Field Officer

The Swiss Red Cross is a member of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; it is part of a worldwide network of 188 National Societies. The purpose of the Swiss Red Cross activities is to protect the lives, health and dignity of human beings worldwide, the Swiss Red Cross is active in a large number of humanitarian programmes.

The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) in Vietnam works in strict collaboration with the Vietnamese Red Cross VNRC) since years in the sectors of health, rural development, disaster mitigation/preparedness, and encouraging programs to prevent and alleviate human suffering.

The VNRC & SRC are implementing a Community Based Disaster Risk Management Project in the Province of Ca Mau, Vietnam. The project requires the talents and full skills of a Field Officer to allow a timely delivering of quality activities at community level.

Job description – Field Officer

Title:        Field Officer
Location:    Ca Mau – VNRC Provincial Chapter Office (with frequent travel within the province as well as neighbouring provinces).
Supervisor:    Country Representative
Starting Date:     16th December 2013

The Field Project Officer will be based 80% of time in the Province of Ca Mau. Mainly responsible for supporting the host provincial Vietnamese Red Cross Chapter and Branches in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all activities funded by the Swiss RC to achieve expected impacts and results. The remaining 20% of time will be shared between BenTre and Hanoi.

1.Overall Responsibilities

• Support the implementation of Swiss RC funded activities through the provision of daily support to the VNRC provincial chapter, district and commune staff.
• Ensure projects activities are implemented in accordance with approved project documents and meet donor compliance standards, rules and regulations.
• Assist SRC Country Representative, SRC Finance & Admin Officer, VNRC HQ in Hanoi/HCMC, Chapters/Branches (as needed) with coordination, planning, monitoring, budgeting, and narrative/financial reporting.
• Assist VNRC Provincial Chapter, Districts Branches to track and meeting activity deadlines according to project work plans.
• Ensure high-quality narrative and finance reporting; and assist partners to provide reports within agreed time frames.
• Ensure flow of information among concerned people and reporting systems are well established.
• Coordinate closely with VNRC and other Red Cross Movement partners, as well as relevant humanitarian actors as they pertain to the program.

2.Specific Responsibilities

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Establish monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Conduct regular field visits to program targeted districts, and communities.
• Attend, help coordinate and monitor SRC/VNRC program activities.
• Ensure high quality of service provided to communities by providing technical review and feedback on findings and recommendations, and also ensuring adequate follow-up.
• Ensure coherency between supported activities and the Red Cross approach in Disaster Risk Reduction.
• Provide guidance for provincial partners in data collection and monitoring techniques.
• Support partners in developing tools for allowing smooth monitoring of activities.
• Design, manage and update the M&E Plan of the project to make sure targets are met and share finding with concerned persons.
• Develop and support the various staff in the implementation of the M&E plan.
• Build capacity of project staff in M&E skills through training, mentoring and coaching.
• Guide project staff in improving data collection and monitoring techniques.
• Encourage the use of more qualitative methods of M&E.
• Review appraises monitoring reports.
• Work with project staff to address the quality of the project outputs, and assessing adherence to quality standards and policies.
• Encourage and support the use of participatory methods and tools in all stages of the project management cycle.
• Facilitate document processes, models, best practices and lessons learnt are integrated into activities implemented.
• Advocate to local authorities communities needs, and rising awareness on vulnerability identified.

Coordination

• Coordinate with VNRC staff, other Red Cross partners, and local authorities on DRR activities at the Provincial, District and Commune levels.
• Establish coordination mechanisms between VNRC HCMC and VNRC Provincial Chapter.
• Represent Swiss RC for outreach and general coordination (i.e. local provincial meetings, commune coordination meetings...), and as requested. 
• Identify capacity gaps and training needs for local partners to improve their skills in project management and implementation.

Reporting

• Ensure reports (oral and writing) describe in details and with the maximum accuracy the situation faced at field level.
• Ensure concerned people and particularly within line management are always timely updated on the status of the project.
• Analyze situation faced, raise issues, foresee potential issues, request for assistance if needed.
• Ensure timely updates to line management (incl. to partners) through clear emails, and regular phone calls.
• Establish systems for sharing information so to ensure adequate flow of information.
• Adherence to Swiss RC Finance & Admin procedures
• Coordinate with SRC Finance & Admin Officer to provide assistance in the financial management of the project.
• Supported by the SRC Finance and Admin Officer ensure the project budget at Province level is spent in line with approved activities, and guarantee adherence to SRC accounting and financial reporting standards.
• Ensure expenses are reported in parallel with activities implementation.
• Coordinate with finance staff on accounting, budget monitoring, and financial reporting.

3.Qualifications & Skills

• Master Degree in DRR or in related field.
• Strong understanding of the entire project cycle management (MUST).
• At least 5 years of relevant working experience in similar positions.
• Prior humanitarian experience with disaster response and preparedness preferred.
• Familiarity with the context and also targeted Province, Districts and Communes.
• Proficiency in English and Vietnamese (both oral and written).
• Proactive, responsible, and careful to details.
• Strong ability to work as a part of a Team (including with partner).
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Constructive mindset.
• Capacity to foresee risk factors and propose innovative and practical solutions.
• Work of the Red Cross (WORC) certificate.
• Commitment to values and principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
• Relate to partners valorising their strengths.
• Solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise.
• Strong capacity in sharing information and keeping always concerned people informed.
• Conveys enthusiasm on future possibilities, and creates serene working environment.
• Perform other work related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.

Applicants are invited to send their CVs and Motivation Letter to Ms Trang at [email protected] (and cc to [email protected]) by Sunday 29th November 2013.

Candidate reviews will commence immediately upon publication of this announcement and will continue until suitable candidate has been identified.

While we appreciate all responses, only candidates under consideration will be contacted.