Organization: IRC – International Rescue Committee
Location: Lodwar
Grade: Level not specified – Level not specified
Occupational Groups:
Disaster Management (Preparedness, Resilience, Response and Recovery)
Closing Date:
Requisition ID: req51553
Job Title: Anticipatory Action Officer
Sector: Economic Recovery & Livelihood
Employment Category: Fixed Term
Employment Type: Full-Time
Open to Expatriates: Not Applicable
Location: Lodwar, Kenya
Work Arrangement:
Job Description
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a leading humanitarian and development agency, supporting communities in transition in 40 countries. Simultaneously a global technical leader and proven implementer, IRC has shaped youth priorities and approaches at the national level and implemented programs at the community level since its founding in 1933. IRC has worked in Kenya since 1992, implementing highly effective programs in youth livelihoods, economic development, women empowerment, integrated healthcare, and nutrition.
Scope of Work.
The Anticipatory Action Officer is a key program staff who helps maintain program quality and compliance across all activities, ensuring program approaches are clearly documented, understood by the rest of the team members, and implemented as the per the agreed upon deliverables. They will provide technical, implementation and administrative support under the support of the project Manager and will take on additional responsibility on specified activities such as collaborating closely with the IRC Protection & WPE team to mainstream protection and gender principles and activities across the program. The position will ensure development of Anticipatory action frameworks with and for local communities that are contextualized and adapted for specific hazards and existing systems and timely delivering of anticipatory cash and risk reduction information to households vulnerable to climatic shocks and developing a portfolio of evidence of what works well in anticipatory cash.
Specific Responsibilities
Program Planning and Implementation:
Develop comprehensive program/project plans, including detailed activities, budgets, timelines, and resource allocations to ensure successful implementation.
Monitor early warning systems to come up with anticipatory action aiming at using weather, climate, and impact-based forecasts.
Work with the community to save lives and livelihoods from disasters through strengthening early warning systems and alerts.
Continuously supervise program/project performance against stated goals, deliverables, and budget forecasts.
Conduct routine risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies to address potential challenges or delays.
Ensure strict compliance with donor regulations, organizational policies, and industry best practices throughout the program lifecycle.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date program documentation, including workplans, budgets, reports, and contract files.
Develop work plans for specific activities e.g., Cash and voucher Assistance (CVA) and be responsible for the direct implementation and monitoring of activities.
Coordinate closely with cross-functional teams, including finance, operations, and align program activities.
Identification and mapping of partners for Anticipatory action activities.
Carry out project plans as per agreement made with the donor, ensuring to meet the planned activities.
Work closely with flood committees, child-led Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) clubs, community leaders, and develop individual work plans.
Coordination & Representation:
Nurture and maintain strong relationships with key program partners, including NGOs, government agencies, and research institutions.
Collaborate with partners to develop and align detailed work plans, budgets, and monitoring frameworks for respective program components.
Facilitate regular communication and coordination with partners to ensure seamless program implementation.
Provide input into advocacy and lobbying approaches, outreach, and products, particularly those directly related to anticipatory action programming.
Reporting:
Lead the preparation and submission of high-quality, comprehensive program reports according to donor schedules and requirements at different reporting intervals.
Gather input data from other contributors to synthesize into clear and compelling reports.
Analyze program data and performance metrics to identify trends, challenges, and areas for improvement in reporting and overall implementation.
Respond promptly to information requests from donors, IRC leadership, and other partners.
Develop and implement strategies to continuously enhance reporting efficiency, accuracy, and quality.
Program Monitoring:
Coordinate closely with M&E and data staff on targeting, data collection, data systems and information management.
Work with M&E focal point on baseline and end-line assessments. Ensure data analysis and activity overviews are written clearly for use in reporting.
Knowledge management for the anticipatory action program, ensuring Box structures and filing are up to date and applied.
Other:
Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.
Desired Skills:
Project Management: Ability to plan and lead projects, ensuring effective deliverance and maintaining humanitarian principles, standards, and procedures.
Data Collection and Analysis: Proficiency in collecting reliable information about risk and vulnerability, and planning resources to act based on forecasts.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Ability to carry out monitoring of early warning systems and anticipatory actions.
Partnership and Collaboration: Ability to work with various partners, including government authorities, NGOs, and community leaders.
Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for report writing and coordination.
Computer Proficiency: Proficiency in computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and internet.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in business administration/management, Community Development, International Development, Environmental Science, Disaster Management, or any other relevant field with demonstrated experience in Cash based programming preferably with an International NGO.
Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in program/project management, preferably in an international development or humanitarian context
Demonstrated experience managing partnerships, subcontracts, and working with institutional donors.
Excellent project management skills, including planning, budgeting, forecasting, expenditure tracking, risk mitigation.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills for effective cross-cultural collaboration.
Personal qualities: promotes teamwork and coordination within and across teams, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, very flexible and adaptable, ability to contribute across multiple activities and departments.
Work Environment:
The position will be based in Lodwar with frequent travel to the field.
Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equity. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity Anti-Retaliation and Combating Trafficking in Persons.
Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other encouraging benefits and allowances.
Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.
Kenyan nationals are encouraged to apply. International allowances are not available for this position. Salary and employee benefits are compliant to the Kenyan NGO Sector.
Disclaimer:
Please take note that International Rescue Committee (IRC) does not ask for any fees in connection with its recruitment processes.