JOB SUMMARY

Despite the progressive and favourable refugee policy, most asylum seekers and refugees have limited livelihood opportunities. This has resulted in socio-economic vulnerabilities, protection risks, psychosocial post-traumatic disorders, health outbreaks, malnutrition cases, and limited access to basic essential services such as food, education, and health care because funding for the refugee response remains a persistent and growing challenge. The key food assistance partner World Food Program (WFP) continues to reduce food ratios per individual through the rollout of the prioritization exercise which has greatly affected the increasing number of new arrivals who are yet to be settled to produce their own food within a very short period more specifically the Pregnant and Lactating women (PLWs) and children 0-23 months.

The provision of the Food Voucher system will be defined by a minimum expenditure basket required for at least a period of 3 months per household comprised of 5 people. Since 2019 to date this MEB has been calculated at approximately 308,000 Uganda shillings ($83) per household per month.

To implement the Food assistance solution, CARE will collaborate with local organizations, including ANDRE Food International, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to identify potential food service providers within the reach of the most vulnerable newly arrived refugee households who will provide the direct food assistance upon receipt of the food vouchers from the selected groups and therefore redeem their payments on a monthly basis It's estimated that each household will receive food vouchers worth 316,100 Ugandan shillings, approximately $ 84 and present them to the service providers to purchase food and then the Food vendors will redeem the value of Food supplied per voucher from CARE and the partners. Through this intervention, CARE and the partners are expected to reach approximately 850 households with emergency food assistance where each household comprises at least 5 members. Cumulatively, within the project period it's estimated that at least 4,250 most vulnerable persons, PLWs, children, young people, elderly will benefit from the emergency Food Assistance project. 

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibility #1: Technical lead on Implementing the Project deliverables (30%)

·        Coordinate and input in the development of tools and templates to support the management and implementation of the operational aspects of emergency food voucher programs in line with donor requirements.

·        Support the development of implementation guidance on beneficiaries’ selection criteria for participation in Emergency Food Assistance Programming, and economic empowerment approaches and train staff (particularly project officers) on the methodologies.

·        Coordinate and monitor the implementation of the food Voucher intervention work plan and quality of technical activities, share relevant information and direction to improve quality, and achieve timelines.

·        Promptly identify and recommend solutions to technical issues.

·        Develop and document appropriate mechanisms for food voucher assistance, ensuring that adhere to the CARE’s policies and procedures and that effective, transparent accounting procedures are in place.

·        Support compliance to CARE’s core values and gender transformative programmatic approach that emphasizes gender equity and diversity.

·        Assist in the collection of data, assessments, and proposal development related to Livelihoods and food assistance programming. 

·        Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of the team; promptly report concerns or incidents to CARE management and liaise with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for CARE programs.

·        Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop CARE programs.

Responsibility #2: Financial, Procurement & Management Oversight –ensure program-level oversight of the project’s financial resources, while applying CARE’s policies and systems, as well as donor requirements. (20 %)

·        Responsible for monitoring the initiatives’ budget, reviewing monthly expenditure reports, and ensuring budgets are used in accordance with CARE’s and the donors’ rules and regulations. This involves planning and designing activities in ways that fit the available budgets, reviewing monthly expenditure reports, working closely with finance to prepare accurate and timely donor financial reports, ensuring allocation of expenses to the right budget lines, preparing quarterly projections of needed fund projections, etc.

·        Responsible for preparing procurement plans for all goods and services related to the project components, according to approved budgets and activity plans and in line with both CARE and the donors’ procurement rules and policies.

Responsibility #3: Partnerships: Ensure a high level of coordination and nurtured relationships with partners/ key stakeholders to exploit learning, sharing, and dissemination opportunities (10%)

·        Serve as the main focal person in the field for CARE’s Livelihood programming; maintain respectful and constructive relations and ensure regular meetings and ongoing coordination.

·        Regularly monitor the performance of the Projects to achieve the set objectives; provide technical support and guidance; share relevant information and direction to improve quality and achieve timelines.

·        Review partner financial and narrative submissions, including M&E data; provide advice and guidance to improve accuracy and quality as required.

·        Work closely and coordinate with the local partners, the CARE support staff, finance, and grant staff to ensure timely and compliant program activities and expenditures, including active participation in grant opening/closing and review meetings.

·        The position supervises Project coordinator and project officers and must work closely with staff from various programmatic and operational teams to deliver high-quality activities at the community level.

·        Maintain open and professional relations with other refugee response programs, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.

·        Ensure timely completion and submission of monthly timesheets, probation reviews, and annual performance reviews.

·        Work with the MEAL team to establish and implement feedback and complaints mechanisms on the Food voucher system. This will include documenting all cases reported related to Voucher redeeming and ensuring that they are handled, and issues addressed.

·        Comply with and promote CARE’s Global policies such as Safeguarding/PHSEA, whistle-blowing, Fraud, Health and Safety, and other relevant policies.

Responsibility #4: Human Resource management and team cohesion, performance, and effectiveness (15% of the time)

·        Ongoing identification of staffing needs in the project, recommends changes of staffing structure as needed, and develops/adapts job descriptions as needed.

·        Direct supervision of staff assigned to the initiative. The support will include the development of annual performance objectives and proactive management of performance through day-to-day guidance and coaching, formal mid-term and annual performance reviews, and support to staff to achieve their personal and professional development objectives.

·        Ensure synergy across the components as well as efficient use of resources and with other initiatives under CARE’s Humanitarian Program

Responsibility #5: Monitoring and Evaluation, and the M&E unit/ to design and implement monitoring and evaluation systems (15%)

·        Undertake regular field monitoring visits to assess progress and identify technical quality issues and/or other implementation issues, provide solutions, and implement modifications as required.

·        Ensure all monitoring activities are fully documented, including systematic and timely data collection as required under the grant and for CARE’s M&E purposes.

·        Produce/contribute to CARE and donor reports as per set schedules (monthly, quarterly, and annually) on grant activities, indicators, and achievements.

·        Participate in the development and continuous review of the overall project M&E systems.

·        Contribute to the designing of monitoring and evaluation tools to collect relevant program information.

·        Participate in the preparation of annual implementation plans and project implementation reports.

Responsibility #6: Promote Gender Equity and Diversity and Safeguarding Practices (5%)

Practice a behavior consistent with CARE’s core values, and promotion of gender equity and diversity goals.

Play a leadership role in identifying and implementing initiatives that enhance CARE’s commitment to gender and diversity.

Ensure that CARE Safeguarding policies and procedures are adhered to by all and the staff that S/he supervisor both directly or indirectly.

Ensure that staff and related personnel under your jurisdiction are familiar with the following organizational policies and procedures and can identify when needed how these may have been breached. The CI Safeguarding policy, Protection from Sexual Harassment, Exploitation Abuse, and Child Abuse, The anti-discrimination and harassment policy, The code of conduct and the organization's Values.

Responsibility #7: Any other duties assigned from time to time (5%)

Any other duties incidental to the role or assigned by the supervisor.

Professional Standards

·        All CARE staff are required to adhere to CARE’s Standards for Professional Code of Conduct and the CARE country employment policies.

RELATIONSHIPS AND COLLABORATION

•           This is a senior-level position in CARE and requires a degree of clear-headedness, integrity, sensitivity, and responsiveness to the needs of the program, mission, and program directions of CARE International in Uganda.  

•           The jobholder is required to consult and make collective decisions on major operational issues, and procedural changes with the program managers and supervisors.

AUTHORITY

The project coordinator will work closely with partners and other stakeholders such as OPM, UNHRC, officers, and beneficiaries of the project in accordance with the CARE Uganda Cooperative agreement obligations and program work plans.

WORK CONDITIONS

The position holder will be based in Nakivale Refugee settlement (75%) but some amount of time (25%) will be spent on traveling in support of the program in Kampala and other CARE operational areas.

QUALIFICATIONS

A bachelor's degree in any of the following fields; Agriculture, agri-business, Development studies, social works, Project planning and management, and community development is required. A postgraduate diploma in any of the above fields is a MUST.

6 (six) years of working experience of which three (3) Years’ must be in Cash/Voucher system programming, Women's Economic Empowerment and development in a humanitarian context, and community development work and cash-based programming with knowledge of economic empowerment approaches (VSLA, CFW, MPCT, BSPM, Market Engagement, Value Chain Management) with reputable organizations backed with high integrity, diversity and accountability.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Excellence: Sets high standards of performance for self and/or others; successfully completes assignments; sets standards of excellence rather than having standards imposed; ensures interactions and transactions are ethical and convey integrity.

• Integrity: Maintains social, ethical, and organizational norms; firmly adheres to codes of conduct and ethical principles inherent to CARE.

• Communicating with Impact: Diplomatically, logically, and clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the recipient/audience and helps them understand and retain their message.

• Facilitating Change: Supports and manages the change process at CARE Uganda by developing a culture affirmative of change; encouraging others to seek and act upon opportunities for different and innovative approaches to addressing problems and opportunities; critically analyzing evolving and fluid situations; facilitating the implementation and acceptance of change within the workplace; actively engaging with resistance to change.

• Strengthening Partnership: Identifying and utilizing opportunities within and outside of CARE Uganda to develop effective strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas/departments/units or external organizations to achieve CARE’s objectives.

• Management Excellence: Makes the connection between values and performance. Influences the performance of others, and ultimately, the performance of the organization. Sets direction, coaches & develops, promotes staff wellness & safety, practices & promotes compliance, models gender equity & diversity, and communicates effectively.

• Developing Teams: Using appropriate methods and a flexible interpersonal style to help build a cohesive team; facilitates the completion of team goals.

• Diversity - Promoting, valuing, respecting, and fully benefiting from everyone’s unique qualities, background, race, culture, age, gender, disability, values, lifestyle, perspectives, or interests; creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes diversity.

• Adaptability- Expected to well with the country, the Cooperating environment, and with the Project team to function effectively and efficiently

• Coaching - Ability to demonstrate to enhance skills and capacity of staff working in the field and office for them to continue to serve CARE in future program activities