Field Officer Nawiri, Turkana (2 positions) – The Boma Project

Program: USAID Nawiri – Rural Entrepreneur Access Project (REAP) for Nutrition (R4N)

Reports to: Program Coordinator, R4N

Job titles of persons supervised: Mentors

Location: Turkana

1.INTRODUCTION

BOMA is working to lift 3 million people out of extreme poverty by 2027. BOMA’s mission is to provide the people and governments of Africa’s drylands with economic inclusion programs that increase resilience to multiple crises. Founded 15 years ago to eliminate extreme poverty among pastoralist women in Kenya, BOMA has since transformed the lives of more than 350,000 women, youth and refugees in East Africa. BOMA stands out for its focus on last mile populations of the drylands of Africa, who are most at risk to shocks from climate change and COVID-19, tech savvy and data driven approach, impressive graduation rate and 99% local structure based in Africa. BOMA is part of USAID Nawiri Mercy Corps led consortium with activities and interventions in Samburu and Turkana counties focusing on reducing persistent acute malnutrition.

Find out more about BOMA by visiting their website

2. JOB SUMMARY

The Field Officer position is responsible for the delivery of program outputs and coordination of Mentors in the assigned zone in line with USAID Nawiri’s overarching goal of reducing persistent acute malnutrition. The holder of this position shall report to Program Coordinator, Nawiri. He/she shall provide direct supervision to Mentors on timely execution of program implementation within budget and on agreed timeliness and targets. The position holder will be based at USAID Nawiri Sub County offices in Turkana County.

3.DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Programmatic Duties

1. 1. 1. Oversee and coordinate the implementation of program activities by Mentors under your supervision.
      2. Plan and execute community entry and engagement activities within your areas of supervision.
      3. Plan and execute participant selection and enrollment activities including community integrated assessment, action planning, participatory wealth ranking, PTT, business group formation and market assessment ensuring alignment with USAID Nawiri’s nutrition framework.
      4. Coordinate and back stop mentors to undertake monthly market linkages and referrals and reporting.
      5. Facilitate formation and registration of savings groups/Village savings and loaning associations as per guidelines to enable the R4N Participants access to credit for long-term expenses, business growth, and nutrition security.
      6. Coordinate and backstop monthly financial and lifeskills training for participants through savings groups meetings.
      7. Coordinate monthly case management for nutrition resilience activities for groups and mentors under your supervision including nutritional screening, nutritional education and training (Agri nutrition and MIYCN), nutritional counselling, referral and treatment, HHs dialogues, HHs visioning and action planning, HH self reflection using progress markets as jointly agreed in the consortium.
      8. Coordinate completeness of primary source data – Business Record books, Savings group record books, Child and Group registers under your supervision.
      9. Conduct monthly data quality checks and physical verification for all primary source data ensuring data quality and completeness and validation through signing of the Registers.
      10. Coordinate with mentors to achieve 100% data abstraction monthly for all primary source data (BGs, SGs and Child and group registers) before 10th of every month.
      11. Conduct monthly spot checks and technical backstopping of mentors using approved monitoring tools at BGs and SG level with evidence of physical verification of SGs, BGs and group registers data.
      12. In consultation with Program coordinator, conduct monthly mentor’s review, planning and reporting meeting.
      13. Provide accurate and comprehensive monthly reports on SG and BG performance, CMNR activities, case management and nutrition assessments, data abstraction to the Program Coordinators within set deadlines.
      14. Coordinate with Monitoring and Evaluation team to ensure timely and quality targeting verification, collection of baselines and end-line data and monitoring activities via digital technology.
      15. Use Performance Insights and FO online tools to monitor Program Effectiveness and address any outliers.
      16. Facilitate registration of graduated cohorts with department of social service, market and financial linkages with system actors.
      17. Participate in USAID NAWIRI Field level partner coordination meetings including donor visits.
      18. Provide program documentation on successes/impact (Success stories in collaboration with the mentors).
      19. Participant in Sub county/Zonal review and planning meetings and aligning monthly work plans with joint and integrated zonal work plans.

Administrative duties

1. 1. Supervision of mentors to deliver their expected roles and responsibilities in line with program deliverable goals, monthly targets and performance goals.
   2. Assist in the overall recruitment process as guided by the People Department for mentor positions.
   3. Support all operational issues experienced by Mentors under your jurisdiction.
   4. Ensure timely and accurate timesheet submissions and mileage logs by the mentors supervised.
   5. Support in conducting exit interviews when called upon and assist in managing the exit process/offboarding including employee clearance for respective mentors.
   6. Perform performance reviews for Mentors and implement the outcomes such as Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) where need be as guided by the People Department
   7. Handle any discipline issues for the Mentors and escalate such matters beyond your scope to the Program coordinator and/or People Department.
   8. Timely reporting of any people matters relating to the Mentors to the Program Coordinator and People Department i.e Leave planning, Welfare issues affecting mentors.
   9. Perform any other relevant duty as assigned by the supervisor.

4. EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Degree or Diploma in Community health and nutrition, Nutrition and Dietetics, community health and development, food nutrition and Dietetics , Social Sciences, , Project Management, or any other relevant field from a recognized institution.

5.MINIMUM REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

1. A minimum of 2 years of experience for Degree holders and at least 4 years of relevant experience (in a similar role in the Northern Kenya) for the Diploma holders preferably in a nutrition program.

6.REQUIRED COMPETENCES

1. Demonstrable ability to coordinate field activities.
2. Excellent people management skills.
3. Proven competency/experience in data collection and basic analysis.
4. Possession of self-drive; able to work with minimal supervision.
5. Good report writing and computer skills.
6. Fluent in English, Kiswahili, and the local dialect of Turkana County