Program Officer at Yamba Malawi

Advert: Program Officer – Child Focused Poverty Graduation Programs, Yamba Malawi
Position: PROGRAM OFFICER
Location: T/A Nankumba, Mangochi, Malawi
Reports to: Program Manager
Language(s): English, Chichewa, other local languages beneficial

THE ORGANISATION

Yamba Malawi transforms children’s lives by empowering communities to break the cycle of poverty. We acknowledge that strained resources, poor safety nets, and limited caregiver capacity lead to poor childhood development outcomes, particularly during children’s first five years, and have lifelong effects. Limited financial literacy and insufficient access to formal financial services hinder community and caregivers’ efforts to invest in their children’s futures. And lack of economic opportunity creates a cycle of extreme poverty that increases childhood vulnerability and has lifelong effects on children’s growth, development, and happiness.

Yamba Malawi’s signature Childhoods and Livelihoods program uses a holistic 3-pronged approach to addressing these complex and interrelated sets of challenges: 1. improving nurturing care and support for children through the strengthening of community safety nets and services, and increasing caregiver knowledge and skills in best practices for childhood wellbeing and early childhood development (ECD), 2. increasing access to financial knowledge and services, including training, savings and credit, and budgeting to improve the use of income on children’s existing and future needs, and 3. improving economic resilience through diverse income generating activities that provide increased income to meet children’s basic needs.

Working at the household and community level, the Program includes a planned, time-bound sequence of activities that pairs the transfer of business assets with training, savings promotion, short-term income stabilisation, and critical ECD and childhood wellbeing coaching that enables caregivers to plan beyond immediate needs and build foundations to improve their children’s futures.

Position Description

We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic Program Officer for implementing Yamba Malawi’s child-focused ultra-poor graduation program in Traditional Authority Nankumba, Mangochi District.

Responsibilities:

Program Activity planning and implementation

• Ensure successful implementation of the Child Focused Ultra-Poor Poverty Graduation Program activities at district and field level according to Yamba Malawi Logical Framework, Theory of Change and Action Plan etc
• Facilitate capacity-building activities i.e. training with field facilitators, community structures and other relevant groups in accordance with the schedule for program activities
• Coordinate with field facilitators and other stakeholders for timely submission of reports.
• Provide ongoing supervision and regular appraisal of field facilitators according to Yamba Malawi’s Performance Development and Review System.
• Support Field Facilitators to conduct community outreach and engagement, reaching target groups and identifying appropriate livelihood activities and ensure implementation according to the program design.
• Coordinate and plan for district and community entry meetings for the Child Focused Ultra Poor Poverty graduation program.
• Represent the project during ADC and AEC meetings and other community stakeholder meetings.
• In collaboration with the Program Manager, MEAL Manager and community members, identify program participants.
• Facilitate the introduction of new business ideas and practices by stakeholders and provide technical support to value chain players including regulators.
• Supervise Field Facilitators and CBOs to ensure they are performing planned tasks and activities; achieving agreed-upon targets and ensuring high-quality delivery of results.
• Engage with the different focal persons at community level to supervise project activities within the community including participating in Area Level planning meetings and ensure the project is visible to the aligned community level priorities.
• Coordinate closely with the relevant ministries i.e. Agriculture, Health, Finance, Gender and Social Welfare at district and community levels ensure there is alignment with government interventions in the area and adherence to policy directives
• Develop a work plan in liaison with the program team and ensure its effective implementation.
• Consolidate program reports for all program activities and submit them to the immediate supervisor in a timely manner.
• Ensure that all program interventions are carried out with active and meaningful participation of the program participants, community structures, and other key stakeholders, taking account gender and social inclusion issues.
• Work closely with Field Facilitators, partners and Yamba Malawi’s Finance Staff to ensure project expenses are allocated correctly against approved budgets lines, including explanation of significant variances.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (Meal)

• Support the regular technical and methodological monitoring and evaluation according to the Yamba Malawi MEAL Plan.
• Prepare regular reports on all activities following specified formats and agreed schedules ensuring data quality and adherence to agreed MEAL protocols.
• Facilitate the culture of learning among Field Facilitators, communities, and other key stakeholders, and prepare case studies, and share the key learnings/lessons at appropriate meetings and forums.
• In collaboration with MEAL Officer and other technical leads, support assessments and monitoring actions using both paper-based and digitised data collection devices and provides recommendations for the adaptation of project strategy based on the prevailing findings and needs.
• Manage the efficiency and effectiveness of all Program activities to ensure maximum impact and sustainability.
• Conduct monitoring visits to program impact areas to assess progress of activities against targets and to provide supportive supervision to Field Facilitators and provide guidance in areas where improvements are needed.
• Conduct project status review meetings with Field Facilitators, community structures and program participants.

Establish and maintain partnerships at community level

• Demonstrates well-developed interpersonal skills, excellent communication skills, both
• Must adhere to set Child Protection Policy and Guidelines
• Ensure gender and social inclusion perspective in the scope of work
• Be a team player
• Knowledge in Social cash transfer programming and Poverty Graduation Models
• Practical experience and or ability to work effectively with relevant governmental ministries, partners, community leaders, and other non-governmental stakeholders preferred
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications, Relevant Experience, Professional/Technical Knowledge/Skill and Competencies

• A Degree in Agriculture, Community Development and social work or any related field is required.
• At least 3 years experience in a similar position.
• Good command of English and Chichewa (both reading and speaking).
• Friendly,respectful candidates who display ease of speaking to strangers.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaborate in a team environment.
• Ability to teach in an engaging way to a large group with limited literacy and numeracy.
• Evidence of prior experience in your application will increase your likelihood of being invited.
• Ability to diagnose the diverse ways in which individual households are struggling or lagging behind and tailoring advice appropriately.
• Familiarity with technology (tablets, survey software) is required.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills as well as attention to detail.
• A valid motorcycle licence and demonstrated ability to ride a motorbike in challenging terrain is a must.

Method Of Application

Applications from qualified candidates, including a CV and a cover letter that justifies the relevance of the candidate’s background and experience to the position should be sent to [email protected] no later than March 22nd,2024. Please include “Program Officer” in the subject line.