Infrastructure & Disaster Risk Reduction Officer

Action Against Hunger-USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network, which provides humanitarian relief in over 40 countries worldwide in the sectors of nutrition, health, water/sanitation, and food security. Action Against Hunger-USA, an independent NGO, currently manages operations in seven countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Haiti and Somalia. Action Against Hunger-USA has approximately 1,500 staff based in the various country offices, Head Quarter in New York City and Operational Centre in Nairobi. Additional growth is anticipated.

I.            SUMMARY OF POSITION

Under the supervision of the FSL Program Manager, the Infrastructure and Disaster Risk Reduction Officer will directly work with beneficiaries of ACF-USA South Sudan Mission through supporting the implementation and management of the food security related projects through ensuring quality implementation of key deliverables, rehabilitation, construction of community assets, dyke construction, and creation of drainage channels around those facilities and adoption of best practices for all cash for work activities including resilience to shocks, climate smart agricultural activities and disaster risks reduction; monitoring and follow up of activities implementation with project beneficiaries and in close coordination with other field staff. He/She will be flexible based on the assigned food security and livelihood projects activities within any ACF Project locations.

II.            Purpose:

Provide direct support to project beneficiaries during the implementation of food security and livelihood project activities and ensure that Project priorities are implemented timely. Work together with FSL team in the area of operation to ensure that planned activities are executed timely.

III.            Engagement: 

The Infrastructure and Disaster Risk Reduction Officer will engage with the FSL PM, other officers and project Assistants at the field level as well as other staff from different departments, partners and beneficiaries to delivery ACF Country Strategy and Programs at the field level.

IV.            Delivery:

·         Support project beneficiaries on community assets creation

·         Provide technical guidance on dyke construction

·         Creation of drainage channels for beneficiaries during project implementation

·         Support field level assessments to field in to concept note development

·         Support in Reporting (monthly, quarterly and end of project reports)

V.             Essential job functions

1.      Responsible in overseeing and providing technical guidance for rehabilitation.

·         Ensured the technical quality of assets created under the Project across all the locations

·         Supervise the construction of community assets, dyke construction and creation of drainage channels around those facilities within the project locations

·         Adopt best practices and execute effective selection criteria for all cash for work activities across the project locations

·         Provide overall technical support to the community-based skilled technicians and cash-for-work beneficiaries through training, supporting identification and prioritization of market structures mainly dyke and drainage channel

·         Work closely with project participants to ensure adoption of best practices such as good site selection of flood channels, formation of ditches and sloping

·         Provide technical support and supervision to participants’ activities in all the project areas for the construction of the community assets

2.      Work closely with other FSL team members to creating high quality assets and implement DRR strategy

·         Ensure health and protection system/structures are in place at locations for construction/reopening of dyke or drainage channel

·         Developing basic and easy-to-follow rehabilitation techniques/methods to improve skills & knowledge in cash for work-related projects

·         Support the FSL PM on the introduction of climate smart agriculture and disaster risks mitigation techniques within the project locations

·         Liaise with community leaders and local authorities in matters related to the construction of the community assets

·         Provide on-site trainings to participants on construction skills related to the project activities

·         Regularly visits the participants’ groups to ensure effective implementation of planned activities

3.      Support effective Human Resources Administration and Management during Cash For Work (CFW) activities.

·         Work with other FSL team members and community stakeholders (PMCs, women & youth) to develop an effective Cash for Work (CFW) selection criteria that translate the need of the project

·         Participate in the recruitment and orientation of cash-for-work volunteers where necessary

·         Foster the spirit of cohesion, teamwork, professionalism, and mutual respect within the FSL team and good relationship with project participants

·         Oversee the identification of cash for work activities and to closely work with the FSL PM and other officers to supervise the Cash for Work volunteers on work planning and technical matters to align with the project goal

·         Execute quality implementation of disaster risks reduction activities along with beneficiaries and ensuring the proper transfer of knowledge and skills

·         Monitor and evaluate participants’ performance in all the project areas and report the finding to the FSL Program Manager

·         Ensures that attendance sheets for the participants are properly checked, signed and filed

·         Mobilize local tools from the community and using the beneficiaries to implement construction activities

4.      Other responsibilities

·         Contribute to timely, accurate and appropriate report of activities in project areas

·         Participate in all assessments in the project areas to support new concept notes and proposal development

·         Represent ACF in Project Management Committee (PMC) meetings and carefully take notes

·         Actively involved in community mobilization in all the project areas

·         Facilitate participants’ needs prioritization and identification through community work workshops and meetings

·         Any other task required to achieve the results and objectives of ACF.

VI.            Supervisory Responsibilities

       This position will only supervise Cash For Work (CFW) volunteers in the project locations.

VII.            Physical Demands

To travel to the field, the employee must attest to a level of physical fitness, capable of enduring physically difficulty, highly stressful situations, which may include the necessity to walk long distances, to eat a limited diet and/or to reside in potentially uncomfortable/challenging housing or tents while offering emergency response. 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.

VIII.            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 necessary.

·         Must be able to travel as required in any part of the Country where the team will be deployed.

·         All Action Against Hunger-USA employees are required to engage with and follow the performance management program in place.

IX.            Gender Equality Commitments:

·         Fostering environment that supports values of women and men’s equal access to information.

·         Provides an environment where women and men must be promoted based on the performance objectives.

·         Respect for beneficiaries, women, men, children (boys & girls) regardless of gender, sex, disability, religion, etc.

·         Value and respect for all cultures.

X.            Commitment to Safeguarding

·         Responsible to fully understand and adhere to Action Against Hunger’s safeguarding policy, PSEA and child safeguarding policies as well as its Code of Conduct and Charter of Principles.

·         Respect all policies during professional as well as private time and ask for clarification if needed.

·         Accomplish tasks in a way not to harm children, vulnerable adults and other communities we serve, or expose them to risk of abuse and exploitation.

·         Report all safeguarding concern according to the applicable reporting system.  

·         Create and maintain an environment free of abuse and exploitation.

Requirements

I.            Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

·         Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Architecture, design and/or construction, rural development.

·         Minimum three years of experience in implementing cash for work, livelihoods and or other market systems strengthening projects; with good aptitude of logical framework approach; experience with rural growth strategies including, local economic development, market-driven agricultural and private sector development initiatives

·         Any other specialized trainings in similar fields and cash for work management and monitoring and evaluation is an added advantage.

·         Knowledge on food security & livelihood, cash and voucher programming is an added advantage.

II.            Required Skills, Competencies & Attributes

·         Excellent communication, writing and analytical, representation and reporting

·         Experience in humanitarian settings delivering agriculture, livestock, cash for work and other livelihoods based programming, required in complex emergency and post conflict settings

·         Ability to coach and mentor others for effective transfer of skills and experience

·         Experience of working on dyke and drainage construction in flood prone areas

·         Proven ability to mobilize and work with the community with minimum supervision under stressful working environments

·         Experience of working on DRM projects, agricultural and non- agricultural value chains.

·         Fluency in English, ability to speak fluently in local (Dinka/Arabic) will be an added advantage

·         Willingness to travel in the field and live in uncomfortable conditions when necessary

·         Familiarity with AAH and acceptance of AAH’s principles

Benefits

I.            Commitment Anti-Discrimination and PSEA

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. The incumbent is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the Action Against Hunger Safeguarding policies (PSEA, Child safeguarding and Code of Conduct).  Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

This advert closes on 2 May 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis given the urgency of the recruitment.