District Project Officer

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established to save, protect, and transform lives in need, CRS operates in more than 100 countries, providing relief and development assistance without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization focuses on various sectors, including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. CRS is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation, ensuring that its processes and policies reflect this commitment. The agency fosters a collaborative, mission-driven culture dedicated to improving the lives of the poor worldwide, welcoming individuals from diverse faiths and secular traditions who share its values and commitment to service.

Job Overview:
The District Project Officer will work closely with the District Health Office (DHO) to oversee the implementation, monitoring, and reporting of the Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP) for children aged 6-23 months across all participating health facilities in the district. This role is crucial in supporting CRS's mission to serve the poor and vulnerable populations by ensuring the quality of program implementation and strengthening government supplementary feeding program structures. The officer will facilitate the technical quality of the TSFP, coordinate outreach activities, and provide high-quality technical support to ensure effective program delivery. The position requires a proactive approach to community mobilization and outreach, working collaboratively with district structures to prevent and manage child malnutrition effectively.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The District Project Officer will be responsible for a wide range of duties, including:

• Supporting the district coordination and implementation of all project activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan, ensuring alignment with CRS program quality principles, donor requirements, and best practices.
• Managing district data integrity, security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security, and compliance with government and organizational standards, including maintaining project dashboards and databases for real-time monitoring using tools like Power BI, Tableau, or DHIS
• Facilitating the implementation of digital data collection systems and monitoring district challenges to inform adjustments to plans and schedules.
• Assisting partners in project evaluation activities and collaborating with local partners to prepare reports according to established schedules.
• Collecting information on capacity needs of district government staff and monitoring capacity-building activities.
• Coordinating relationships with project stakeholders and serving as a liaison to mobilize local actors.
• Completing project documentation and assisting in identifying information for case studies and reports.
• Facilitating the implementation of TSFP activities, including training health staff, organizing reports, and ensuring adherence to medical and nutritional protocols.
• Monitoring the quality of TSFP implementation and facilitating follow-ups for absentees and defaulters.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, Public Health, Nutrition, or a related field. Additionally, a minimum of 6 months of work experience in TSFP is required. Candidates should have experience in participatory action planning, community engagement, and managing supplementary feeding programs for children aged 6-59 months. Knowledge of nutrition digital platforms and experience in monitoring projects and collecting relevant data are preferred. Proficiency in MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) is also necessary.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, Public Health, Nutrition, or other related fields. This educational foundation is essential for understanding the complexities of health and nutrition programs, particularly those focused on child welfare and malnutrition prevention.

Experience:
The position requires candidates to have at least 6 months of relevant work experience in the Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP). Experience in community engagement, participatory action planning, and managing supplementary feeding programs for children is highly valued. Familiarity with Integrated Management and Prevention of Wasting is also beneficial, as is experience in monitoring projects and collecting data.

Languages:
The mandatory languages for this position are English and Chichewa, with Tumbuka being a preferred language. Proficiency in these languages is essential for effective communication with stakeholders and community members in the district.

Additional Notes:
This position may require travel up to 25%. The role does not have supervisory responsibilities but involves key working relationships with internal stakeholders such as the Head of Health and Nutrition Unit, MEAL lead, and Grants accountant, as well as external relationships with the Ministry of Health district team. CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan for U.S.-based staff. For candidates employed outside the U.S., benefits packages are based on the country of employment. CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants and ensuring that all staff adhere to the organization's Code of Conduct.