Project Officer, Graduation Program at Opportunity International

The Project Officer, Graduation Program, is responsible for managing the implementation of a customized graduation program in Malawi, with a focus on economically empowering ultra-poor families. This includes assessing the poverty landscape and identifying opportunities within the implementation areas, selecting program participants, and building their capacities for resilience. The officer will champion Opportunity’s vision role, coordinating with various stakeholders, overseeing program activities, and ensuring that participants achieve sustainable livelihoods and successfully graduate from the program. Acting as the bridge between Opportunity Malawi and the communities it serves, the officer must be a trusted and engaging communicator, delivering tailored empowering interventions to marginalized individuals to help them transform their lives, businesses, and families.

RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Technical Tasks

• Oversee and ensure the quality and accuracy of the participant selection process.
• Conduct household visits to verify the eligibility of selected households.
• Identify and facilitate access to local economic opportunities for ultra-poor households, integrating them into sustainable income-generating activities.
• Provide ongoing guidance and technical assistance to participants, helping them adhere to best practices for livelihood improvement.
• Supervise the efficient and effective use of program assets, cash, and other resources to improve participants’ economic and social conditions.
• Facilitate and organize exposure, learning or exchange visits, and other events for the program staff and participants to foster learning and experience sharing.
• Ensure timely procurement of and delivery of the right quality and quantity of program tools required by the participants and ensure these are appropriately used .

Monitoring, Evaluation, Documentation, and Reporting.

• Conduct regular household visits to monitor progress, ensure the quality of graduation assessments, and track progress against program indicators.
• Ensure that all participants achieve quality graduation.
• Consolidatemonthly, quarterly, and annual activity reports and special events showing achievements, lessons, constraints, and recommendations to the relevant authority.
• Participate in field-level assessment and/or evaluation of project performance.

Coordination

• Monitor the development of Case Workers and Sector Specialists and support their professional growth.
• Conduct annual performance reviews to ensure continuous improvement.
• Build relationships and coordinate with stakeholders including local leaders, district authorities, microfinance institutions, etc., and relevant government Ministries/departments.
• Identify community challenges and opportunities, tailor deliveries, and/or seek new resources to meet needs.

Relationship Building

• Act as a liaison between the communities and Opportunity.
• Identify opportunities for the expansion of Opportunity’s programs.
• Ethically champion and model the core values of Opportunity in the communities.

Safeguarding

• Uphold and promote safeguarding standards within the program.
• Read, understand, and practice safeguarding policies, ensuring they are implemented in all activities.
• Follow safeguarding reporting procedures and encourage others to do the same.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY     

• Case Workers
• Sector Specialists

QUALIFICATIONS

• A degree in a relevant rural, agricultural, or community development field.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in rural, community, agricultural, or economic development.
• Experience implementing a graduation program.
• Strong understanding of the target market and the value of community trust.
• Excellent organizational, multitasking, and consensus-building abilities.
• A team player with excellent interpersonal, writing, speaking, and presentation skills.
• Computer literacy, including spreadsheets, word processing, data entry programs, tablets, and other mobile technology.
• Passionate about Opportunity’s mission. Able to promote and communicate the organization’s goals and objectives to external and internal stakeholders.
• Must hold a motorcycle driving license or be willing to acquire one.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Written and verbal fluency in English and Chichewa required, additional 1 or 2 local languages preferred.
• Must be able to attend & fully participate in meetings conducted in English.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

• Travel to the community almost daily to deliver projects and interact with the communities, investigate expansion opportunities, and respond to community requests.
• Travel to other districts within Malawi for cross-learning activities, workshops, conferences, and other meetings as and when required.