Resilience Program Officer

Oxfam Novib Somalia/Somaliland is looking for aResilience Program Officer

Duty station:Burao, Somaliland with continuous field movement across project locations

Type of appointment: Fixed term

Contract duration: 12 months with possibility of renewal

Work schedule: Full-time (40 hours per week)

Reports to: Resilience Program Coordinator

Start date: As soon as possible

Deadline for applications: 10 November 2024

JOB PURPOSE: The Resilience Program Officer is responsible for implementing a multi-year –Oxfam resilience projects to be carried out in El-afweyn, Burao and Ainabo districts of Sanaag, Togdheer and Sool regions respectively. S/he will significantly contribute towards building a strong resilient community that can adapt with changing climate context and mitigate to prevailing climate shocks. This includes coordination and implementation of community based DRR programming, leading implementation of climate smart agriculture, NRM and environmental related activities, women economic empowerment and improving access to finance and markets. The officer will ensure inclusion of people with disability, women and youth in programming while applying strong understanding of market systems.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Project Implementation

• Develop and implement sustainable climate smart agricultural intervention including drying land farming approaches, livestock husbandry and herd management.

• Collaborate with producer groups to assess agricultural needs and implement best practices.

• Integrate DRR strategies into livestock and agricultural intervention models to improve community resilience.

• In collaboration with different community actors conduct risk assessment and develop appropriate contingency plans for different producer groups in Oxfam resilience target communities.

• Enhance soil and water conservation techniques to ensure sustainable land use and resource management.

• Involvement community/pastoralist in the development and operationalisation of grazing plans

• Support women and other vulnerable groups involving livestock and agricultural value chains in accessing financial services and markets.

• Support women’s economic empowerment programs (conduct financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and market linkage trainings)

• Effectively plan projects implementation by producing realistic and achievable workplans, supply plans and spending plans for assigned projects.

• Plan and pay weekly visits to project sites to meaningfully engage communities, carry out tasks as per workplan, monitor progress and coordinate with local authorities.

• Monitor performance by routinely updating project management tool and tracking the spending status. Alert line manager in case of challenges or gaps that could cause delay.

• Prepare progress updates drawn from the workplan by using project management tool and present the achievements against plan in monthly program review meeting.

• Offer continuous technical support to boost the capacity of vulnerable pastoral and agro-pastoral communities and help them build their resilience to shocks by equipping them with relevant skills and means to withstand shocks. This includes providing tailored trainings to communities to diversify their livelihoods.

• Makes complex technical information accessible and useable by non-specialist within a defined area.

• Develop a shared analysis of local issues, contacts and key players.

• In case of emergency response, undertake additional responsibilities related to respective functions.

• Feed into SOMREP resilience work, monitor trends and update issues to be presented to higher concerned bodies.

• Produce regular reports including field trip reports, weekly updates, monthly reports and contribute to donor site reports. Prepare and submit monthly 3W matrix reporting to ensure Oxfam work is duly reflected in the cluster dashboard.

• Monitor community root causes of vulnerabilities and propose appropriate, relevant actions to address them.

  Carry out periodic surveys and FGDs to measure progress on livelihoods diversification progress, satisfaction with and engagement of community to district or nearby markets.

1. Livelihoods and resilience building of target communities.

• The incumbent will be responsible for building community-based resilience and livelihoods of drought affected communities with limited coping mechanisms left. The job holder will enhance community-based institutions development to ensure those are the focal points/entry point for strengthened livelihoods work.
• Work with other team to strengthen the adoptive and absorptive capacity of the people in collaboration and coordination with various interventions taking place in the same areas
• Lead and implement community mobilization, beneficiary selection, verification and registration.
• Conduct pre – agriculture baseline survey for agropastoral areas in Sool, Togdheer and Sanag regions of Somaliland.
• Prepare and provide good agriculture practice (GAP) training for small farm holders in resilience project villages.
• Contribute to the development of CAAPs in the rural setting of Somaliland target locations.
• Train agriculture extension volunteers in agriculture techniques skills transfer
• Lead and explore Somaliland producers’ groups by providing necessary training and equipment.
• Provide training on quality control to reduce post-harvest loss.
• Responsible for the establishment of VSLAs, training and pursue regular mentoring to ensure successful and working groups as part of income generation activity and diversification of pastoral livelihood.
• Any other duties assigned by the supervisor.

1. Learning Documentation and Representation

• Represent Oxfam in community meetings involving local leaders in the field.
• Ensure strong documentation and visibility are in place and done in consultation with communications team.
• Document human success stories, case studies and capture good photos and short videos for program showcasing.
• Document any relevant learning drawn from project implementation. The learning can have both positive and negative impacts.

1. Reporting

• Contribute to regular reports adhering to OXFAM reporting formats at intervals. This includes field trip reports upon return from each field visit, monthly sectoral updates and donor reports.

1. Oxfam General
2. Actively participate in the implementation of performance management including objective setting, performance review, upward feedback and personal development plans. Ensure relevant aspects of Oxfam’s work in Somaliland e.g. gender equity is reflected in your objectives.
3. Ensure implementation of Oxfam Novib operational policies, procedures and guidelines, especially gender equity, in all aspects of Oxfam’s work with support from technical advisors and programme service staff as needed.
4. Be a member of Oxfam’s team; participating in appropriate staff meetings, planning sessions and on-going liaising as needed.
5. Required to make sound judgements regularly within agreed processes using technical knowledge, a good understanding of the team and the facilities of the team.
6. Communication largely with internal staff, also with some external contacts / target audiences to support operational work.
7. Analysis and internal communication of the locally relevant context to inform appropriate planning.
8. Supervises the work of contractors, partners and junior staff often in area of own specialism.
9. Community led program is at the centre of Oxfam work. The job holder is expected to use community led approach that includes community engagement as primary and core approach for the project implementation.
10. Ensure CMDRM approach is revitalized and used as basic community institution in the process of building the capacity of the people.
11. Monitor community feedback reported the hotline and address concerns in time.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, environmental science, Development studies or any related f field.
  • At least 3-4 years in livestock development, agricultural interventions, natural resource management with a focus on gender inclusion and DRR.
  • A good understanding of livestock systems, agricultural practices and market dynamics Excellent understanding & proven / progressive experience (minimum 3 years) of planning / designing and managing Resilience, Disaster Risk Reduction and Food Security & Livelihoods interventions in Somaliland context (pastoral & agro-pastoralist community)
  • Demonstrable experience of working on DRR, early warning, contingency planning and resourcing, market related component of livelihood such as value chain management etc.
  • Good understanding of the sustainable livelihoods approach and related issues.
  • Good understanding of cash-based interventions & food aid programmes.
  • Good understanding of and commitment to linking of relief, recovery and development work in FSL programmes.
  • Ability to analyse complex development / humanitarian contexts, monitor change and translate into appropriate strategic planning and advocacy.
  • Demonstrated collaborative approach including working with government actors/officials with good negotiation skills, diplomacy and tact.
  • High degree of self-motivation, ability to deliver tasks while operating under pressure and in difficult environments.
  • Sensitivity to cultural differences and ability to work in a variety of cultural contexts.
  • Well-developed interpersonal and team skills to develop effective multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams.
  • Proven ability to be flexible in demanding situations.
  • Fluency in writing and speaking English and Somali languages is essential.
  • Excellent report and proposal writing skills and experience in facilitating workshops. Good written and spoken English is similarly important.
  • Good computer skills (MS-word, MS-Excel, MS-Power Point and use of Email and Internet).