Senior Project Officer

Teaching & Training

Overview

Implement project activities to reduce gender-based violence in communities.

You have:

• A minimum of a Diploma in Community Development, Social Work or equivalent in a relevant discipline.
• At least 2 years cognate experience in development work at community levels.
• Experience of working on GBV projects.
• Good understanding of School Related Gender Based Violence, gender inequality and crisis.
• Computer literacy and ability to work well using MS Office packages.

Job Description

BACKGROUND

Present in Sierra Leone since 1999, IRC supports Sierra Leonean institutions – government, civil society, community-based organizations, and private sector – to provide improved social services, decrease youth unemployment and mitigate gender-based violence. The IRC does this through programs and partnerships designed to improve the lives of women, youth, and children by implementing Health, Education, and Women and Girls’ Protection and Empowerment (WGPE) programming. IRC. IRC has a Country Program office in Freetown, a Regional Field Office in Kenema, Field Offices in Kono and Bo, and a satellite office in Kailahun. IRC will be working through civil society partners in Falaba district, and Karena district in the northern region of Sierra Leone.

The IRC in partnership with UNICEF Sierra Leone will be implementing a whole-school approach project to support the achievement of ending School-Related Gender-Based Violence in Sierra Leone. This project will seek to address the problem of SRGBV using an approach that will be guided by recommendations from 6 domains for minimum standards for a whole-school approach to minimizing SRGBV based on the UNICEF report on findings from school-related gender-based violence action research in schools and communities in Sierra Leone as well as IRC’s long experience of working in schools and communities in Sierra Leone on GBV and its consequences, especially for school-aged girls. The project will align itself with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education’s objective 4 in its Education Sector Plan 2022 – 2026[1] which specifically seeks to “Provide safe, healthy, and conducive educational environments”.

Job Summary Reporting to the Project Manager, the Senior Project Officer will be responsible for the day-to-day direct implementation of all components of the project activities within targeted rural communities in the district. S/he will be responsible for establishing and developing informal groups, in and outside of the school setting; community groups within communities including working with men and boys in the project communities and will carry out on-the-ground facilitation of the IRC’s project interventions with these clients. She/he will be involved in community mobilization, sensitization, and advocacy programs, and interface with school authorities, traditional institutions, religious leaders, community leaders, and local government authorities towards ensuring quality implementation of all the project components at the community levels. Working with the M & E Officers, S/he will collect reliable monitoring data in the target communities on a weekly and/or monthly basis in a timely manner. As such, the Senior Project Officer will be based in the target communities and report directly to the Project Manager.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS Position Reports to: Project Manager Position directly supervises: School Teachers, School Mentors and Community Facilitators internal: Education National Coordinator, WGPE Coordinator, District Field Manager, Project M & E Manager, Project M&E Officer External: The Donor, The MBSSE, The Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs (MoGCA), the District Council, International Non-Governmental Organizations, National Non- Governmental Organizations, other key partners, and stakeholders.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES Program implementation and quality Work directly on the implementation of the School Related Gender Based Violence Project in Kenema or Kono district, and manage associated day-to-day tasks, including: with support from the Project Manager, work on the establishment of Safe Spaces within schools for the implementation of life skills, and participate in weekly activities, including competitions, games, debates, and drama, and life skills sessions utilizing the IRC’s evidence-based Girl Shine and Empowering Adolescent Boys for Accountable Practice (EBAP) curricula in a safe, comfortable, and confidential manner and environment. Organise and conduct training for school heads, teachers, community leaders, school mentors, and school boards on GBV core concepts, Positive Parenting, Child Rights Act, School Safety Policy, and Teachers Code of Conduct, etc. Awareness raising on child protection; support to community child protection committees using IRC’s procedures. Ensure IRC’s case management service follows proper case management steps, referrals, and documentation are happening in a timely and quality manner. Supervise and regularly monitor the school and community facilitators, the GBV Focal points, and community Case Management Workers. With support from the Project Manager, ensure all aspects of programming follow best practice.

Work directly with established groups and communities across all aspects of programming, including: Data collection with support and guidance from the M&E Officer Community engagement and mobilization Capacity building – training, workshops, and mentoring Awareness raising and behavior change. Provide psychosocial support and well-being for school facilitators (including adolescent boys and girls) and community facilitators

Staff Development and Support Actively participate in capacity building opportunities and share learning and experiences with project partners and the wider Project team. Actively pursue professional development opportunities based on performance and development objectives, and liaise with supervisor for support on identifying and realizing these where possible

Representation and Advocacy Support the Project Manager by representing the team at any relevant district level and chiefdom level coordination meetings as and when required. Advocate for the needs, priorities and interest of adolescents at the community and district levels where required in line with the IRC’s approach to working with, supporting and empowering women and girls. Other Undertake tasks as requested by Supervisor.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS: Education: A minimum of a Diploma in Community Development, Social Work or equivalent in a relevant discipline. Experience: At least 2 years cognate experience in development work at community levels. Experience of working on GBV projects Good understanding of School Related Gender Based Violence, gender inequality and crisis Computer literacy and ability to work well using MS Office packages.

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Potential interview questions

Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: rescue.org