Project Officer - Girls Empowered by Microfranchise (GEM) Program

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Kenya serves vulnerable populations in the Turkana and Garissa regions as well as in Eastleigh, Nairobi.

The IRC implements programs in the areas of comprehensive primary health care, nutrition, protection, peace building, water and sanitation and hygiene (WASH), HIV/AIDS prevention, response to gender based violence, disaster risk reduction (DRR), livelihoods and governance.

Applications are invited for the position of:

1. Program Officer - Nairobi

The International Rescue Committee has been active in Kenya since 1992, providing essential services to refugees and the communities who host them.

The IRC started working directly with urban refugees in 2006 with the majority of programs running in the Eastleigh division of Nairobi.

There are currently an estimated 46,000 registered refugees in Nairobi, with an equal number estimated to live in the city without documentation.

The IRC provides referral systems for refugees, advocacy for refugee rights, adult literacy classes, and support to women groups, capacity-building services for local government officials and service providers, girls’ empowerment through microfranchise and manages a resource center for refugees.

Job Purpose

The GEM Program Officer will be responsible for activity implementation of the program as well as partner management.

Partner organizations will take the lead on participant recruitment, training, and mentoring activities, with intensive support from IRC GEM staff. The position reports to the Project coordinator GEM, Urban program.

GEM Project

IRC received funding from the Nike Foundation to implement the Girls Empowered by Microfranchise (GEM) program in three districts in Nairobi: Eastleigh, Huruma, and Mathare.

Using a phased approach, and working in partnership with a variety of community-based organizations, the project will support the development of microfranchise relationships between local businesses and young people, with a focus on girls' empowerment.

Key Responsibilities

• Directly oversee the implementation of day-to-day project activities.
• Manage partner activity and relationships, providing direct training, support, and guidance on implementation.
• Through partner organizations, foster linkages between 2,400 girls and local enterprises and provide business development services to franchisors.
• Support training for 2,400 girls in essential business, financial management, and life skills and provide ongoing mentoring and refresher trainings.
• Create linkages to existing referral services, including gender-based violence services, and identify gaps in service delivery.
• Assist GEM Project Coordinator in monitoring and evaluating project outcomes, collecting data to inform documentation on best practices and lessons learned.
• Mobilize the local community and organizing meetings with Kenyan and refugee community leaders
• Supporting in information management- collection, analysis and dissemination of quality information to beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders
• Preparing project reports in line with donor guidelines.
• Undertaking awareness events at the community level to invite girls ahead of recruitment process
• Other tasks as relevant for implementation of the project activities

Requirements

• 3 years program management experience, including at least 1 year in a humanitarian context with Economic Empowerment focus.
• Bachelors degree in social science, community development, humanities or related degree
• Good interpersonal and team building skills
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili language preference.
• Experience working with community groups.
• Extensive training and mentoring skill.
• Excellent communication and mobilization skills.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Good time management and planning skills.
• Strong computer skills (word and excel)
• MUST be able to speak Somali Language

Full Job descriptions can be downloaded at www.rescue.org/careers

To apply please go to http://www.rescue.org/careers and search for NAME OF THE POSITION.

Please apply on or before 28th March 2012

IRC leading the way from harm to home

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.

PUBLIC ALERT: DISCLAIMER

MISUSE OF OUR NAME FOR FRAUDULENT ACTIVITIES

The Management of International Rescue Committee (IRC) Kenya, wishes to inform the general public that it has come to our notice, that some unauthorized groups and organized individuals posing as our staff have been extorting money from the general public for their personal gains promising to offer jobs within IRC.

The general public should please take note all vacant IRC jobs has are advertised either in the local print media or on our website www.rescue.org/careers.

Interested candidates are NOT required to pay any recruitment/interview fee.

You are encouraged to report such individuals/groups to the nearest police station to investigate their conduct or to IRC at IRCKenya@rescue.org