Job Description

International Rescue Committee

Sierra Leone Program

4 Off Hill Cot Road, Freetown

Sierra Leone

Tel : +232 (0)76 471 796

Email : SL-Administration@rescue.org

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Position:                             WGPE Senior Officer (2)  

Reports to:                          WGPE Senior Program Manager.

Location:                             Bo

Grade:                                 8A

Duration:                           Twelve Months Initially (Renewable Annually)

Deadline for applications: 28th June 2022 

(Only the applicants who have applied via the IRC Website Cornerstone and shortlisted for interview will be contacted). 

BACKGROUND :

Present in Sierra Leone since 1999, IRC supports Sierra Leonean institutions – government, civil society, community-based organizations, and private sector – to provide improved social services, decrease youth unemployment and mitigate gender-based violence.  The IRC does this through programs and partnerships designed to improve the lives of women, youth, and children by implementing Health, Education, and Women and Girls’ Protection and Empowerment (WGPE) programming.  IRC.  IRC has a Country Program office in Freetown, a Regional Field Office in Kenema, Field Offices in Kono and Bo, and a satellite office in Kailahun. IRC will be working through civil society partners in Falaba district, and Karena district in the northern region of Sierra Leone.

The IRC through its WGPE sector will be implementing the “Adolescent Girls Empowerment and Protection Project” (AGEPP) Phase 2 from 2022 to 2024, and its main aim is ‘to support the empowerment of Adolescent Girls through relevant education, knowledge, and skills for obtaining their full potential and inclusive participation in society’.  This project will be implemented in Bo District and is a follow-on project from AGEPP Phase 1 (2019-2022).  It will primarily focus on adolescent girls over a 3-year period, with the recognition that their empowerment cannot be fully achieved without change occurring within the family and the community. Therefore, this project will also target female caregivers of the girls, male leaders within the community, boys, and the community at large. Using learning from the period of the COVID 19 pandemic, Ebola and other natural disasters that have occurred in previous years, which resulted in increased vulnerability and incidence of adolescent girls to SGBV, teenage pregnancy and FGM, the project will seek to bring about changes that will build resilience in the communities and will allow them to take full ownership of the problems and solutions of their adolescent girls leading to the reduction of early marriage and teenage pregnancy. To be able to achieve this effectively, the project will also explore through research, how climate change affects adolescent girls.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Project Manager, the WGPE Senior Officer will be responsible for the day-to-day direct implementation of all components of the project within targeted rural communities in Bo district. S/he will be responsible for establishing and developing informal adolescent girls’ groups, outside of the school setting; Women Action Groups (WAGS) within communities and working with men and boys in the project communities and will carry out on-the-ground facilitation of the IRC’s project interventions with these clients. She/he will be involved in community mobilization, sensitization and advocacy programs, and interface with traditional institutions, religious leaders, community leaders, and local government authorities towards ensuring quality implementation of all the project components at the community levels. S/he will lead collection of reliable monitoring data in the target communities on monthly and/or quarterly basis in a timely manner.  As such, the Senior Officer will be based in the target communities and report directly to the Project Manager.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

Position Reports to:  WGPE Project Manager

Position directly supervises:  Mentors in the communities, community facilitators and other project clients.

internal: WGPE Senior Program Manager, WGPE Coordinator, Field Manager-Bo, M & E Manager, M&E Officer

External: The Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender, and Children’s Affairs (MSWGCA) – Bo district, Bo District Council, International Non-Governmental Organizations, National Non- Governmental Organizations, the Donor, other key partners and stakeholders.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program implementation and quality

• Work directly on the implementation of the AGEPP Phase 2 in Bo district, and manage associated day-to-day tasks, including:
  1. with support from the Project Manager and the WGPE Senior Program Manager, work on the start-up and implementation of Girl Shine groups, Women Action groups, boys groups, ensuring groups are formed in a safe, comfortable, and confidential manner and environment.

• Work directly with groups and communities across all aspects of programming, including:
  1. Community engagement and mobilization
  2. Capacity building – training, workshops, and mentoring
  3. Awareness raising and behaviour change
  4. Support exploration through research on how climate change affects adolescent girls.
  5. Provide psychosocial support and well-being for mentors and community facilitators
  6. Economic empowerment of older adolescent girls and women
  7. Women and girls’ leadership and solidarity building
  8. Work with IRC partners
• With support from the Project Manager, ensure all aspects of programming follow best practice.

• Actively participate in WGPE capacity building opportunities and share learning and experiences with project partners and the wider WGPE teams
• Actively pursue professional development opportunities based on performance and development objectives, and liaise with supervisor for support on identifying and realizing these where possible

Representation and Advocacy:

• Support the managers on site by representing the WGPE team at any relevant district level and chiefdom level coordination meetings as and when required
• Advocate for the needs, priorities and interest of women and girls at the community level and district where required in line with WGPEs approach to working with, supporting and empowering women and girls.

Other:

• Undertake tasks as requested by Supervisor

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

A minimum of a Diploma in Community Development, social work or equivalent in a relevant discipline.

Experience:

• At least 2 years cognate experience in development work at community levels.
• Experience of working on women and girls’ empowerment projects
• Good understanding of how gender inequality and crisis impacts the lives of women and girls in Sierra Leone.
• Computer literacy and ability to work well using MS Office packages.
• Experience in community mobilization, advocacy, and conflict management.
• Experience using digital tools for data collection and survey activities.
• Understands geographic terrain and environment.

SKILL & ABILITIES :

Mandatory:

• Committed to the mission and principles of the International Rescue Committee.
• Operational management – understand IRC policies and systems and applies them effectively.
• Applies effective utilization of resources.
• The ability to work within a team environment.
• The ability to identify issues, problems, and opportunities early and inform line manager.
• Results driven – ensures objectives and deadlines are met.
• Role model – Builds effective work practices through role model.
• Self-Management – The ability to adapt and learn, accept constructive feedback and instructions from supervisor’s
• Can communicate effectively in English (both verbal and written) and the local language
• Organization skills, including time management and the ability to work independently and take initiative
• Ability to work in very basic conditions
• Good interpersonal skills to establish effective working relationships with all staff and key stakeholders externally.
• Good motorbike riding skills and valid driving license

Mode of Application: 

All applications must be done using the below link and should include a cover letter, updated CV, names of three referees and their active telephone and email contacts, copies of professional certificates and testimonial

APPLY

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