Project Officer

The Organization

Search for Common Ground (Search) is an international non-profit organization that promotes peaceful resolution of conflict. Search’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflict - away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. Search seeks to help conflicting parties understand their differences and act on their commonalities. With a total of approximately 400 staff worldwide, Search implements projects from 39 offices in 36 countries, including in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. The organization is an exciting and rewarding place to work at, with a dedicated and enthusiastic staff who love their work. You will be joining a highly motivated staff with a good team spirit and there will be opportunities to grow in the role. Search has been working in Yemen since 2010 to promote social cohesion through work with youth, media, and women’s groups across the country. Search Yemen is seeking highly qualified individuals for the following position:

Organizational Responsibilities

• Remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the child safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Child Safeguarding Policy.
• Commit to implementing the goal of gender equality and maximize the participation and involvement of women and men in all aspects of program implementation.
• Ensure a safe working environment for all people involved in project implementation and maintain the highest standards of behavior when working with the community targeted.
• Adhere to all organizational policies and procedures as outlined in Search policies and procedure manuals.
• Follow all organizational protocols and regulations according to guidance provided by the HR department.

Position Summary

The Project Officer will report to the Project Manager. S/He will provide essential support to the project, working with the Project Manager and other team members to achieve project success. The Project Officer will be responsible for managing the field-level program implementation and for achievement of the field level outputs. S/He will implement the project activities within his/her respective area of responsibility as per the annual work plan and budget.

• Title: Project Officer
• Reports to: Project Manager
• Department: Programs
• Team: Program Implementation

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of good governance and social accountability activities with community committees, local partners, and authorities at the governorates and district level, ensuring that activities are running according to the plan.
• Serve as a focal person in the field for Search stakeholders, maintain respectful and constructive relations, and ensure regular meetings and ongoing coordination.
• Provide regular feedback to participants, and Community Resolution Committees as needed, and monitor the implementation of the work plan to improve the project’s quality and achieve timelines.
• Carries out frequent field visits to targeted districts to facilitate and supervise project activities.
• Support the CRCs in strengthening and promoting community engagement processes, enhancing social accountability, and good governance in the project areas, identifying the conflict cases, and addressing and resolving community issues.
• Support the project team in work planning, reporting, approvals, partner liaison, networking, and communication.
• Keeps Project Manager informed of progress achieved and challenges faced (through regular reports).
• Ensures implementation of activities as per the work plan and all related documents and logistics are prepared, approved, and archived.

Contributions

• Workplan: articulation of detailed costed work plan and activity plan that track outputs.
• Reporting: coordinate the development of reports (presentations, agenda, donor reports, monthly reports, activity reports etc). 
• Compliance: draft memos relevant to rules and regulations; support project staff in understanding regulations.
• Financial support: clear advances as per policy, monitor project budget-lines and Budget versus Actuals (BvA).
• Create the procurement plan and ensure it is followed. 
• Personnel Management: supervise Interns and Assistants as assigned, and contribute to the development of project materials.
• External Engagement: Coordinate with partner staff in project implementation and activities, ensure effective communication with project stakeholders, draft materials for stakeholders.
• Note and record stories of success, challenges and lessons learned from project implementation via activity and monthly reports.
• Infuses organizational values into all work.
• Other duties that are broadly in line with the above key contributions as assigned.

Competency Behavioral Indicators (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• At least 6 years’ professional experience in a comparable position including extensive fieldwork.
• Previous involvement in implementing good governance activities. 
• Extensive Knowledge in community engagement, social cohesion, conflict transformation, social accountability, and peacebuilding.
• Experienced in enhancing community access to justice and security.
• Extensive experience in direct coordination and collaboration with authorities. 
• Good knowledge of Yemen conflict context and previous field experience.
• Ability to work independently and problem-solving skills.
• Honest, hardworking, and committed to community development.
• Independently prioritizes time to reach deadlines and reaches end results of assignments with ability to accomplish multiple steps with limited to no supervision.
• Initiates brainstorming or problem-solving meetings. With time in the job, develops skills for analyzing and communicating project successes and failures; reports lessons learned to the team and other members.
• Represents Search at local events and meetings, Articulates Search project goals and objectives within Search and to external audiences.
• Demonstrates appreciation for diversity of thought. Builds cross-functional relationships with other functional departments.
• Demonstrates ability to be adaptable and willing to confront and change own ideas and preconceptions with the resiliency and flexibility to make changes based on hearing a diversity of thoughts.
• Drafts team documents, briefing materials, and presentations. Articulates project objectives and how they fit into a team’s goals and/or Search’s mission and adapts to the communications setting.
• Applies standards, identifies areas for standardization, and coordinates across functions from a multicultural perspective that reflects consideration of other cultures, other viewpoints, and other ways of doing things.
• Takes into account the environmental landscape, assesses one's own and others' viewpoints in their environment, and proposes solutions from an ethical perspective.
• Recognizes the options available for solving problems, conducts analyses, and calculates metrics and other technical tools to support informed decision making.
• Conducts Quality Control of team documents, briefing materials, presentations, and systems data. Carefully reviews and checks the accuracy of information in work reports, management information systems, or with other individuals and groups. Checks the accuracy of one’s own and others’ work. Proactively informs management of potential risks and concerns; suggests resolutions.
• Fluency in English and [local language] (both written and spoken).

Education and Experience

• BA with minimum 6 years’ experience.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

Usual office and field environment conditions; ability to travel to the field.