Job Description

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Post Title: Project Officer

Duty station: Hargeisa, Somaliland

Duration: Fixed Contract

Closing Date:    20th December, 2022

SOS Children’s Villages is a global federation of 136 national SOS Children’s Villages associations, working in more than 2000 programme locations worldwide. We work together with a single vision: every child belongs to a family and grows with love, respect and security.

SOS Children’s Villages is committed to the welfare of children who lost parental care or at risk of losing parental care – often ensuring that children grow up in a loving family environment, and to strengthening families and communities as a preventive measure in the fight against child abandonment and social neglect, and upholds child protection policy as part of their commitment to the protection of children and youth from abuse.

SOS Children’s Villages is implementing community-based diabetes project in 5 IDPs in Hargeisa where there are already ongoing projects of Family Strengthening Programing (FSP) which intend to enhance the overall living conditions of the families and create strong social systems to support vulnerable members in their communities. The FSP programs support economic empowerment of families by establishing viable and market relevant businesses which can give sustainable income to the familiesThe Diabetes related project is integrated with the overall FSP program portfolio and specifically target vulnerable families who are at-risk of developing diabetes and those who already have members living with diabetes and need support. The project will also enhance the overall knowledge related to diabetes through awareness realizing sessions and trainings to community members, teachers and health workers.

SOS Children’s Villages is seeking a Project Officer who will be responsible for diabetes project- Increasing Diabetes Awareness and Care in Somaliland. She/he will be responsible for supporting the capacity building and economic empowerment of beneficiaries especially families and children; creating and maintaining beneficiary data base system; office administration, building strong relationships with broad range of stakeholders in project areas and ensuring project implementation with directions from the project coordinator.

SOS Children’s Villages in Somaliland seeks to fill the positions of Project Officer which will be based in Hargeisa, Somaliland: Applications are herewith invited from interested candidates who meet the criteria set below

Key Duties Include:

• Working closely with project coordinator and FS social workers to conduct public awareness on prevention and managing chronic diseases especially diabetes.

• Organize capacity building training for health workers, teachers and health structures to provide awareness and support to vulnerable communities.

• Ensure resilience of people living with Diabetes from vulnerable communities for better self-diabetic management.

• Provide IGA livelihood grants, glucometer and its strips to people living with diabetes from poor and vulnerable household.

• Supports and assists FS Project Coordinator in the development of sustainable community services/activities in the frame of Family Strengthening Programme.

• Ensures project activities are implemented, coordinated, monitored, followed-up on timely basis and proper documentations were made through project progress reports.

• Conducts comprehensive assessment of children and families in strong cooperation with the multidisciplinary team using different

• Arranges, provides and coordinates the delivery of services to children and families in strong partnership with other service providers and in line with the family development plan.

• Keeps regular contacts with child and family during the implementation of family development plan through phone calls, home visits and meetings in project premises.

• Lead and support the timely implementation of approved annual plans and budgets;

• Coordinate and ensure that budget is used as planned in line with SOS finance policy

• Lead and support families’ access to essential services required to fulfill their children’s developmental needs and rights;

• Lead and support families/caregivers’ access to income generation and livelihood training and support

• Lead and support children’s and young adults ‘access to education and training services

• Documents appropriately all activities conducted during the case management stages in the child/family case file by applying methods and tools for gathering information, as well as forms/templates, based on the requirements of national legislation and/or regional guidelines.

• Participates in annual planning & budgeting process of FS project.

• Reassesses periodically the child/family needs and progress in meeting the objectives defined in Family Development Plan and make decisions on the case closure, in cooperation with family members and the multidisciplinary team.

• Update the fact sheets, FS database and other records on monthly basis.

• Maintains personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job, participates in appropriate training activities and keeps up with organizational procedures, legislation and developments in the professional practice.

• Establishes and maintains good working relationships with local authorities, line ministries, community leaders, project participants and other parties in the project areas

• Keeps regular contacts with service providers to ensure that services are provided according to objectives and actions agreed in Family Development Plan.

• Contributes in community development undertaken by the Family Strengthening Programme, i.e., organize/participate in awareness raising activities, community mobilization events and capacity building of the target community(s)

• Supports FS Coordinator in documenting good practices, human touch stories and success stories.

• Keeps regular track of latest developments in social work area as well as changes in national legislation, policies and practices related to children in the target group.

• Facilitates ongoing participatory monitoring and evaluation throughout the project implementation process ensuring full participation of the management committees and beneficiaries.

• Performs additional duties and responsibilities are set out in the detailed position job description.

Skills and Qualifications

Qualities and Key competences:

• Knowledge on management of community-based projects of Good spoken and written English

• Effective communication and interpersonal skills,

• Leadership qualities and skills

• A keen listener, team builder and a great motivator with a capacity to live and work in a culturally diverse atmosphere.

• Have good understanding the context.

• Counselling and communication skills.

Qualification and Experience:

• First degree in Social Work, Public Health, Sociology, or Community Development.

• Full knowledge on Project Cycle Management, and Result Based Management

• Technical Report Writing Skills

• Business management certification

• Proven knowledge/experience in facilitating trainings, coaching and mentor

• Experience of business entrepreneurship or technical vocational education will be major advantage.

• Experience on community mobilization, awareness raising as well as working with children and women.

• Knowledge of child rights and child protection as well as gender related issues.

• At least three years working experience as a Project officer or community development officer.

• Thorough report writing and case study skills.

• Experienced in working with community-based organizations (CBOs) and families,

• Proficiency in computer knowledge.

How to apply

 Interested applicants should send their updated applications with a CV and scanned copies of academic and professional certificates indicating telephone numbers and three referees to: hr@sos-somaliland.org. Closing date is 20th December, 2022. SOS Children’s Villages in Somaliland is an equal employer; female candidates are encouraged to apply. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

SOS Children’s Villages organization is committed to safeguarding the rights of the children and therefore, it is expected that every individual who joins with SOS Children’s Villages in Somaliland understand his/her responsibility in protecting and keeping