Project Officer - Environmental, Social, Health and Safety at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

As a for Environmental, Social, Health and Safety (ESHS) lead for the infrastructure component of the Advancing Cross-border Resilience and Opportunities for Safety and Stability (ACROSS) Project, you will facilitate the achievement of project objectives through coordinating and reporting all Productive and Social Infrastructure component project activities and providing technical guidance and advice to staff and implementing partner(s) advancing Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. Your coordination and relationship management skills will ensure that the ACROSS project applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and coordinate all ESHS functions as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices. This will also include completing project documentation for assigned activities and assisting with identifying information for case studies and reports on promising practices
• Monitor and report any challenges and/or gaps identified to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. Assist partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences.
• Support working relationships with all local project stakeholders (at the community level, INGO/NGO, and government) and serve as the liaison between them and the project team to mobilize local actors and promote project activities and impact.
• Supervise and perform ad-hoc inspections of various processes and resources at project sites to ensure timely project activities implementation and adherence to established process standards and procedures. Ensure proper tracking of resource use for project activities through periodic budget reviews and follow-up with, and assistance to the implementing partner.
• Produce technical designs and drawings, structural plans, and bills of quantities for infrastructure projects proposed in the ACROSS project or hire relevant technical specialists to ensure quality. Prepare indicative budgets for all infrastructure works designed.
• Work closely with other relevant project staff to design the Cash-for-Work protocol following community and LGA-level assessments. Work closely with community leaders to identify both skilled and unskilled CFW beneficiaries. Oversee the training of CFW beneficiaries.
• Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and assisting partners in their efforts to collect and analyze project data per specified mechanisms and tools. Collaborate with local partner(s) to prepare reports per the established reporting schedule.
• Collect information on staff capacity needs and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and monitor capacity building and technical support activities to ensure effective impact.

Required Languages - English and Hausa 

Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 60%.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proficient in using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Observation, active listening, and analysis skills with the ability to make sound judgment
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners and community members
• Attention to detail, accuracy, and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Experience in monitoring projects and collecting relevant data is preferred.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). Familiarity with GIS and GPS technology and Knowledge of CommCare will be added advantages.
• Hands-on experience in development, construction designs/drawings, structural designs, and bills of quantities. Also demonstrated experience using engineering design software for construction or water works (AutoCAD, EPANET, Autodesk Revit, etc.).

Basic Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, architecture, building, or construction management is preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years of work experience in project support, ideally in the field of Construction /Infrastructure management, and two years of experience in developing and implementing infrastructure or community infrastructure projects for development organizations/ an NGO.
• Being registered with professional regulatory bodies or institutions in engineering, construction, or architecture (such as COREN, NSE, NIA, ARCON, COBON, etc.) is an advantage.