Cash and Voucher (CVA) Officer at Save The Children

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3:  the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

To support implementation of the Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) component of the USAID/BHA funded humanitarian project - Multi-sector, Lifesaving Humanitarian Response in Yobe, Nigeria. More specifically, the CVA Officer will work closely with the CVA Coordinator and CVA Assistants to ensure that project deliverables are met on time and within acceptable quality standards. S/he is principally responsible for the field implementation of the MPCA component of the project, but will also be providing support to the Consortium partners in the Agriculture and Economic Recovery and Market Systems (ERMS) components. In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

• Reports to: CVA Coordinator
• Staff reporting to this post: CVA Assistant

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Programme Support (typically will be at field level):

• Oversee the implementation of CVA activities, including MPCA, Vouchers for Microgardening inputs, & IGA Cash Transfers.
• Develop activity work plans and manage day-to-day activity implementation;
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to community needs, meets targets, and is carried out in line with best practices;
• Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to vulnerability criteria;
• Ensure that identified risks associated with the CVA programme is constantly assessed and mitigation measures put in place to reduce them to levels as low as reasonably practicable.
• Establish and maintain effective program reporting, and monitoring and evaluation systems (to track, analyse and report on results) for both internal and external use;
• Integrate community approaches, protection mainstreaming, gender sensitivity and capacity building into all activities as appropriate;
• Ensure program filing system is in place, adheres to internal and donor regulation and filing is regularly maintained;
• Coordinate with MEAL team to map, identify and register program participants.
• Lead in the selection and registration of beneficiaries with support from MEAL team and Livelihood Assistants.
• Coordinate the sensitization of beneficiaries.
• Coordinate post distribution monitoring with MEAL team.
• Ensure effective community engagement to create enabling environment and ownership.
• Submit monthly program update including success stories to the supervisor.
• Identify emerging issues related to the livelihood programme and make recommendation for further solution.
• Working closely with the CVA Coordinator and/or other senior programme staff, support timely programme and donor reports on project activities in compliance with internal SC requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
• With support from the Accountability Lead ensure accountability is enforced in all project activities as well as ensuring that feedback from children and their families is considered in project design/implementation
• With support from the community mobilization lead, ensure effective and efficient information sharing to relevant stakeholders and continuous programme sensitization.
• Work closely with partners and their staff to ensure project activities are implemented in time and within the stipulated quality.
• To ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Charter and Red Cross Code of Conduct.

Capacity Building:

• Supervise, hire and orient team members, as necessary.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback via regular performance reviews.
• Provide team members with information, tools and other resources to improve performance and reach objectives.
• Contribute to country team-building efforts, help team members identify problem-solving options and ensure the integration of all team members into relevant decision-making processes.
• Identify any gaps or capacity needs within the team and ensure training and capacity building are incorporated into program planning.

Representation & Advocacy & Organisational Learning:

• Ensure that Save the Children's work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and support Interagency Coordination forums, advocating for the specific needs of children. This may involve supporting coordination working groups within the IDP camps and host communities or target project sites.
• Contribute to communications and media work as required through correction of data and information and sharing with the project heads

General:

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Relevant experience of working in livelihoods, including report writing.
• Educational qualification: B.SC in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Economics or its equivalent in any related field of study.
• Previous experience of project management and implementation of livelihoods component of humanitarian and/or development projects.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience of working in cash transfer programming, including report writing.
• Academic qualification in Economics, Business Administration, or other related fields
• Previous experience of project management and implementation
• Experience of and commitment to working through systems of community participation and accountability
• Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation
• Experience of training and staff capacity building
• Some experience of representation and ability to represent SC effectively in external forums.
• Knowledge of institutional donors and experience of developing proposals
• Ability to write clear and well-argued assessment and project reports
• Excellent communication and strong influencing skills
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
• A high level of written and spoken English
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
• Commitment to the aims and principles of SC. In particular, a good understanding of the SC mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support

Desirable

• High level of communication in a local language related to working environment
• Familiarity with inter sectoral integration of project interventions
• Experience in gender mainstreaming and social protection programming.

Additional job responsibilities

• The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

• We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Health and Safety

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.