Field Officer x1

Field Officer (JOB REF: FSPOL/21/01/26)

Position title: ​​Field Officer x1 (Poland)
Working location: ​ Hwedza
Supervisor: ​Family-Strengthening Coordinator

Context of the position

Established in 1949, SOS Children's Villages International (CVI) is a dynamic, international social development organization working globally to meet the needs and protect the interests and rights of children without parental care and those who are at the risk of losing it.

SOS Children's Villages Association of Zimbabwe is a member of SOS International - a worldwide children's social welfare organisation, providing vulnerable children without homes with a family home and educational opportunities as well as strengthening families to reduce poverty.

Mission of the position:

The Field Officer works closely with community based partners in creating a responsive and conducive environment for the care and protection of children and young people. He / She will work with other programme officers, government and CSO partners to strengthen the functional and financial sustainability of community based partners in responding to the welfare of vulnerable families, children and young people. The incumbent is expected to closely collaborate with government, CSOs, business corporate partners, local community structures, local authorities and other service providers to enable children who have lost or are at risk of losing parental care to grow within a caring and supportive family environment and secure community.

Key performance areas and main responsibilities:

• Create awareness on project goal, objectives and expected outputs at community level.
• Facilitate the identification of opportunities and mobilization of local resources for the health and education action plan to meet the needs of each child, household and community.
• Conduct an assessment of the Educational and Health needs of children and youths
• Identify and engage local partners, community leaders and government structures for effective programme planning, implementation and monitoring.
• Establish and strengthen admission committees that support enrolments and programme implementation at community level.
• Ensure proper procedures are followed for exiting participants from the programme.
• Work in collaboration with community field officers/Volunteers and local partners in the identification and enrolment of programme participants.
• Mentor and coach community field officers/volunteers in the implementation of Family Strengthening activities.
• Work with community structures in the identification and enrolment of target group.
• Train community representatives/volunteers on family development process to enable tailor made support to vulnerable children and their families.
• Refer specific cases to specialised intervention Officers.
• Facilitate networking with local government institutions, CSOs, corporate business partners and other partners in planning and implementation of community empowerment interventions.
• Facilitate participatory monitoring and evaluation of the community empowerment interventions.
• Documents, prepare and submit timely progress reports to the Project Coordinator on community empowerment interventions
• Support the collection and documentation of community empowerment impact stories

​Qualifications and Experience

Qualifications and Technical Competencies

• Degree in Community development related social and natural sciences/disciplines such as Social Work, Social Sciences, Sociology, Development studies, Economics, Community Nursing, and Rural Development.
• At least 3 years of professional work experience in a similar role or implementing Community development and OVC support programmes.
• Class 3 (Motor Cycle riding) Licence is a prerequisite

Skills & Knowledge

• Sound understanding of child rights, child development, family and community development, rights based programming and management of CBPs.
• Good communication and reporting skills, computer literate, understanding and ability to apply community development participatory methodologies, self-starter
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, within and outside the organisation, develop effective working relationships to deliver outstanding results.
• Asset Based Community Development Approach
• Knowledge of the Project cycle management demonstrable ability with applying project management methodology to basic or routine projects to achieve stated objectives and/or outcomes
• Demonstrates initiative and enterprise and supports others to work more effectively
• Understands and SOS CV social, ethical and organisational standards and responsibilities in all interactions
• Willingness to travel to and be posted in any SOS program locations according to programming requirements.