Project Assistant - Work in Progress at Oxfam

Requisition Id: 6696
Internal Job Grade: E1
Contract Type: Fixed-term (with the possibility of renewal based on funding)
Reports To: Work in Progress / SME Development Project Lead
Key relationships/interactions: Program management unit, Finance, Supply & Logistics, and IPE

Team Purpose

• The Work in Progress! (WiP!) project aims to create more employment and positive expectations about the future for young men and women in Nigeria, Egypt & Somalia. This overarching objective will be achieved via the three complementary pillars depicted below:
• Increasing the supply of skilled youth by developing young people’s skills and capacities; Providing business development services to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to enhance their growth; and
• Cultivating an enabling environment for youth employment, startups and SMEs.

Job Purpose

• The post holder will be responsible for the Monitoring and Learning activities of Oxfam in Nigeria and of the partners all within the boundaries of the project Work in Progress. Therefore the Project Assistant will work closely with the Project lead-based in Abuja office and other colleagues within the Project Management team (both in the Netherlands and in Abuja). The project organisation is matrix-based.
• The post holder will keep oversight of the progress of project activities and monitor the indicators of the partner organisations and the activity planned by Oxfam in Nigeria. Fostering partnership management and assisting the Project lead in organizing joint activities among the partners.
• Ensuring project activities respond to the youth employment needs and the context-specific way of working as defined by the Nigerian context. It will also include monitoring of the ‘Enabling Environment’ strategy.

Job Responsibilities

• Monitor and support monitoring of and by partner organizations during the implementation of their activities
• Support the Project lead and Finance Officer in using partnership management tools of Oxfam
• Develop ideas where added value of the joint activities can be increased; how the project strategy and risks to the project can be monitored and amended
• Provide support to project development and fundraising within WIP! Project
• Monitor the ‘Enabling Environment’ strategy.
• Any other duties assigned by the Project Manager

Monitoring & Evaluation Tasks:
Monitoring:

Implementation of MEAL plan:

• timely administration of online surveys (overview of activity planning essential), supporting partners in surveys implementation if needed, monitoring of surveys’ completion in Survey Monkey

Updates of MEAL framework:

• 6-monthly updates of actuals in framework (thorough understanding of project’s indicators essential), providing project manager with information about project implementation based on collected data on a regular basis, this can be monthly or two monthly
• Keep an updated database of beneficiaries and other supporting documents for reporting against previously agreed indicators

Reporting:

• Prepare/update reporting templates for partners especially the MEL framework. In cooperation with the partners and the global MEL advisor
• Support the compilation of the reports at project level and link to programme level

Communication with partners:

• inform and discuss with partners upcoming MEL-related activities, collect feedback and suggest adjustments if needed

Learning:

• Contribute to, follow up, and shape the learning agenda of WiP! project
• Ensure logistics for and help facilitate learning events (yearly)
• Develop and/or contribute to creation of learning products based on qualitative and quantitative research in the project and/or interviews with partners
• Communicate and discuss findings and recommendations to project manager (and partners)
• Discuss survey report with partners and get feedback. Communicate feedback with global MEL advisor. Ensure relevant comments are taken into account in final report.

Other:

• Eager and required to adhere to Oxfam’s principles and values (click here) as well as the promotion of gender justice and women's rights (click here).
• Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, gender, child safety and staff health and wellbeing principles.

Person’s Specification
Essential:

Education:

• First degree or equivalent in Political Sciences, Economics, Financial Management, , Law or other relevant qualification.

Experience:

• 2-3 years’ working experience in a development organization
• 1-2 years’ experience in Monitoring Evaluation And Learning(MEAL) of development projects
• Experience developing or using M&E systems in projects with different components and/or interventions.
• Experience in working with partner organisations.
• Experience in working in a multi-national/ cultural environment.
• Experience in working with young people .

Skills & Abilities:

• Strong organisational and personal management skills, with ability to prioritise work issues to meet deadlines with minimal supervision and adjust to constantly changing situations while maintaining focus on delivery and follow-through.
• Strong analytical skills and experience using a computerised information management system (Ms. Word, Excel etc.).
• Strong training and facilitation skills for various groups at multiple skill levels.
• Excellent in both oral and written English language .
• Willingness to travel at least once in the 3 months

Key Attributes:

• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural differences and gender issues, as well as the commitment to equal opportunities.
• Ability to demonstrate an openness and willingness to learn about the application of gender/gender mainstreaming, women’s rights, and diversity for all aspects of development work.
• Commitment to Oxfam’s safeguarding policies to ensure all people who come into contact with Oxfam are as safe as possible.

Organisational Values:

• Accountability - Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions.
• Empowerment - Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen.
• Inclusiveness - We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences.

Key Behavioral Competencies:

• Decisiveness: We are comfortable to make transparent decisions and to adapt decision making modes to the context and needs.
• Influencing: We have the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders in a way that leads to increased impact for the organization We spot opportunities to influence effectively and where there are no opportunities, we have the ability to create them in a respectful and impactful manner.
• Humility: We put ‘we’ before ‘me’ and place an emphasis on the power of the collective, nurture the team and play to the strengths of each individual. We are not concerned with hierarchical power, and we engage with, trust and value the knowledge and expertise of others across all levels of the organization.
• Relationship Building: We understand the importance of building relationship, within and outside the organization. We have the ability to engage with traditional and non-traditional stakeholders in ways that lead to increased impact for the organization.
• Listening: We are good listeners who can see where deeper levels of thoughts and tacit assumptions differ. Our messages to others are clear and consider different preferences.
• Mutual Accountability: We can explain our decisions and how we have taken them based on our organizational values.  We are ready to be held to account for what we do and how we behave, as we are also holding others to account in a consistent manner.
• Agility, Complexity, and Ambiguity:  We scan the environment, anticipate changes, are comfortable with lack of clarity and deal with a large number of elements interacting in diverse and unpredictable ways.
• Systems Thinking: We view problems as parts of an overall system and in their relation to the whole system, rather than reacting to a specific part, outcome or event in isolation. We focus on cyclical rather than linear cause and effect. By consistently practicing systems thinking we are aware of and manage well unintended consequences of organizational decisions and actions.
• Strategic Thinking and Judgment: We use judgment, weighing risk against the imperative to act. We make decisions consistent with organizational strategies and values.
• Vision Setting: We have the ability to identify and lead visionary initiatives that are beneficial for our organization and we set high-level direction through a visioning process that engages the organization and diverse external stakeholders.
• Self-Awareness: We are able to develop a high degree of self-awareness around our own strengths and weaknesses and our impact on others. Our self-awareness enables us to moderate and self-regulate our behaviors to control and channel our impulses for good purposes.
• Enabling: We all work to effectively empower and enable others to deliver the organizations goals through creating conditions of success. We passionately invest in others by developing their careers, not only their skills for the job.  We provide freedom; demonstrate belief and trust provide appropriate support.