Programme Officer, Accountability at Christian Aid

Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Department: International
Reports to: Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning Coordinator
Expected travel per annum: Occasional travel
Type of contract: Fixed Term
Contracted hours: 35
Contract length: 10 months
On call/unsocial hours: No

Role Purpose

• To assist the Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) unit and programs in implementing Accountability activities which would range from implementing/reviewing current Christian Aid accountability strategies. The role holder will support direct implementation of this component and ensure there is a high compliance to already stated protocols within the Christian Aid MEAL team.
• The role holder must be versed in the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) guideline, Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) principle and other relevant accountability guidelines.
• The role holder will periodically provide reports and information products for various stakeholders, all with the aim of seeking more support or showing the quality/achievement of Christian Aid Accountability work in the various projects.

Role Context:

• The role works within the International Programmes role family positioned within the humanitarian team. The role is key in providing Accountability support through complaints logging, management, tracking, analysis and reporting to the MEAL unit and various project leads. The role will normally work within the country office and there may be occasional travel required

Key Outcomes:

• Design accountability Logframe for the project
• Ensure through a systematic way that during distributions, helpdesk/information table are established to the community members to answer beneficiary comments/questions.
• Ensure proper entry of the complaints into the Christian Aid Complaints database
• Prepare Bi-weekly reports showing the various categories of complaints and the status of the complaints
• Ensure key information reaches beneficiaries using a number of methods (leaflets, orientation, help desk, etc.) Ensuring that all beneficiaries properly receive their benefits.
• Work with the rest of the Response Team to ensure Christian Aid accountability standards are included in staff orientation sessions, with a particular focus on Christian Aid Programme and Operational staff, and all staff members from partner organisations.
• Plan and conduct training sessions of relevant staff members (both Christian Aid and partner organisations) to support and ensure quality implementation of accountability mechanisms and information provision plans.

Role Requirements
Relationships (Key relationships, frequency of contact, purpose of contact (liaison/influencing/negotiating etc.):

• External:The role holder will have contact with partners, volunteers and stakeholders at state and LGA level.
• Internal:The position is line managed by the Accountability Officer- Humanitarian. Has a key role in ensuring good relations with other roles in programmes, finance and logistic and procuement.

Decision Making:

• The ability to make day to day strategic and operational decisions to assist in the administration and smooth running of the Partnership and programmes.

Analytical Skills:

• Ability to work with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, MYSQL and qualitative analysis softwareDeveloping self and others:
• Ability to take initiative, be self- motivated and build capacity of/guide new and existing staff on programme and Accountability requirement.

Person Specification (Applied skills/knowledge and expertise)
Essential:

• Degree in Statistics or the Social Sciences with at least 3 years working experience with an I/NGO
• Experience of monitoring, evaluation and Project/programme-cycle management approaches and tools – including participatory planning.
• Understanding and familiarity with data management tools
• Knowledge and use of mobile data collection technology
• Familiarity with Microsoft Packages.
• Hands-on experience of monitoring and supporting community-based development programmes.
• Excellent report writing, communication (written and verbal) skills, and strong IT skills.

Desirable:

• Understanding of partnership approach to international development
• Manage and organize information systems and establish and maintain filing systems
• Ability to produce quality reports, case studies and humanitarian briefs from analysis conducted on data sets and gathered qualitative information.

IT competency required:

• Intermediate.

Competency profile
LEVEL 2: You are expected to be able to:

Build Partnerships:

• Supportively manage teams or lead on projects, involving others in discussing how to take work forwards, helping people feel part of the team and treating everyone equally.
• Influence others to develop shared understanding and work cooperatively and collaboratively towards common goals where there are different personal or organizational agendas.
• Develop and maintain new relationships with individuals and organizations to further Christian Aid’s aims.
• Recognize and value differences in people; be ready to challenge assumptions, beliefs or attitudes in self or others.
• Manage expectations and adhere to what’s agreed, by doing what you say you’re going to do.

Communicate Effectively:

• Reflect the needs of different audiences, adapting style, media, timing and pace to communicate most effectively.
• Show an understanding of how personal and external factors impact on others’ communication style and needs and seek to manage these differences to ensure that all voices are heard.
• Clarify expectations and anticipate interests and potential issues of others, in order to help them get involved in debate and dialogue.

Steward Resources:

• Accept accountability internally and externally for the effective use of Christian Aid resources.
• Look for ways to achieve more effective outcomes by using existing resources in a new or different way, before using or commissioning new resources.
• Ensure results of self and others are achieved to quality and time by managing allocated resources and workloads.

Deliver Results:

• Create plans with key milestones and measurable outcomes: track progress and adjust to meet the objectives, ensuring others are aware of changes and reasons for them.
• Ensure individuals/ teams understand and agree to work to the overall goals, specific objectives and quality standards.
• Make recommendations or decisions in the best interest of Christian Aid, involving others as needed whether in and beyond own work area.
• Be willing to take action or make recommendations or decisions in difficult or ambiguous situations.
• Commit to your decisions and be accountable for them.
• Show willingness to adapt if your initial decision did not produce the expected result.

Realize Potential:

• Demonstrate continuing commitment to your own professional and personal development.
• Utilize coaching and mentoring skills to support others to develop.
• Encourage others to give their best by discussing goals and aspirations and recognize achievement.
• Provide an appropriate level of supervision according to need; know when to provide help and when to give others enough space to learn.
• Give constructive and timely feedback to others on difficult or contentious issues.
• Deal with poor performance directly and sensitively, seeking appropriate and timely advice and support if needed.

Strive for improvement:

• Be open to radical suggestions to avoid closing down options too early.
• Evaluate benefits and risks of new ways of working or ideas and identify ways to reduce risk.
• Find and implement ways to better support internal knowledge and information sharing.
• Coach others on dealing with resistance to change.
• Seek and evaluate a range of viewpoints, whether internal or external, about how Christian Aid could do things better, regardless of whose ideas they are and what role they have.

Salary
N8,114,408 per annum.

Click here for more Information (pdf)

Note

• Further details of specific tasks and duties will be agreed with the line manager as part of the performance agreement. Any reasonable duty may be assigned that is consistent with the nature of the job and its level of responsibility.
• This role profile is not prescriptive; it merely outlines the key behaviours the role-holder requires to be successful in the role; the key behaviours and responsibilities are subject to change. Any changes will be made in consultation with the role-holder.
• You will be expected to abide by the Code of Conduct, policies and procedures within Christian Aid which may be updated from time to time.
• You must be in sympathy with the aims, beliefs and values of Christian Aid as it seeks to work on relief, development and advocacy for poverty eradication.