Job Opportunity at Farm Radio International, Regional Program Officer (East & Southern Africa)

Position Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Arusha, Tanzania; or Kampala, Uganda

Reports to: Regional Program Manager

Works closely with: Senior PD Manager, Director of Operations, Country Leads, Program Officers; Country Program Managers/Coordinators, Project Officers; Finance Officers, Financial Analysts; Specialty Teams & Depts

Type of posting: External

Application deadline: November 18, 2020

Background

Starting in October 2020, Farm Radio will implement a short duration 7-country project for the German international development agency, GIZ. The project will use a variety of strategies to increase awareness, knowledge and uptake of good agricultural, nutrition, health and gender practices. The project will be executed in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, which means that distance methods, not just for broadcasting but also for design and training, will be at the forefront. Countries include Cote d’Ivoire, Mali and Togo in West Africa; Ethiopia in East Africa and Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia in Southern Africa. Farm Radio has existing offices in Ethiopia and Mali and a longstanding strategic partnership with Farm Radio Trust in Malawi.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

The Regional Program Officer will play a critical role in the overall successful implementation of the project in Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, including linking the global project team to countries teams in the region. The RPO also plays an important role in partnership development and resource mobilization to ensure the sustainability of programming.

• (Regional) Project implementation and administration: 60%
• (Regional) Monitoring, evaluation, research & learning: 20%
• (Regional) Program development: 20%

Project Implementation (PI) and Project Administration

Under the supervision of the Regional Program Manager and working closely with Country and Specialty Teams, contribute to the effective implementation of the regional GIZ project to the highest standards and to the satisfaction of all stakeholders, including farmers, funders, radio partners, extension services, and project collaborators. Specifically:

• Compliance and funder relations
• Ensure compliance to FRI policies and procedures, including risk review, spending variance, documentation and archiving, etc.
• Monitor funder documents and communications, ensuring that requirements are understood, all staff are clear on responsibilities and deadlines are met

Project planning & implementation

• Working with the Project Delivery Lead and Project Coordinators in three countries, develop and ensure the execution of project implementation plans in line with FRI procedures and templates, including start-up, implementation, monitoring, adaptation, evaluation and reporting
• Working with Country Program and Finance Teams, oversee and monitor timely implementation of projects in line with annual workplans and spending plans and FRI policy and procedures, including monthly PI reviews, quarterly updates of work and spending plans, etc.
• Working with Country Program and Finance Teams, manage consultants and project implementation partners to ensure quality, timely implementation of specific activities and results
• Liaise with FRI Specialty Teams and Radio Network Department concerning project planning, implementation and reporting

Reporting

• Working with Project Delivery Lead and Country Project Coordinators, synthesize project activities, results, findings and lessons learnt for
• FRI’s internal reporting
• Reporting to funders and other stakeholders
• Other communication needs, in concert with FRI’s Communications Team

Backstop country Program Managers and Project Coordinators in the execution of their duties, including project agreements, contracts and MOUs; execution of project activities in line with implementation plans, workplans and spending plans; management of project staff; management of sub-recipients; reporting, etc.

Monitoring, evaluation, research & learning

Under the supervision of the Knowledge Management Team Manager and Regional Program Manager, East & Southern Africa, the RPO will contribute to the organization’s monitoring-evaluation, research, learning and knowledge-sharing activities. More specifically:

• Design, with the support of the knowledge management team, logic models and performance measurement frameworks and monitoring and evaluation plans
• Contribute to the design of survey tools and other assessment instruments
• Analyzes data generated by surveys, interviews, qualitative assessments, listeners’ responses to on-air / online surveys
• Preparation of baseline study, mid-term evaluation and final evaluation reports
• Write project resumes (briefs) highlighting the results of the projects, the learnings and the implications in terms of best practices
• Organizer or contribute to the experience of capitalization processes with partners and parties to projects
• Contribute to the preparation of various knowledge sharing products for various audiences
• Contribute to the sharing of learning and evidence of best practices internally to enable RRI staff to improve their approaches and impacts.

Program Development (PD)

Under the supervision of the Senior PD Manager and working closely with Country Representatives, contribute to the effective implementation of all PD processes within the region to the highest standards and to the satisfaction of all stakeholders: strategic and teaming partners, funders, radio broadcast partners and all other PD collaborators. Specifically:

Research & analysis

• Scan opportunities for new program (funding) opportunities in the region
• Analyse and present program opportunities to FRI program management in line with PD systems
• Networking and relationship building
• Develop and maintain FRI relationships with existing and potential funding partners

Proposal development

• Prepare documentation in support of proposals, e.g. teaming agreements, contracts, etc.
• Plan, design and write concept notes and full proposals, including budgets, in response to funding opportunities
• Coordinate, supervise and support country staff to make their contributions to the success of PD proposals and processes
• Ensure compliance to FRI risk review, documentation and archiving procedures for proposals

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience, credentials and requirements

• 5+ years experience in program management, especially communication for development
• Degree/Diploma in Agriculture, Communication, International Development, Environmental Studies or related field, Masters preferred
• Fluent in English with very strong written and oral communication skills; ability in other East & Southern African languages an asset
• Functional Portuguese a major asset
• Willingness to travel

Knowledge

• Knowledge and experience of program development and project implementation, including project cycles and results-based management
• Knowledge of radio broadcasting and ICT
• Knowledge of relevant agricultural and health practices in sub-Saharan Africa
• Knowledge of national/international funders and strategic/implementing partners in East & Southern Africa

Skills and attributes

• Functional French an asset
• Good research, evaluation, data analysis and writing skills
• Excellent cross-cultural communication skills
• Good organisational and time-management skills; ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines
• Comfortable working under minimal supervision and with limited resources

Additional

Experience working and living in East & Southern Africa an asset

Applications:

Farm Radio is an affirmative action employer. Women, people of colour and members of equity-seeking communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you wish to apply for this position, please follow this link. No telephone calls please.

The deadline for submitting the application is 18 November 2020

CLICK HERE TO APPLY