Project Officer

The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) 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.

Since many years the Swiss Red Cross in Vietnam works in strict collaboration with the Vietnamese Red Cross particularly in the sectors of health, rural development, disaster mitigation/preparedness, and encouraging programs to prevent and alleviate human suffering.

The Swiss Red Cross has an office in Hanoi in charge of coordination aspects with the Vietnamese Red Cross, the wider Red Cross Movement in Vietnam, and other DRR stakeholders.

On September 2012 the Swiss Red Cross started with the Vietnamese Red Cross to deliver Community Based Disaster Risk Management services in seven most vulnerable communes of the Ca Mau Province. Since August 2013 CBDRM activities expanded also to the Province of Ben Tre.

The SRC is looking for a Project Officer committed to humanitarian work and values, motivated to work with the Vietnamese Red Cross in the Province of Ben Tre at all levels (chapter, branches, and communes). Her/his main objective will be to guarantee the delivery of quality DRM activities at communes’ level.

Job description – SRC Project Officer

Title:        Project Officer
Location:    Ben Tre – VNRC Provincial Chapter (with frequent travel within the province).
Supervisor:    Country Representative

The Project Officer will be based most the of time in the Province of Ben Tre and mainly responsible for supporting the hosting provincial Vietnamese Red Cross Chapter and Branches in the implementation and monitoring of activities funded by the Swiss RC. The remaining time the Project Officer will be working in other Provinces in Vietnam in support of organization needs.

1.Overall Responsibilities

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

2.Specific Responsibilities

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Ensure project activities are implemented as per agreed project documents and conduct regular field visits to targeted districts, communes, and hamlets.
• Ensure high quality of service delivery 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 to provincial partners in data collection and monitoring techniques.
• Support partners in developing tools and allow smooth implementation and monitoring of activities.
• Facilitate that document processes, models, best practices and lessons learnt are integrated into activities implemented.
• Advocate to local authorities the identified communities needs, and rising awareness on vulnerabilities identified.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation as needed.

Coordination

• Coordinate with the VNRC staff, SRC staff and other Red Cross Movement partners, and local authorities on project activities at Provincial, Districts and Communes levels.
• Establish coordination mechanisms between VNRC HQ in Hanoi, in HCMC, the VNRC Provincial Chapter, District Branches, and Communes Officers.
• Represent the Swiss RC for outreach and general coordination (i.e. local provincial meetings, commune coordination meetings...), and as requested by the SRC Country Representative. 

Reporting

• Ensure reports (orally 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 when and 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 Provincial 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

• University or Master Degree in DRR.
• Understanding of the CBDRM National Program ‘Community awareness raising and community-based disaster risk management’.
• Strong understanding of inclusive and participatory approaches and capacity to adopt it.
• At least 5 years of relevant working experience in similar positions.
• Strong commitment and understanding of Humanitarian values and of the fundamental principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
• Dedicated, innovative, and accountable.
• 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, interpersonal skills, and constructive mindset.
• Flexibility and capacity to embrace changes according to organization requirements.
• Capacity to foresee risk factors and propose innovative and practical solutions.
• Work of the Red Cross (WORC) certificate (or willingness to take the WORC online training).
• Capacity to relate to colleagues and 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.

Applicants are invited to send their CVs and Motivation Letter in English to Ms Linh at the following e-mail address [email protected] (and cc to [email protected]) latest by Wednesday 8th January 2014.

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.