Program Officer

Location: Benishangul Gumuz Region, Assosa

Reports to: Program Manager

Status: Full-time, Fixed-term

Language Requirements: English and Amharic

BACKGROUND

Cuso International is an international cooperation and development organisation that works to create economic and social opportunities for marginalised groups. Together with our partners. we are focused on efforts to advance gender equality and social inclusion. Improve economic resilience and deliver progress on climate action. We believe that by sharing skills, we can build better future. Cuso International presently supports programs implemented in Africa, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean (LAC). We have been working in Ethiopia since July 2015 by obtaining an official licence from Authority for Civil Society Organizations.

With a funding of Global Affairs of Canada (GAC), Cuso International, in partnership with Institute of International Education (IIE), has been delivering Promoting Greater Access to University for Girls (U-GIRLS 2) Project in Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia since June 2020. U-GIRLS 2 Project addresses a number of barriers that impede adolescent girls’ education and enhances academic, social and soft skills for adolescent girls, including those with disabilities. In addition, the project focuses in strengthening the capacity of teachers and education institutions to deliver quality and gender-sensitive education. The initiative seeks to adopt a holistic and transformational approach to address barriers to girls’ higher educations, including through community engagement. U-GIRLS 2 Project has been implemented in selected seven high schools of BSG Regional State.

The post holder will have the key role in providing a range of operational, administrative and coordination supports for the effective implementation of UGIRLS2 project and other CPO programs. This will include managing all administrative system of the projects and ensuring effective coordination support to the program and national volunteer professionals. The post holder will also work with the CPO team, partners, other field, and HQ based staff to actively contribute to the strategic development of our operational and administrative functions, effective documentation, and utilisation of program resources as per the organisation’s standard policies and procedures.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Prepare and maintain project beneficiaries and program partners’ portfolio database and accurate contact details

• Oversees schedules of in-kind and cash distribution for project target beneficiaries are conducted as per the signed contribution agreement with GAC

• Prepare a monthly report on performance of acquiring and distribution of supplies to direct project participants and intermediaries as well as partner organisations

• In collaboration with School Coordinators and assigned National Volunteers, prepare and submit monthly students attendance reports to Program Manger and Finance Team

• Provides support to Program Mangers in organising meetings, trainings / workshops, or events for partners, stakeholders, project direct participants as per set cyclical project plans

• Prepare ToR of planned event or training / workshop to be used for initiating Purchasing Request and required financial approval process ahead of time

• Prepare and circulate invitation letters to the relevant participants in planned events ahead of time

• Ensure standard U-GIRLS2 project materials and visibility posters are in place during any event for documentation purposes

• Collect relevant attendance during meetings or trainings / workshops from participants as per the standard financial regulation of Cuso International

• Collect feedback at the end of trainings / workshops from participants and compile the trainings / workshop evaluation reports. Then circulate the evaluation reports as per the standard Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) guidelines

• Prepare and submit draft operational report on quarterly basis

• Support development of documentation requirements of different projects and oversees project related document filing system of the CPO, both hard copy documents and soft copy documents on SharePoint

• Coordinate content preparation for Cuso Staff Newsletter and submit project highlight, at least once a month;

• Provide logistic assistance in running workshops / trainings and conduct payment for participants when appropriate;

• Proactively manage CPO program staff, stakeholders or members of partner organisations travel logistics (airline, accommodation, documentation, etc)

• Provide line management and administrative support for assigned national volunteers and conduct performance assessment on volunteers assignment as per set placement description

• Maintain accurate national volunteer records, monthly timesheet, regular placement reports on CusoBase

• In line with Cuso International quality management indicators, conduct an assessment whether all relevant documents of volunteers’ placements are uploaded on CusoBase and submit an assessment report to the country representative in a quarterly basis

• Ensure exit interviews, volunteers’ references, and end of service forms are completed for all national volunteers and data updates are entered Cusobase 1 week after their departure, and provide update to Program Manager

Other Duties:

• undertake specific additional responsibilities from time-to-time, as may be agreed upon with your Line Manager, that may include networking with other development agencies and organisations working in similar sector or project location.

• Provide cover to other staff as needed.

• Attend meetings and contribute to relevant discussions of program development

ESSENTIAL POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

• A bachelor’s degree in business administration / management or in Social Science fields from a recognized university

Experience

• Minimum of eight years full-time program support experience, including project management

• Experience working in development programs that require participation grassroot beneficiaries in the project design and management

• Experience working in INGO and with international professionals from a variety of cultural and national backgrounds

• Experience in event organisation and working with local mass-media agencies

Skills

• Administration – experience of handling a heavy and routine office workload

• Organisation and time management

• Excellent written and verbal communication, especially preparing project implementation reports

• Proven listening skills

• Analytical

• Practical and resourceful problem solving

• Liaise with people at all levels

• Computer literacy (word processing, spreadsheets, databases, social media. etc)

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to negotiate, persuade, coach, mobilize and develop positive relationships with others internally and externally.

Personal Quality

• Tact and diplomacy

• Self-confident

• Flexibility to adopt to new situations and people.

• Tolerance

• Patience in dealing with others and cooperative

• Objectivity and sound judgement in dealing with individuals

• Ability to work effectively under pressure

• Able to work independently, and as a team member

• Good self-presentation

• Ability to work with diverse teams

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively

• Organized and takes initiative to deliver

• Eager and willing to add to their knowledge base and skills

Circumstances

• Ability to spend time away from base to work with partners and project participants
• Ability and willingness to work long / irregular hours when appropriate during project implementation

Desirable

• Working experiences in general education sector, especially supporting girls’ education and community mobilisation,

• Knowledge understanding of the role of volunteers in development.

• Interest and/or knowledge of international development issues, including gender equality and social inclusion; economic resilience, climate action

• Basic financial and budgeting skills

• Demonstratable commitment for learning

HOW TO APPLY

Cuso International is committed to creating and fostering an inclusive culture. We strive to actively celebrate diversity, advance our equitable practices, and drive greater inclusion. We offer a comprehensive employee benefits package and insurance, generous days of paid time off, including vacation and sick days, and more.

Cuso International is committed to the integrity of our volunteers, interns, staff, managers, board members and subcontractors in preventing sexual violence in the way we operate. This is done through a defined framework, code of conduct, values and guiding principles, as well as Cooperation Canada’s Leaders’ Pledge.

Please click the “Apply for This Job" button to submit your application by February 4, 2024, at 11:59PM (EST). Expressions of interest should be sent in English. Your résumé and one-page cover letter should demonstrate how you meet all the essential and any desirable qualifications. Please note that a confirmation email will be generated once you submit your application, but it may be directed to your spam or junk folders of your email inbox.