Project Officer

Job Description

TITLE: Project Officer

TEAM/PROGRAM: Programme Operations

LOCATION: Dodoma

GRADE:  4

CONTRACT LENGTH: 1 year, renewable

Child Safeguarding:

Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people

ROLE PURPOSE:

The transition to becoming a parent for the first time is a time of major life changes. At the same time that young mothers are removed from family, school, and social support networks, they must navigate caring for their own health while learning to care for a newborn. Young mothers (ages 15-24) are vulnerable to poor health outcomes and are also less likely than older women to access reproductive and maternal health services, including family planning. In Tanzania, the youngest mothers have the lowest use of modern postpartum family planning (PPFP) and the shortest intervals between births. Low use of effective methods of FP makes young mothers vulnerable to unintended pregnancies and rapid repeat pregnancies. Both younger age at first birth and closely spaced pregnancies contribute to increased risk for maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Yet this transition to becoming a parent for the first time offers opportunities to improve life-long health and wellbeing for first-time mothers and their families.

In September 2019, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded the Connecting young parents to PPFP through diverse platforms (Connect) project to Save the Children. Connect will complement the USAID-funded Lishe Endelevu project led by Save the Children, which aims to reduce stunting in children under five and improve nutrition for women and children. Over 4 years, Connect will “enhance” the Lishe Endelevu project by introducing PPFP activities into Lishe Endelevu’s community support groups and supporting household visits for first-time mothers. In Tanzania, the project will be implemented in two phases. Phase One will be implemented in Kongwa District, Dodoma region from January 2021-May 2021. In Phase Two, Connect will expand implementation to additional regions and districts. Throughout, Connect will document and share results and implementation challenges and lessons learned.

Connect seeks to recruit one Project Officer to support the Project Coordinator in planning, coordination, and technical implementation of innovative integrated Postpartum Family planning and social behaviour change communication (SBCC) activities in Kongwa Dc . The Project Officer will build capacity of relevant stakeholders at district level and communities in Postpartum family planning throughout the first phase of project implementation. The Project Officer will also work closely with the Connect MEAL officer and Project Coordinator to ensure progress is achieved towards set targets. S/he will establish and maintain close and effective liaison with government partners at LGAs and communities to facilitate flow of information, reports and updates including staying abreast of current trends.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Save the Children has been operational in Tanzania since 1986 providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered in support of Government of Tanzania priorities and policies both directly and through local partners. The Connect project will be directly implemented by Save the Children in Kongwa Dc in Phase One with the aim of increasing PPFP uptake and changing household and community attitudes towards child spacing, PPFP and the use of LARCs. The Project Officer will be vital in ensuring smooth implementation at the community level with all relevant community level actors.

Reports to:  Connect Project Coordinator

Staff directly reporting to this post: Nil

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Technical

• In collaboration with Project Coordinator and Community Health workers, lead in the implementation, monitoring and adaptation of Postpartum Family planning, and SBCC activities to improve the knowledge and supportive attitudes and practices of First Time Parents on child spacing, and use of PPFP and LARCs services at household and community level.
• Provide technical support to Community Health workers through coaching and mentorship for quality implementation of Postpartum Family planning, and SBCC activities at Community level
• Draft activity monthly and quarterly reports on Community Level project implementation
• Establish and maintain solid collaboration with target relevant LGA departments and staff during planning, implementation and monitoring of PPFP related activities at community level.
• Provide support to village leadership and committees, community promoters/CHWs to ensure quick and sustainable uptake of improved PPFP behaviours.

Operational

• Provide timely and accurate written and verbal reporting.
• Support documentation of lessons learned and project success stories
• Ensure high quality project implementation, monitoring and reporting.
• Make regular field visits to monitor project quality and collect data.
• Collaborate with MEAL officer to conduct routine data collection, entry and compilation.
• Coordinate with the Project Coordinator in work planning, implementation
• Serve as a project focal point for LGAs, community and other implementing stakeholders at district level

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

Accountability:

Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values

Holds the broader team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities

Ambition:

Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and take responsibility for their own personal development

Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale

Collaboration:

Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, managers, members and external partners and supporters

Values diversity and different people’s perspectives, able to work cross-culturally.

Creativity:

Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions

Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

Honest, encourages openness and transparency

Commitment to Save the Children values

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health, Development, Social Science, or other relevant field.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant field experience with an international organization in adolescent sexual and reproductive health and family planning programming.
• Personal and professional commitment to adolescent sexual and reproductive health and family planning
• Familiarity / experience with the start-up, management and implementation of adolescent sexual and reproductive health activities including the formation and training of community support groups.
• Demonstrated success in providing hands-on training and technical assistance to community support groups, CHWs, and other stakeholders.
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills in English required.
• Demonstrated experience in working effectively with community-level actors, stakeholders and beneficiaries.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills and ability to work in a large team-oriented setting;
• Strong experience with Microsoft Office applications;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively in team situations and independently.

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures;

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff:

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Date advertised: 11 January 2021

Closing date: 22 January 2021 – 23:59 EAT

Location: Dodoma, Tanzania, United Republic of

Department: Programme Operations

Type: Fixed-term contract

Schedule: Full-time

The deadline for submitting the application is 22 January, 2021

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