Practical Action Kenya Jobs September 2012

Practical Action is an international development agency working with poor communities to help them choose and use technology to improve their lives today and in generations to come.

We build on the communities’ knowledge and skills to come up with innovative, sustainable and practical solutions to poverty.

In preparation to implement a project aimed at enhancing the economic recovery of pastoralist communities in Mandera and building livelihood resilience, Practical Action intends to recruit results-oriented and proactive team players to fill the following eight (8) positions (each with a fixed term of 1 year):

1. Water and Sanitation Project Officer

(Based in Mandera)

Reporting to the Project Coordinator, the position is responsible for overseeing the implementation of WATSAN programmes within the cluster and has the specific duty of overseeing the implementation of the WATSAN component of the project.

In addition, the post holder will design strategies that empower local communities to effectively manage and utilize their water resources efficiently and effectively during normal and dearth periods.

Key Responsibilities

• Play active roles in routine hydro-geological surveys within the cluster
• Be Practical Action’s link person to both DSG and WESCORD on WATSAN matters
• Play liaison roles on matters related to environmental impact assessments within the cluster
• Advise the programme on appropriate WATSAN interventions, clearly providing spatial and temporal justifications e.g. with reference to existing facilities, villages, migration patterns, etc.
• Effectively champion lesson learning within the project (playing lead roles in the routine collection, collation and analysis of project-specific information and drawing out lessons that are appropriate for learning within programme)
• Ensure delivery of projects to time and budget avoiding both over- and under-spends
• Strengthen and promote local level water management institutions as well as Water Service Providers
• Work closely with the Ministry of Water to empower water users associations.

Qualifications, skills and competencies

• A first degree in Water Engineering or closely related discipline
• Diploma in project management and/or community development
• At least three (3) years working experience in natural resource/environment or related field
• Excellent knowledge of SPHERE Standards
• Good interpersonal and public relation skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to customize water and sanitation facilities to community needs
• Previous working experience with an international NGO
• Familiarity with ASAL environments and livelihood systems.

2. Livestock Project Officer

(Based in Mandera)

Reporting to the Project Coordinator, the position will contribute to the implementation of livestock programmes within the cluster and has the specific duty of implementing the livestock component under the new project targeting the recovery of pastoralists in Mandera.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop activity plans and other working tools to efficiently deliver the livestock component of the project
• Work in close liaison with the project manager, project assistants, other project officers and beneficiaries as well as government officials
• Effectively contribute to lesson learning within project
• Guide and play active roles in disease surveillance alongside the vet department
• Ensure delivery of projects to time and budget avoiding both over- and under-spends
• Contribute to timely reporting of progress within the project.

Qualifications, skills and competencies

• At least a Bachelor’s Degree in Veterinary Medicine, Animal Production or Range Management
• Diploma in programme/project management and/or community development an added advantage
• At least three (3) years field experience in livestock management
• Good Knowledge and understanding of pastoralist production systems, emergencies and general pastoral issues in Kenya
• Ability to work with minimal supervision; willingness to travel, live and work in remote ASAL areas.

3. Project Officer - Hygiene Promotion

(Based in Mandera)

Reporting to the Project Coordinator, the position is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the hygiene promotion activities within the cluster and has the specific duty of overseeing the implementation of the hygiene component of the project.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead in the development and delivery of project solutions to identified hygiene and sanitation challenges
• Champion the use of current participatory technologies and approaches to hygiene issues
• Take lead in identifying and addressing hygiene promotion needs within the project area
• Play a lead role in situation analyses and routine needs assessments and other surveys within the cluster
• Take responsibility for effective implementation of the hygiene promotion aspects of the project
• Advise the programme on appropriate hygiene promotion interventions, clearly providing spatial and temporal justifications e.g. with reference to existing facilities, villages, migration patterns, etc.
• Effectively manage project budget/s and take lead roles in preparing the annual operating budgets.

Qualifications, skills and competencies

• A first degree in hygiene, sanitation, environmental health or closely related discipline
• Diploma in project management and/or community development
• At least two years working experience of community development work
• Good knowledge of current approaches and tools used in hygiene promotion
• Excellent knowledge of SPHERE Standards
• Good understanding of dry land biodiversity
• Good interpersonal and public relation skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to customize water and sanitation facilities to community needs.

4. Project Officer - Market Systems / Enterprise Development

(Based in Mandera)

Reporting to the Project Coordinator, the officer will have a specific duty of leading the delivery of the Economic Recovery and Market Systems (ERMS) aspects of the project.

The job holder will also be responsible for continued programme development, field implementation and routine monitoring support to the designated projects within the Programme.

More specifically the position will be directly responsible for mainstreaming market oriented approaches as espoused under Practical Action’s Participatory Market Systems Development Approaches (PMSD).

Key responsibilities

• Effectively implement market systems component of the project in close collaboration with other actors such as the District Livestock Marketing Council (DLMC), Ministry of Livestock Development, Veterinary Department and Livestock Marketing Associations (LMAs) amongst others
• Take lead in capacity building e.g. delivering training on PMSD
• Effectively monitor and evaluate the projects with a view to informing the implementation process and keep the desired project outputs in perspective
• Develop and review relevant project documents for information sharing
• Document lessons learnt in each project and desired actions to be taken
• Play lead role in managing relationships with project participants and other stakeholders
• Prepare and implement work plans/activity logs agreed upon with the line manager
• Participate in programme development (concept notes, proposals, log frames, budgets).

Qualifications, skills and competencies

• At least a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing/ Enterprise Development or Relevant social Development field
• At least three (3) years relevant working experience in Market/Enterprise development
• Markets facilitation, BDS, TOT and project management from a recognized institution
• Proven project cycle management skills
• Good understanding of markets development landscape in the Eastern Africa Region
• Good understanding of gender issues and how they relate to market development
• Strong advocacy skills and ability to negotiate and network with a broad range of stakeholders
• Adept at data collection, analysis and report writing
• Problem solving skills and strong conviction in team work

5. Project Assistants (Community Mobilizers - 4 Officers Required)

(Based in Mandera)

Key Responsibilities

• Carryout community mobilization and awareness raising campaigns during implementation of the OFDA funded project
• Identify local community needs and propose project solutions
• Take a lead role in community contracting and development of partnerships
• Build partner capacity to play various roles in project implementation
• Carry out community/project beneficiaries training with a view to creating/raising awareness and building their capacity to run implemented projects
• Develop and implement proactive and participatory responses to droughts and other disasters for improved poverty alleviation
• Create sustainable strategic linkages aimed at enabling the local communities to access funding for from other instruments targeting DRR
• Document lessons learned in each project for information sharing
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation of project activities
• Prepare project reports as and when required.

Qualifications, skills and competencies

Sector specifics for each community mobilizer

• Community Mobilizer- Livestock: Minimum first degree in livestock production, animal health; veterinary medicine or related field (or diploma and adequate compensating experience)
• Community Mobilizer- WATSAN: Minimum first degree in water engineering, sanitation or related field (or diploma and adequate compensating experience)
• Community Mobilizer: Hygiene Promotion: Minimum first degree in sanitation, hygiene, environmental health or related field (or diploma and adequate compensating experience)
• Community Mobilizer- Markets Systems Development: Minimum first degree in marketing/ enterprise development or related field (or diploma and adequate compensating experience)

General requirement for all community mobilizers

• At least 2 years working experience in community development and/or mobilization preferably with an international NGO
• Excellent communication and engagement skills (both verbal and written)
• Ability to work independently and meet set deadlines
• Familiarity with and passion for ASAL livelihoods systems.

6. Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

(Based in Kisumu)

Practical Action is also seeking to recruit a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer with strong analytical and report writing skills.

The successful candidate will report to the Area Coordinator and will be responsible for monitoring, measuring the performance and impact of Practical Action’s work within the lake region and ensuring compliance with internal and donor requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• In consultation with the Area Coordinator, Project Managers provide manage the monitoring, evaluation and learning functions of the project
• Work with project team in designing and implementing plans for monitoring performance, achievements and impacts of project
• Advice, guide and train project team on the principles and practice of monitoring, evaluation and project learning
• Ensure that findings and recommendations from evaluations are shared with all the key stakeholders, including the donor and beneficiaries
• Organize and participate in regular project and programme reviews
• Support the project teams in donor and other technical reports
• Assist programme teams in developing concept notes and proposals with special emphasis on M&E aspects
• In liaison with the Grants Officer, ensure compliance with internal procedures and contractual obligations paying special attention to start up and closure procedures as well as donor requirements
• Assist in the preparation and quality assurance review of reports and proposals

Qualifications, skills and competencies

• A bachelor`s degree in development or any other relevant field
• Diploma in M & E or project management(desirable)
• At least 3 years’ experience in development work and evidence of M&E
• Proven experience in results oriented monitoring and evaluation of development projects
• Experience in planning, organizing and conducting project evaluations
• Computer literacy with special emphasis on statistical packages, spreadsheets and database management
• Ability to work independently with high degree of responsibility and with minimum supervision
• Excellent verbal, presentation and writing skills in both English and Kiswahili.

Application letter together with a CV indicating current and expected salary, and names of three professional referees (one of whom must be the current supervisor) plus their day-time contacts should be submitted to Practical Action by email on: recruitment@practicalaction.or.ke to be received no later than 14th September 2012.

Only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Practical Action is an “equal opportunity” employer and highly encourages women to apply.

Website: www.practicalaction.org

Practical Action – Eastern Africa Regional Office is relocating to Methodist Office Block C, Oloitokitok Road from 1st October 2012.