Company Profile

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. CRS Ghana was established in 1958, a year after Ghana gained independence. In Ghana, CRS works with local partners to tackle poverty on several fronts including improving health and nutrition; increasing access to safe water and improved sanitation; promoting agriculture to enhance food security; and increasing financial assets through Savings and Internal Lending Communities. 

Job Description

• Job Title:         Community Mobilization Specialist (REST)
• Department:         Programming (Health)
• Band:             D
• Reports To:         REST Project Coordinator
• Country/Location:     Ghana/Tamale
• Start Date:        June 2017
• End Date:         June 2020

Job Summary:
As a member of the Rural Emergency Health Service and Transport (REST II) project team, you will help provide technical leadership to the field implementation team and partners to ensure accomplishment of REST Project objectives and results, while meeting expected technical quality standards. You will work with the Project Field Officers and project partners (Ghana Health Service) in the implementation of REST project strategies and activities. Your thorough and service-oriented approach will ensure that the project consistently applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve.

Job Responsibilities
Project Planning and Implementation:

• Support the coordination and implementation of all assigned project activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Supervise and support assigned Field Officers to facilitate community entry in targeted communities and maintain good relationships with community leaders over the life of the project
• Support the REST Project Coordinator in the smooth and effective implementation of the community and health center based mobilization and sensitization activities.
• Coordinate and oversee working relationships with all local project stakeholders and serve as the liaison between them and the project team to mobilize local actors and promote project activities and impact.
• Identify staff capacity needs and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and contribute to capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation.
• Provide regular on the spot facilitative support to Field Officers, point persons of implementing partners and ensure proper documentation, project tracking and record keeping
• Support Field Officers in the compilation of relevant project reports and case studies highlighting promising practices and project impact against indicators.
• Provide support in the development of annual work plans and budget preparation, and assist in implementing them to achieve project goals and planned results.
• Participate in periodic reviews, including quarterly reviews, to identify success stories relating to the project and areas of improvement
• Provide coaching, tailor individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports. Monitor and assess performance to ensure capacity for successful support of high quality programming.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability and Learning (MEAL)

• Work closely with the MEAL Specialist to facilitate the collection and compilation of all data necessary for the project implementation including coordinating Field Officer activities, conducting monitoring visits and ensuring timely reporting.
• Work closely with MEAL Specialist, key component specialists to supervise key project staff on the MEAL requirements of the project, and to assure that the REST Project meets set goals and objectives.
• Monitor and report any challenges and/or gaps identified to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. Assist partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences.
• Coordinate with the MEAL Specialist to support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and assisting partners in their efforts to collect and analyze project data per specified mechanisms and tools. Collaborate with local partner(s) to prepare reports per established reporting schedule. Make informed decisions based on: key findings, trends, comparisons between sub-groups, and by making explicit important assumptions.
• Work with the Project Coordinator to ensure that all recommendations and action plans developed from lessons learnt are implemented, monitored and reported on

Scope:

• Supervises between 4 to 6 Field Officers

Travel Required:

• 40% of time

Key Working Relationships:

• Supervisory:     REST Field Officers
• Internal:     CRS Health Program Manager, REST Project Coordinator, REST MEAL Specialist, REST Community Mobilization Specialist, other line specialists
• External:      Ghana Health Service, District Assemblies, Local Leaders/Chiefs, District Director of Health Services

Required Skills or Experience

• Advanced University degree in Social work, Rural/Community Development, Integrated Development Studies, Public Health, Nutrition or in any related field with extensive experience in community mobilization and sensitization strategies
• At least five years of experience in community mobilization or similar capacity
• Verifiable experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data preferred including familiarity with qualitative approaches to M&E.
• Verifiable experience in participatory action planning and community engagement.
• Demonstrated experience in leading and building capacity of teams.
• Computer literate and skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Knowledge of local languages in the Northern and Upper East Regions (i.e. Dagbani, Mampruli) would be a plus

Personal Skills:

• Demonstrated professional maturity, relationship management and good interpersonal skills for teamwork.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
• Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented.
• Excellent facilitation, reporting and presentation skills.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning

Required/Desired Foreign Language:

• Not Applicable

MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning) Competencies:

• Accountability: Improving our accountability to a range of stakeholders through increased participation, transparent communication, responsive feedback mechanisms, and adherence to internal and external quality standards and requirements.
• Analysis and Critical Thinking: Engaging with data, challenging biases and assumptions, posing thoughtful questions, pursuing deeper understanding of evidence through reflection and perspective-taking, and making informed programming decisions.
• Monitoring: Implementing monitoring activities, including timely collection of quality data, set up and maintenance of databases, facilitation of participatory reflection on monitoring results, and submission of timely progress reports.