Job Title: Officer – Community Empowerment
Reports to: Project Manager – KE-IGAPP Project
Closely Work with : Externally: Institute of Economic Affairs, IGAPP Project Consortium members County Government departments and County Assemblies, Internally: Line manager, sector staff from health and nutrition, livelihoods, governance, advocacy and community engagement
Job Location: 4 Vacancies (Kakamega, Nakuru, Isiolo, Coast (Kilifi and Mombasa)
Contract Details: Fixed term – 12 months with the possibility of extension subject to performance
Job Summary
The jobholders will provide technical leadership in developing, implementing and maintaining citizen participation and accountability interventions at the County level. S/he will be responsible for capacity building and supporting CSOs/LDOs and County structures for improved citizen participation and accountability in health service delivery. Candidates requested to indicate clear interest of County in their application. These are Kakamega or Nakuru or Isiolo or Coast (Mombasa and Kilifi). Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed only for the specific county they applied for.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Community Engagement
- Participate in the training of Community Facilitators on community engagement using Community Conversations (CC) approach
- Provide technical backstopping for Community Facilitators in conducting community entry using the CC approach.
- Responsible for coordinating the utilization of CC approach for improved citizen participation and accountability
- Participate in the development and review of community engagement materials including manuals, tools, templates etc.
Citizen participation and Social accountability
- Conduct capacity strengthening and support to County structures for improved citizen participation through training
- Provide technical assistance to the County Department of Public Administration and Directorates of Citizen Participation to strengthen the linkages and coordination between formal governance and community structures in line with county public participation laws and policies
- Provide technical mentorship to CSOs and LDOs to engage, and catalyze citizens, government, and the private sector for oversight and accountability purposes
- Participate in empowering communities to participate actively in the County Public Finance Management cycle and utilization of social accountability tools
Planning, reporting and documentation
- Responsible for providing leadership in the implementation of citizen participation and accountability activities in the county
- Responsible for the development of County monthly and quarterly work plans for all project activities.
- Develop quality training, monthly and quarterly project reports
- Participate in all project planning, coordination and learning meetings
Monitoring and Evaluation:
- Conduct regular field visits to monitor project implementation and quality
- Collect project monitoring data using defined MEAL tools
- Participate in field visits for the project with donors, consortium partners
Representation:
- Represent the project at County, Sub-county, Ward and community level coordination and technical forums.
- Maintain good working relationships, linkages and coordination with relevant partners
Others
- Adhere to and promote the standards outlined in the Concern Code of Conduct and associated policies to their team, beneficiaries, and be committed to providing a safe working environment
- Participating and contributing towards Concern’s emergency response, as and when necessary
- Take all possible measure to meet Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS)
- Any other duties as assigned by the line manager
Person Specification
Minimum Education, Qualifications & Experience Required:
- A bachelor’s degree in community development, social sciences or any other relevant field.
- A Trainer of Trainer (TOT) in participatory approaches. TOT in the Community Conversations approach will be an added advantage.
- At least three years’ experience in utilizing participatory approaches for citizen participation and social accountability.
- Good knowledge of Public Finance Management (PFM)
- Fluency in spoken and written language in English, and Swahili. Knowledge of at least one of the local languages spoken in County is an added advantage
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Good computing and report-writing skills
- Be able to work independently, as well as in a team
- Be willing to accept responsibility and to show good judgment, initiative, and resourcefulness.
Preference will be given to candidates who have:
- A Trainer of Trainer (TOT) in participatory approaches.
- Experience in utilizing participatory approaches for citizen participation and accountability
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and report writing skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively in teams.
- High integrity and demonstrated ability to follow standards and policies
- Ability to work in a systematic and organized manner
- Energy to work long hours when needed and be out in the field all day
Competencies required:
- Good communication skills and can work well with others
- Deliver results
- Leadership skills
- Creative and innovative and open-minded to changes
- Influence and lobbying skills
Safeguarding at Concern: Code of Conduct and its Associated Policies
Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisation, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a consultancy opportunity with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their consultancy contract. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to do consultancy work or volunteer with vulnerable adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Subsequently, being hired as a consultant with Concern is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking.
Concern’ is the trading name of ‘Concern Worldwide’, a company limited by guarantee, registered number 39647; registered charity number CHY 5745, registered in Ireland, registered address is 52-55 Lower Camden Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. Follow Concern online: www.concern.net
How to apply
Interested candidates, who meet the above requirements, should send a detailed CV with three referees and Cover Letter Only to [email protected] with the subject of the email as ‘Officer Community Empowerment’ specifying the location you are applying for on or before Friday 5th January 2024. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.
Concern Worldwide is an equal opportunity employer and does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (for application, written test, interview, training, medical examination etc.) nor act through recruitment agents. This is applicable for all opportunities including staff and interns.
Your Personal Data
During this job application, you will provide Concern with your personal data. Concern takes its responsibilities towards this personal data very seriously and is committed to complying with all relevant data protection legislation.
Concern receives a substantial amount of funding from external donors each year. Increasingly donors are introducing requirements whereby future funding is conditional on ensuring that the name of any employee or volunteer (existing or new), does not appear on terrorism lists generated by the European Union (List of person, groups and entities to which Regulation (EC No. 2580/2001 applies), the US Government (Office of Foreign Assets Control list of specially designated Nationals and Blocked Persons) and the United Nations (Consolidated List). Any offer of employment (either paid or voluntary) with Concern Worldwide will only be made following a successful clearance check being conducted on the applicant and such checks may be updated periodically during the course of the period of employment.
By submitting a formal application for paid or voluntary employment to Concern, you agree to Concern carrying out a clearance check as outlined above and that Concern will not proceed to recruit you should your name appear on any of the aforementioned lists
In certain circumstances, donors may request that personal data relating to employees to work on the activities that they fund be provided directly to them – so that they can perform their own counter terrorism checks. This may involve transferring some basic personal data outside the EEA. It will be a condition of your employment contract that Concern be allowed to share this information with institutional donors for these purposes.
For additional information please consult our website or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office.
You have certain rights under data protection legislation. For more information on how to exercise those rights please visit www.concern.net/about/privacy
Please only apply for this position if you are satisfied with the proposed processing of your personal data as outlined above.