ASCEND Project Officer at Sightsavers

Job purpose

• To ensure the Ghana ASCEND project is planned, implemented, monitored and evaluated to the highest possible standards as laid out in the organization’s policies and procedures.
• To collaborate with other staff, partners and others to identify areas for project growth and assist in identifying and developing new initiatives

Principal Accountabilities

Working with ASCEND Partners 10%

• Work with the programme Manager to coordinate the activities of ASCEND partners in Ghana to ensure successfully execution of the ASCEND scope of work in Ghana.
• Develop and support longer term relationships with these partners that go beyond the duration of the ASCEND project.
• Support ASCEND partners in the identification of their own capacity building needs and help facilitate the provision of these needs.
• Disseminate information about Sightsavers and its work to ASCEND partners
• Establish partnership agreements with ASCEND partners where appropriate
• Promote shared learning and collaboration between partners by facilitating partner networks and meetings

Financial & Resource Management 20%

• Assist the ASCEND project partner in the preparation of budgets.
• Monitor expenditure of project financial resources and liaise with the FSSM/O where necessary.
• Ensure that partners submit timely financial returns.
• Follow up with partners any actions arising from audits carried out by the finance officer or by external auditors.

Project Management 60%

• Supporting all aspects of the ASCEND project management including planning, implementation and monitoring & evaluation.
• Work routinely with partners to identify needs for technical support.
• Support the partner to ensure that all project documentation and reports are made available in a timely and accessible way.
• Review information from the field status reports and team meetings, provide feedback and escalate issues whenever required;
• Ensure all interventions uphold a commitment to gender, equity, social inclusion, value for money and sustainability;
• Work with the programme Manager to collate and update annual activity logs and logical frameworks;

Information & Communication Management 10%

• Be proactive in providing good quality information on case studies, interesting news stories etc relating to the ASCEND project.
• Participate in all meetings and activities planned by partners in the ASCEND project and provide feedback.

Qualification Required & Experience

• Degree in Relevant Field ( Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Health,
• Education)
• Minimum of 5 Years working experience, ideally in an NGO environment
• Experience of all aspects of project management in community development
• programmes
• Experience in working with the Ghana Health Service

Skills (Special Training or Competence):

• Project management skills
• Excellent communication skills (both oral and written)
• Good written English skills
• Good IT skills
• Ability to understand and work with project budgets, forecasts and reports

Core behaviours:

• Change and Improvement
• Communicating and Influencing
• Decision Making
• Team Working
• Planning and Organising
• Delivery and Implementation
• Plus, we would expect the following:
• Interpersonal and intercultural sensitivity
• High degree of integrity
• Active listener

Key relationships
Internal

• Country Director / Senior Programme Manager, Programme Manager
• All country staff
• Institutional Funding Manager, WARO
• Regional Director
• Various staff based in all departments at Haywards Heath, UK

External

• Partners
• Consultants
• Service Providers
• Government agencies
• Community leaders