Project Officer at VSO

Contract Type: Fixed Term
Contract Length: 4 months
Full Time: 35 hours per week
Start Date: Week of 26 March 2019

Job Purpose

• With considerable experience of working with young people in an international development context, the project officer will be responsible for supporting a pair of volunteer Team leaders to provide pastoral support to a team of UK & In-Country volunteers, and facilitating learning for TL and Volunteers during their placements.
• The job holder will be in charge of day to day management of the ICS team in Enugu state.

Key Responsibilities

• Volunteer Support: Working under supervision of Youth Programmes Manager (YPM) to provide adequate support and supervision of volunteers throughout the programme. Promoting and encouraging appropriate behaviour and ensuring compliance with safety and security policies.
• Facilitation:Promoting learning amongst volunteers TL's and ICS volunteers on global, cross-cultural and intercultural issues through the delivery of training and learning tools and supporting youth led and on-placement training throughout the programme.
• Relationship management and partnership working:Work effectively with YPM and act as a representative of VSO Nigeria and partners at all times. Support host home and placement organization hosting volunteers with promoting learning, cross-cultural engagement and relationship building.
• Programme Development Support: Assist Youth Programmes Manager (YPO) and partners with programme design and identifying appropriate stakeholders and partners for programme delivery as and
• When required. This is in close collaboration with the programme managers education and livelihoods
• Reporting, Monitoring and Evaluation: To regularly update project stakeholders on project progress, including the prompt reporting of Medical and safety and security incidents to the Country People Manager.
• To gather data and produce a project report in accordance with the programme M&E framework. Support volunteers to Produce case studies capturing impact.
• Budget Management: Together with counterpart project supervisor manage the project budget, submitting monthly reports to the partner and country office.
• Stakeholder feedback indicates relationships                                                            

Key Performance Indicators:

• Volunteer TL's receive at least one pre-departure session with PS to set personal development goals
• Volunteers TL's receive minimum of three face to face supervisions sessions for support with adapting and working effectively on the programme
• Safety and security briefings received and action taken when protocols breached
• Volunteer TL's and ICS volunteers receive in-country training and support to deliver youth-led training and learning activities throughout the programme
• Volunteer feedback on learning materials and support for learning received
• Volunteer and line manager feedback indicates PO's relationship with partner and IV's and Host communities is a model of good practice.
• Minimum of 3 supervision sessions to discuss performance with line manager well managed Programme design and planning with PMs incorporates PO's feedback and contributions Host home and placements established with PO's and CPMs support
• Programme briefing information for Volunteers reflects PS inputs
• Project report submitted in accordance with ICS M&E framework
• Incident reports submitted to country office and Medical Unit where appropriate
• Programme stakeholders receive regular updates
• Monthly reconciliation reports submitted
• Project comes in within budget

Competencies
The following are taken from VSO's competency framework:

• Working together - Strength: Successfully leads teams and develops others’ team-working skills
• Communicating and influencing - Adds Value: Proactively builds relationships and generates effective discussion and mutual support for plans and ideas
• Managing knowledge - Adds Value: Proactively seeks out new knowledge sources (people and data); uses and shares knowledge effectively
• Striving for excellence - Adds Value: Sets and measures challenging objectives for self and others; gives evidence-based feedback that helps others to excel.
• Managing Resources - Aware: Spends VSO’s money responsibly; organizes own work to meet objectives on time.
• Managing People - Aware: Requests and follow up on appropriate support from others; raises concerns about uncooperative colleagues in an appropriate way
• Developing people - Adds Value: Helps team members to create and implement clear development plans that meet their own short and long term needs.
• Leading for the future - Aware: Is enthusiastic about VSO’s work, lives VSO’s values and is open to new ideas
• Thinking strategically - Aware: Understands the context of own role; considers impact of own work on others.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience Required
Essential:

• Youth Work: Proven experience of working with and providing support to 18-25 year olds from a wide range of backgrounds with proven ability to facilitate learning in a non-formal environment
• Cross-Cultural Working: Direct and substantial experience of working cross-culturally and able to communicate to a range of audiences and promote sharing and learning between cultures
• International Development: Knowledge of issues which are common to communities in developing countries, possibly achieved through working or living in a developing country. Experience of promoting learning about development issues.
• Communication: Possession of strong verbal communication to work effectively and inclusively with an overseas colleague. Strong written communication skills needed for writing reports.
• Supervision: Significant experience of working in a supervisory role. Proven ability to promote self-awareness, learning and development among individuals.
• Planning and Organising: Able to develop clear and realistic plans to deliver agreed objectives within deadlines, involving key individuals in the planning process.

Desirable:

• Budget Management: Experience of managing budgets and undertaking accounting procedures.
• Volunteering: Sufficient experience of working with volunteers to understand the key factors which make volunteer placements viable, effective and rewarding.
• Programme Design and Evaluation: Experience of designing and evaluating youth programmes in an international context. Experience of using monitoring and evaluation tools and processes.
• Delivering Results - Adds Value: Analyses objectives, considers options, plans and manages appropriately; holds self and team Accountable for achieving goals.

Salary
Competitive remuneration.