Community Development Officer

Action Against Hunger-USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network, which provides humanitarian relief in more than 50 countries worldwide in the sectors of nutrition, health, water/sanitation, and food security. Action Against Hunger-USA, an independent NGO, currently manages programs in 7 countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Haiti. Action Against Hunger-USA implements more than $60 million in programs annually, and approximately 1,500 permanent employees based in New York City, Washington D.C, Nairobi, and country offices. Additional growth is anticipated.

Action Against Hunger has been present in Kenya since 2001 and is a transformative leader in nutrition security for improved quality of life among vulnerable communities. Action Against Hunger wants to contribute to the optimal functional performance of National, County, and Community systems through strategic partnerships for innovative nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions to achieve its impact. The organization recognizes gender equality as central to its core strategy towards the realization of effective and sustainable outcomes on nutrition, WASH and surveillance interventions. Action Against Hunger is currently implementing activities in West Pokot, Mandera and Isiolo counties.

1. Summary of position

Action Against Hunger Kenya Country office is looking to fill the position of Community Development Officer who will be working under the overall supervision of the Deputy field coordinator, the Community Development Officer will provide the technical expertise on approaches and methods for organizing broad-scale community engagement. Through his/her work the Community Development Officer will seek to increase community (local authorities and beneficiaries) involvement through working with all institutional organs agreed upon in the project. The officer will work closely with the CORPs (community-owned resource persons) and community members to mobilize and facilitate the implementation of various development projects and activities. The officer will play a pivotal role in building community capacity, monitoring community component project progress, coordinating mobilization and sensitization efforts, supporting program staff, and maintaining effective communication with county program personnel. In addition, the officer will provide inputs to the development of training materials relevant to community-level activities.

Purpose:

• To effectively and efficiently facilitate the implementation of Action Against Hunger activities at the community level and ensure communities are empowered to participate in project design, planning, implementation, evaluation and exit. The Community Development Officer will work towards increased community (local authorities and beneficiaries) involvement.
• To strengthen the working relationship between ACF and all stakeholders at the county level through proper networking, cooperation, communication and collaboration.

Engagement:

• Liaise with and facilitate relevant communication and exchange with the Local Community, local Authorities within county and sub county, ward and location level in the area.
• Take the lead in the respective ACF project mobilization and sensitization during project inception, Progress review, completion and final Handing over the process.
• Represent Action Against Hunger in various county level external meetings on community interventions planning and programming.
• Work closely with the sector level focal persons to plan and implement interventions at community and household level ensuring active linkage for greater impact.
• Liaise with the relevant other actors to document project interventions and outcomes at community level.
• Ensure close and effective collaboration with key community stakeholders and ensure their active participation in all community level project activities and committees;

Delivery:

The Community Development Officer will work under the guidance of the Deputy Field coordinator to perform the following;

• Gather all the community CRM (complaint response mechanism) data during field visits and share it with the meal coordinator through the Deputy field coordinator.
• Conduct Quarterly review meetings for all ACF ongoing projects and share outcomes with the respective project officer through the Deputy field coordinator.
• Analyze collected information from the community structures and prepare summaries, briefing notes, implementation plans, roadmaps and reports;
• Support in designing, adoption and promotion of community level knowledge products proven to promote recommended practices.

1. Essential job duties
2. Coordination of Community Level Capacity Building: 25%
   • Identify the training and capacity-building needs of community level health workforce and members.
   • Develop training plans and workshops to address these needs, focusing on skill enhancement and knowledge transfer.
   • Collaborate with relevant subject matter experts to support capacity-building sessions.
   • Monitor and evaluate the impact of capacity-building initiatives on community members for continuous improvement.
3. Lead in Community Level Activities’ Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning: 15%
   • Design and implement monitoring and evaluation systems for community-level activities.
   • Regularly collect data on project progress, outcomes, and impact at the community level.
   • In liaison with the MEAL officer, analyze community-level data to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
   • Prepare and present reports on monitoring findings to the line manager and other relevant stakeholders.
   • Coordinate documentation of community-level learning (success stories, best practices, challenges, among others) and ensure they are shared with the project team for input and sharing internally and externally.
4. Coordinate Community Level Mobilization: 25%
   • Develop and execute effective strategies to mobilize community members for participation in project/development initiatives.
   • Organize and facilitate community meetings, workshops, and awareness campaigns.
   • Collaborate with community leaders and influencers to ensure active engagement and participation.
   • Get a community database with all relevant contacts in all ACF operation areas in the county for proper networking, cooperation and collaboration.
   • Foster a sense of ownership and responsibility among community members for project success.
5. Support Program Staff in Implementation of Community Level Activities: 15%
   • Collaborate with program teams to ensure alignment of community-level activities with broader project goals.
   • Provide technical guidance and support to program staff in the execution of community-based projects.
   • Ensure that all the plans and indicators of the community mobilization team are realistically set and oversee their achievement;
   • Support in all ACF assessment/survey, planning, capacity building, implementation and support in the community mobilization and sensitization during the exercise
   • Get security updates from the respective CORPs (community-owned resource persons e.g. CMSG, CDC, Health team etc.) in all the operation areas for the ACF staff consumption.
   • Address any challenges or issues that arise during implementation and propose solutions.
   • Contribute effectively to articulate community-level component in the regular program reports including internal and donor reports.
6. Building Partnerships with Project Stakeholders and Partners: 10%
   • Work with the FC, DFC and technical program staff to expand cooperation between communities and the local authorities during project implementation ensuring local needs, priorities and initiatives are integrated into the local authorities’ plans
   • Act as a liaison between the community, all stakeholders and base program personnel.
   • In liaison with the line manager, communicate project updates, challenges, and successes to relevant stakeholders at the county level.
   • Participate in coordination meetings to ensure seamless integration of community initiatives into larger county/base programs.
   • Collaborate with base program personnel to leverage resources and opportunities for community-level activities.
   • Ensure awareness about project priorities, strategies and approaches
   • Analyze ongoing experience for lessons learnt and best practices, and share with project team for use in knowledge sharing and planning.
   • Liaise with the project team to ensure anticipation of stories and begin their documentation at early stages.
   • Proactively contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
7. Branding, Communication and Visibility 5%
   • Ensure all project activities at community level are well branded with Action Against Hunger and donor visibility as per the project visibility and communication guidelines.
   • Ensure capturing of quality images/photos and videos for activities at the community and share with the project team and communications officer
8. Any Other duty 5%
   • Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the line manager.
9. Supervisory roles
   • None
10. Fiscal Responsibility
    • Prepare cash forecast for community engagement and development activities
    • Ensure expenditure is as stipulated in the budget lines with strict adherence to the budget limits
    • Propose anticipated budget re-alignment on time discussing with Deputy Field Coordinator
    • In liaison with the Deputy Field Coordinator, monitor budget spending against the spending plans
    • Ensure diligence in grant utilization including timely spending and value for money.
11. Physical Demands
    • While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
    • The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
12. Working Conditions, Travel and Environment
    • The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.
    • Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business travel as well as to the country offices if appropriate. Based on the country office needs, the time spent on field trips will be a minimum of 40% of his/her working time. While visiting the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well is to infectious diseases.
13. Gender Equality Commitments & Zero Tolerance to Abuse
    • Foster an environment that reinforces values of women and men, and equal access to information.
    • Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
    • Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all stakeholders, particularly for children, beneficiaries, and members of staff.
    • Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.
    • Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
    • Value and respect all cultures.
14. Required Qualifications and Professional Experience
    • Bachelor's degree in Community Development, Social Sciences, International Development, or a related field or
    • Diploma in Community Development, Community/Management Studies, or related social sciences course from a recognized institution
    • Minimum of 5 years of work experience in a similar position with a similar setting and responsibility.
    • Proficiency in computer skills and reporting.
15. Required Skills & Competencies
    • Strong interpersonal and communication skills to engage effectively with diverse community members and stakeholders.
    • Proven experience in community mobilization, capacity building, and development work.
    • Knowledge of the county and its overall dynamics including political, and community undercurrents, security, weather, and resource sharing.
    • Must have a basic understanding of CMDRR (community-managed disaster risk reduction)
    • Ability to work independently and as part of a team, demonstrating leadership and initiative.
    • Adaptability and accommodative to local culture, customs, and social dynamics.
    • Good listening, communication, interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
    • Ability to mobilize/influence people to participate in a desired activity, negotiation skills.
    • Advocacy and networking skills.
    • Ability to interpret, analyze and present information/data.
    • Ability to write good quality reports.

Preferred but not mandatory;

• Previous experience in Arid and Semi-Arid lands of Kenya
• Knowledge and Experience working with Community Health Strategy and or Community Health and Development teams within county Governments
• Experience in community mobilization for Health, Nutrition, WASH, Food Security and Gender programming