Programme Support Officer (0372)

About the role

This is a 12 month replacement role with unaccompanied terms based in Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR).  This is a volunteer position.

You will report to the Programmes Director, also based in Bangui, and will work closely with the Country Director, Systems Director, Country Finance Manager, Logistics Coordinator and Programme Managers.

We would like you to start on the 1^st March 2018.

Your purpose: The PSO is a multi-faceted role, liaising with different departments at both head office and field level and providing backstopping support for a number of key processes. The PSO will support programme design, preparation of programme proposals and donor reports, setting up and maintaining knowledge management systems within Concern CAR, support country-wide Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) functions, develop communication materials & case-studies and provide the necessary documentation support to the Senior Management Team (SMT).

You will be responsible for:

Programme Design and Support

• Conduct field visits to monitor, review and understand the programmes, identify strengths and weakness and make recommendations for further development.
• Work with the Programme Director to develop proposals and ensure timely submission to donors.
• Support Programme Director and Country Director in maintaining a donor database and a database of potential national partners.
• Support programme managers in preparing timely quality reports for donors and Concern HQ and internal monitoring. Ensure compliance to the reporting calendar.
• Support programme teams in organising and implementing activities when required, or covering gaps if necessary.
• Support HR and Programmes with recruitment processes.
• Help coordinate visits from HQ staff or consultants and accompany English-speaking visitors and advisors to the field.
• Collate management responses to reports, evaluations, advisor trip reports etc. and support the programme managers to ensure the plans are implemented.
• Organise training sessions with national staff.
• Provide support to the Programmes Director and Country Director for the filing of documentation, both electronic and hard copy documentation.
• Ensure compliance with Concern’s Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4).

Monitoring and evaluation 

• In collaboration with Programme Director, ensure that M&E plans, database and tools are in place for both development and emergency programmes and follow up to ensure that teams are clear on what information needs to be gathered for monitoring purposes.
• Support the tracking of project progress against targets ensuring field teams submit information on time and as per plan
• Support in data analysis and review all survey, evaluation and assessment reports and case studies commissioned, supporting to finalise the documents.
• Perform M&E support related tasks: ensure liaison between the field and HQ, make survey requests, and translate survey forms when needed.
• Support the Programmes Director to organise programme review workshops.
• Work with programme managers, and other relevant personnel to further the roll-out of Digital Data Gathering (DDG) across programmes. Support the training of programme teams in M&E processes and DDG more specifically.

Coordination and Public Relations

• Support departments in the coordination with other organisations and agencies for the delivery of services and materials.
• Contribute to the conception of national sectoral policies as required.
• Support the Programmes Director in coordinating the Food Security Cash Working Group.
• Represent Concern at various fora including  the weekly Humanitarian Forum and clusters
• Assist the Senior Management Team to develop country specific papers and reports for profile building and advocacy.
• Network with partners and organisations, and especially with organisations that have a sectorial and geographical proximity.

Knowledge and information management 

• Assist in translating key documents from French to English and vice versa as required.
• Improve the storage and dissemination of information within the programme.
• Ensure version control of documents and filing of final HQ, donor & M&E reports and proposals.
• Fill-in cluster matrices and information materials with the support of programme teams.
• Record and produce the minutes of management and programme meetings or other relevant meetings.  Ensure timely circulation.
• Support any research initiatives planned and liaise with the Knowledge Management department in Dublin and PMs for recording knowledge on programme implementation and other. Support the PMs in gathering and documenting learning.
• Produce and improve existing programme maps and visualisations for the better comprehension of our intervention zones.

Communication

• Support the Country Director in updating and creating communication materials (the Concern CAR brochure, quarterly update, roll-ups for public events) for local and international communication.
• Produce short documents with informative materials for the better understanding of key Concern policies and documents.
• Produce case studies, take pictures and write blogs for the Concern website.
• Liaise with Dublin and London Communication teams to contribute to communication campaigns and appeals, sending materials for their use or completed work for their review.
• Use social networks to promote in-country events and activities.
• Assist national staff to produce good quality communication materials.
• Cross-Cutting Issues: Gender/Protection/HIV/Disaster Risk Reduction/Environment 

• Support Programmes Director and liaise with the relevant PMs in implementing and monitoring a more systematic mainstreaming of gender, protection, HIV, Disaster Risk Reduction and environment in programming.
• Support programme teams in the reinforcement of the P4 and Concern Code of Conduct, as well as the participation of women in programme activities.
• Support Programmes Director and other key Concern personnel on the elaboration and follow-up of the Plan for Effective Emergency Response (PEER), Core Humanitarian Standards and the new Complaints Response Mechanism. 
• Your skills and experience will include:
• Any other tasks as assigned by the Programme Director or the Country Director.

Education, Qualifications & Experience Required:

• Third level qualification in Development Studies, Humanitarian Aid, Nutrition, Public Health, WASH, Food Security/Livelihood or other related discipline
• Fluency in written and spoken French and English
• Excellent experience of programme design and successful proposal development
• Experience in programme management, monitoring and evaluation, including the design and implementation of M&E plans, databases and tools, and the analysis and use of data and results to improve programme quality experience
• Good communication and networking skills with peers, donors and government
• Good experience in effective relationship building and staff development skills (including the ability to motivate, support and mentor colleagues)
• Empathy with Concern’s goals and a commitment to capacity building, protection and participation including Concern’ s P4
• Experience of working and living in insecure and sensitive environments and in complex humanitarian settings or emergency response
• Ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines

We would also like:

• Experience with gender, equality, disaster risk reduction, peacebuilding, HIV &AIDS and protection mainstreaming
• Experience in participatory approaches for programme design and implementation
• Experience of capacity building with partner organisations
• Experience in designing and implementing Complaint Response Mechanisms
• Skills in Digital Data Gathering, statistics and statistical analysis software packages
• Analytical and problem solving skills
• Cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Strong proven delegation, time management and prioritising skills
• Good team player, flexible, patient and adaptable to a changing environment
• Previous work experience in the central African region, particularly in CAR