2021-06-20

Social Transfer Junior Advisor (STJA) – Hargeisa, Somaliland

Hargeisa, Somaliland
Posted on June 20, 2021

Concern Worldwide

Social Transfer Junior Advisor (STJA) – Hargeisa, Somaliland

Job Description

Vacancy Announcement

Social Transfer Junior Advisor (STJA)

Concern Worldwide is an international non-governmental humanitarian organization dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Job Title: Social Transfers Junior Advisor (National Position).

Job Location: Hargeisa, with visits to other project sites; Seconded to Ministry of Employment, Social Affairs and Family (MESAF).

Reports to: Social Transfers Senior Advisor (STSA) within MESAF.

Collaborate with: The Director General (DG) and MESAF Planning and Policy Director, and closely coordinate with the Social Transfers Programme Manager from Concern Worldwide.

Contract Details: 1 year with high possibility of extension.

Background:

The majority of Somaliland’s population live on very low incomes and would benefit significantly from access to Social Protection. The Somaliland’s poverty line of 2013 highlighted that the urban poverty rate was 30 per cent, while rural poverty was estimated at 37 per cent. While poverty lines are a useful metric for measuring progress in tackling poverty, these are sufficient in determining social policy since poverty is multifaceted and much more complex than a simple line. Looking at different dimensions of poverty based on daily per capita consumption, 93 per cent of the population in both urban and rural areas were still living on very insecure incomes of Sl. Sh. 13,600 (US $ 1.60) and Sl. Sh. 11,900 (US$ 1.40), respectively. To address the income insecurity and establish social safety nets in Somaliland regions, the Ministry of Employment, Social Affairs and Family (MESAF) and Concern Worldwide will jointly implement a social transfer’s programme in Hargeisa, Borama and Berbera.

The main objective of this programme is to protect and promote socio-economic opportunities for vulnerable population through provision of cash based social transfers in Somaliland. The programme is an integral part of ILED programme and will be carried out under the leadership of MESAF to strengthen government capacities and enhance social, economic and human capital among the poorest and most marginalized communities in target locations.

Programme Summary: The specific objective of the Social Transfers project is to contribute to the implementation of the National Social Protection Policy by strengthening government capacities and enhancing social, economic and human capital among poor and extremely poor households in Somaliland. The Social Transfers project has two components: 1) through the provision of cash based social transfer to support targeted households to reduce vulnerability and poverty to reduce the impact of shocks and disasters linking humanitarian and development approaches; and 2) through the provision of support to build systems at the regional and district levels required for a government-led social protection system.

Outcome 1: Expanded access to cash based social transfers for poor and extremely poor households and increased access to employment and productive livelihoods. This objective will be achieved through the provision of cash based social transfers for households in rural, urban and peri urban areas, with a focus on both categorical and vulnerability-based selection.

Outcome 2: Strengthened social protection systems capacity of key stakeholders. The objective will be achieved through supporting social protection capacity of social protection stakeholders including local authorities in the Somaliland, and make a strong contributions in line with the Cross-cutting.

Theme II: Social Protection of the NDPII, which calls for the establishment and strengthening of systems and capacities of government and other stakeholders to design and implement social protection, and monitor well-coordinated schemes.

Job Description: Under the overall coordination of Concern Worldwide and supervision by MESAF, the Social Transfers Junior Advisor (STJA) will be responsible of carrying out all daily liaison and coordination at MESAF level and to facilitate effective delivery of project activities and to achieve overall project objectives. The STJA will focus on providing support specifically to activities related to TVET, psychosocial support and cash transfers at national and local level. The STJA will be based in MESAF, and he/she will provide support and collaborate closely with Social Transfers Senior Adviser to perform social transfer’s activities at national and subnational levels. The post holder will coordinate with MESAF Planning and Policy Director, the Director General, the Social Transfers Programme Manager from Concern Worldwide and other partners to ensure efficient and smooth implementation of activities within the set timeframe.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

Support the administrative, programmatic and the operational aspects of the Social Transfers Programme by ensuring that project resources allocated to MESAF are utilised according to plan, and activities and are in line with the project’s objectives, policies and guidelines.
Facilitate social protection activities in the targeted areas of operations support: budget and reporting, administration.

Assist the Social Transfers Senior Advisor (STSA) in the day-to-day management of the project activities including coordinating with different ministries and regional authorities to ensure commitment and ownership of the implementation of the project.
Support the preparation of timely social protection progress narrative, financial, and other relevant reports to MESAF, other relevant government ministries (Ministry of Health Development, etc.) and Cash Transfers partners.
Contribute and coordinate the preparation of the Social Protection Procedures, Policy and Schemes for a government-owned and led social transfer model, ensuring that project implementation follows the stipulations programme guidelines
Engage in research and M&E processes to ensure learning are well coordinated and effectively applied in a way that will feed into systems development.
Facilitate, participate and follow-up meetings with key Government counterparts, stakeholders and other partners as necessary and ensure records, recommendations and agreements are recorded and filed.
Maintain project filing system at MESAF and continuously update the files, keep tracks of documents related to the project.
Review and maintain incoming and outgoing communications and draft correspondences and memos as delegated and deemed necessary.
Assist in the coordination and liaison with Social Transfer staff from partners and other counterparts in regional authorities.
Participate in all joint implementation and supervision missions monitoring missions, and project related workshops, consultations, meetings as required. This may include travel to project sites throughout Somaliland.

Adherence to Concern policies and guidelines:

Adhere to, support and promote the standards of conduct outlined in the Concern Code of Conduct & its Associated Policies and other key organizational policies and guidelines.
At all times comply with Concern’s Security Management Standard Operating Procedures.
Contribute to the establishment and implementation of preventive measures to reduce the potential for abuse or harm in Concern’s programming.

Other:

Any other tasks as may be reasonably assigned by as required by MESAF and Concern.

Job Specification:

Qualification and Experience:

Essential:

Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, Development Studies, Management and discipline associated with social development, social protection.
At least 3 years’ experience in social protection advisory role.
Demonstrate technical skills and experience in pro-poor policy development, social protection and inclusion priorities and systems at ministerial level.
Demonstrate understanding of social safety nets and social protection priorities in Somali context, specifically in Somaliland.
Experience and skills in working on social protection consortium programmes related to social safety nets, protection, cash-based interventions and gender mainstreaming.

Desirable

Demonstrate solid experience and skills in leading national level policy dialogues, advocacy networks and coordination in particular policies related to social protection, gender, poverty alleviation etc.
Fluent in Somali, and English languages

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:

Ability to organize and prioritize workload, using initiative when appropriate.
Good team player, flexible and capable of working effectively.
Ability to cope with stress; work under pressure often to strict deadlines.
Flexibility, adaptability, and patience.
Facilitation and interpersonal skills.
Analytical and problem solving skills.
Commitment to Concern’s ethos and values, and to the highest levels of Accountability

Disclaimer Clause: This job description is not exhaustive and may be revised from time to time.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates, who meet the above requirements, should submit their applications (cover letter and updated CVs) by email to som.vacancies@concern.net with the subject line “Social Transfer Junior Adviser” in the subject line by Friday 2^nd July 2021.

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

N.B. Job applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the position may be filled before the application deadline.

Concern Code of Conduct and its Associated Policies: Concern’s Code of Conduct (CCoC) and its associated policies have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants, especially beneficiaries, from abuse and exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, partner organizations, and anyone engaged by Concern or visiting our programmes, and the standards of behavior expected of them. In this context all Concern staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct of their work in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission.

Any candidate offered a job with Concern will be expected to sign the Programme Participant Protection Policy and Concern Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Code of Conduct candidates demonstrate they have understood its content and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of this document.

Any breach of the Programme Participant Protection Policy and Concern Code of Conduct by employees of Concern during the course of their employment will result in disciplinary action up to, and including, dismissal.