Technical Officer

الوصف الوظيفي

Position: Technical Officer
Location: Gaza
Responsible to: Project Manager
Closing date: 20th of February, 2015
Job Type: Full Time job

THE ORGANIZATION
With over 30 years of experience, Handicap International (HI) is an independent and impartial aid organization, currently active in 60 countries, working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. It works alongside people with disabilities (PwDs) and vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.
HI has been present in the Middle East since 1987 and currently operates in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine, with a regional office based in Amman, Jordan, and field offices in each country. In Palestine, HI has been active since 1996 and works in both Gaza and West Bank, through several projects funded by the European Commission (EC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg (MOFA Lux), the Canada Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development (DFATD), the French Development Agency (AFD), DFID, and Caritas Germany. The annual budget of the mission for 2014 is more than 1.5 million Euros, which is expected to substantially increase in 2015, and it employs more than 20 nationals and two international staff, distributed among 3 offices (East-Jerusalem, Ramallah and Gaza).

THE PROJECT
The project, entitled “Fostering multi-stakeholders mobilisation for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in their community in marginalized areas of oPt”

The project strengthens good practice from previous actions to promote access and participation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in development planning and service delivery in the oPt and includes new elements to address lessons learned, e.g. regarding the linkage of Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) with local inclusive development, and the participation of PWDs and their groups in local development processes. It benefits from the experience of inclusive development projects of HI in the Middle East and considers the activities of other disability INGOs / donors (e.g. French Cooperation Agency, DFID) to avoid duplication. Given the severe limitations that PWDs in the oPt experience in accessing and taking part in mainstream services and resources, the overall objective of the project is for persons with disabilities to have equal access to local services and policy processes aiming at reducing poverty in marginalised areas of the oPt. To achieve this, the specific objective aims for persons with disabilities in marginalised areas of Nablus, Hebron, North Gaza, Gaza City and Deir el Balah governorates to have greater access to mainstream socio-economic services and local multi-stakeholder development processes. A twin-track approach will combine the specific empowerment of Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs) / Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to promote the inclusion of disabilities and to participate in related local development processes in a meaningful way as outlined in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) (Art. 29, 32, 33) with the promotion of disability mainstreaming in local mainstream actors through capacity building and cooperation with SHGs and DPOs. A cross-disability approach will promote integration across disability groups and ensure that the heterogeneous needs of all PWDs are addressed. Ultimately, the project will contribute to greater public awareness and understanding of disability, promoting lasting processes of change in attitudes and practices towards PWDs.

Specific objective: PWDs in marginalised areas of North Gaza, Gaza City and Deir el Balah governorates have greater access to mainstream socio-economic services and local multi-stakeholders development processes

OBJECTIVES OF THE POSITION
HI is seeking the most successful candidate to technically support the quality implementation of the project and support partners as Technical Officer, who will be under the direct supervision of the Project Manager (PM).

Objective 1: Project Implementation
-You are responsible for project activities implementation
-You provide technical support to the project activities and project team.
-You support the PM in respecting of the HI Project Cycle Management Guidelines.
-You ensure the respect of the HI Technical Guidelines related to the project.
-You actively participate in project coordination groups’ meetings.
-Your provide support in project development mainly needs assessment; rationale; stakeholders analysis; qualitative indicators and activities.

Objective 2: Knowledge Management:
-You identify knowledge management processes and tools and share regularly with project team and partners.
-You conduct trainings and orientation workshops to partners, other stakeholders on HI approaches in rehabilitation, CBR and inclusion.
-You train project team and partners on project quality standards.
-You provide technical support to the PM & project team to improve project’s quality implementation.
-You develop technical trainings’ ToRs, trainee materials, trainer materials and deliver trainings to partners and other stakeholders.
-You liaise with external trainers and/or consultants to deliver trainings and other project services/ needs.
-You set up and support coordination groups’ mechanisms with disability stakeholders in Gaza.
-You provide detailed technical feedback to partners during the project steering committee regular meetings.
-You maintain a good relationship with partners in collaboration with and support from the PM.
-You contribute to sharing HI experience in Gaza with other HI missions through documentary reports; other informative materials with support of RTU.

Objective 3: Quality Monitoring
-You identify quality standards for the project implementation and support to partners.
-You develop set of monitoring tools for project qualitative and quantitative indicators measurement and reporting; train project team and partners on monitoring tools.
-You report to PM on monitoring tools’ results as per the monitoring and reporting system plan.
-You provide advises to project team and partners towards improved quality practices of the project related aspects.
-You follow-up and supervise the good use of the monitoring tools (reports, forms…etc) by the partners.
-You analyze partners’ monthly reports and make relevant propositions for project activities.
-You play a key role in the project capitalization and its promotion at national level.
-You play a key role in project evaluation and lessons learnt activities.

Objective 4: Internal Coordination
-You actively coordinate and work with the other members of the project team.
-You support the project team in the coordination of field visits, follow up visits, meetings and other relevant activities with partners and stakeholders.
-You play an active role in preparing project reviews and meetings.
-You ensure coordination with other projects at national and regional levels in the same or related fields of intervention.

Objective 5: Reporting
-You report to the PM on project achievements, difficulties and progress on weekly basis using project reporting formats.
-You report to partners and PM on the regular technical follow up and support visits conducted by HI to project activities/ teams …etc.
-You compile project activities’ reports from partners, external trainers.
-You support the PM in updating on a regular basis the HI Planning and Monitoring Tool.
-You participate in preparing donor reports under the direct supervision of the PM.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
Education and Experience
-At least five years professional experience working in the disability field preferrably with an INGO.
-Bachelor Degree in Occupational Therapy.

Professional Skills
-Capacity to transfer knowledge, and experience in designing and providing trainings
-Excellent capacity to plan, to anticipate, to prioritize and to solve problems
-Proven analytical skills and capacity to adapt
-Strong communication and interpersonal skills
-Writing / reporting skills in English and Arabic
-Computer skills (office pack and internet)
-Excellent networking and coordination skills

Personal Skills
-Native Arabic speaker with English fluency
-Ability to work under pressure
-Ability to handle multiple assignments and meet deadlines
-Team player with good negociations skills
-Positive, innovative, inspirational and problem solving attitude
-Valid driving license needed (the position requires very frequent trips to the field)

Handicap International is an equal opportunity employer and
particularly welcomes applications from women and persons with disabilities