data and emerging findings, to foster learning and program adaptations (CLA.
Support the SLL and SMT to refine and oversee quality implementation of Nawiri’s Phase 2 learning agenda, as guided.
Oversee the roll out and uptake of YouTrack for FCRM management, including the documentation of emerging learning from implementation experiences.
In close collaboration with the directorate of Civic Education & Public Participation (CEPP) and Nawiri’s Systems and Institutional Strengthening team, support building and strengthening the capacity of Multisectoral Platform for Nutrition (MSP-N) members (County & Sub-County) and of other key actors, to strengthening a culture of accountability in Marsabit, including raising awareness on CRS accountability and learning policies and procedures and Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) standards, among others.
Support tracking Nawiri’s progress/ uptake of A&L in diverse ways including facilitating Collaboration Learning & Adaptation (CLA) Maturity Spectrum (USAID) self-assessment processes with A&L team, satisfaction surveys to elicit community/ participants perspectives on Nawiri FCRMs, regular process monitoring, follow-up, updating and monitoring Nawiri’s learning & adaptation tracker use etc.
In collaborative ways, foster respectful relationships and dialogue on Nawiri interventions, learning and results, with staff, community members and key stakeholders at all levels.
Strengthen Nawiri, government and partner organization staff capacity in accountability and learning (including on CRS accountability and learning policies and procedures and Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) standards), to enhance their impact.
Advance the use of Information and Communication Technology for Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (ICT4MEAL) within Nawiri including Youtrack for management of FCRM, working closely with the CRS Kenya ICT4MEAL Officer oversee the use of new and existing information and knowledge systems, for quality service delivery.
Remain flexible and open to taking on new responsibilities as Nawiri Phase 2 evolves, in response to unfolding developments and as requested and guided by the SLL.

Required Languages: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English

Travel Required: Must be willing to travel and spend up to 70% of time in Isiolo and Marsabit counties.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Strong team player, with significant experience working in collaboration with diverse stakeholders.
Observation, active listening and analysis skills, with proven ability to make sound judgment.
Strong inter-personal communication and relationship management skills, seen in the ability to work closely with local partners, county governments and community members.
Attention to detail, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills.
Demonstrable commitment to self and team learning and capacity development.
Ability to take initiative; proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented.
Proven leadership skills and competencies.
Exceptional facilitation, presentation, training, support and mentoring skills, especially in multi-stakeholder contexts.
Proven ability to multi-task and meet deadlines.
Strong narrative reporting skills.
Ability to adapt, prioritize and remain responsive to unfolding circumstances and needs.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience designing, implementing and supporting accountability and learning systems for/ with county governments is an added advantage.
Experience and skills in partner relationship management and development project support.
Experience using mobile-data collection and management software (e.g., YouTrack, ODK, Commcare, Iform builder, Kobo).

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Oversees work of two-Nawiri Project Officers (A&L).

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Strategic Learning Lead, Heads of Office, A&L POs and activity leads, Senior Project Officer (ICT4MEAL)

External: Community members, partner staff, county government staff, other local stakeholders, MEAL staff from peer agencies.

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.