Job Summary:

The Senior Project Officer – Emergency Health, Nutrition, and Cash Transfer will report to the Health and Nutrition Sector lead (CRS) and work closely with the Livelihoods Sector lead to ensure quality implementation of the child health and nutrition emergency response actions and related livelihood interventions, especially implementation of Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance – MPCA – to vulnerable households. This will be achieved by providing county level technical guidance, monitoring, and supervision of the implementation process, based on the national guidelines. S/he will ensure appropriate linkages with and information sharing between the various stakeholders providing complementary emergency response actions. S/he will be directly responsible for the implementation of the MPCA in Isiolo as well as the Child Health and Nutrition Emergency Actions in Isiolo while providing technical leadership and support to staff implementing the actions in Marsabit and Turkana Counties. S/he will also support coordination with the County Departments of Health and the Cash Transfer Technical Working Groups – CTTWGs - and consolidate meeting and program reports. 

Roles and Key Responsibilities

1. Capacity Building

• Provide county-level technical leadership in implementing emergency child health and nutrition actions.
• Build capacity of CRS staff and stakeholders on MPCA, child health and nutrition emergency response, and related livelihood interventions (IMAM, MIYCN).
• Oversee capacity strengthening of the health workforce on IMAM.
• Participate in and provide technical leadership in emergency coordination meetings and technical working groups with County/Sub-County HMTs and other stakeholders.

2. Supportive Supervision & Quality Improvement

• Collaborate with Local Implementing Partners in MPCA implementation.
• Ensure quality of county-level child health and nutrition emergency response actions.
• Lead quality improvement initiatives and learning exchanges among GOK and stakeholders.
• Conduct supportive supervision and field monitoring visits, providing mentoring and technical assistance.
• Organize and facilitate review meetings on child health and nutrition emergency response actions.

3. County Government Engagement & Representation

• Lead county engagement and represent CRS in Emergency Nutrition Coordination Forums, County Steering Group meetings, Nutrition Technical Forums, and Cash Transfer Technical Working Groups.
• Develop and present high-quality dissemination materials at county and stakeholder meetings.
• Advocate for sustainable support of child health and nutrition emergency response actions and related livelihood interventions beyond CRS-funded activities.
• Represent CRS in relevant county and sub-county meetings, technical working groups, and events.

4. Reporting

• Provide timely inputs to quarterly and annual planning, monitoring, reporting, and budgeting processes.
• Prepare and submit monthly progress reports highlighting successes, challenges, observations, and adaptations.
• Document project results and impacts through media stories, promising practices, lessons learned, case studies, and client feedback.
• Lead data collection, analysis, and reporting using CommCare to inform programming and decision-making.

5. Safeguarding

• Continuously sensitize program teams and participants on safeguarding.
• Ensure compliance with CRS safeguarding policies.
• Report safeguarding incidents in program operations for appropriate action and follow-up

Required Language:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; ability to draft and edit reports.

• Excellent verbal communication skills in Kiswahili.

  Required Travel: 

  The position will be based in Isiolo, with occasional support to Marsabit and Turkana Counties. This requires approximately 50% travel to project sites across the respective sub-counties.

  Supervisory Responsibility: Project Officers – Marsabit

  Key Working Relationships:

  Internal: Program Manager –Health, Nutrition, Social Services, Program Manager –Livelihoods, Project Officers, Marsabit, SPO Turkana, MEAL team, Operations team

  External: Donors, government ministries/institutions at the National and County levels, health facilities, UN agencies, civil society and faith-based organizations providing multisectoral nutrition services, Community Strategy Focal Persons at County and Sub- County levels, universities/research institutions.

Qualifications and Experience: 

• University degree required, preferably in Nutrition, Public Health, Nursing, or Social Studies.
• Minimum of five years of professional experience, including at least two years in managing Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) and/or nutrition or public health programs.
• Expertise in Emergency and Humanitarian Response in Health and Nutrition, with experience in monitoring, evaluation, and coordinating assessments and data collection.
• Proven ability to implement IMAM protocols and multisectoral nutrition projects.
• Demonstrated capacity to design and apply user-friendly guidance, tools, and SOPs at health facility and community levels, and to provide training, technical assistance, and mentoring.
• Strong knowledge of Government of Kenya (GoK) systems, programs, and frameworks, with experience across both healthcare and community settings.
• Ability to work effectively with various partners, including government actors, civil society, faith-based organizations, healthcare providers, and multisectoral nutrition service providers.
• Excellent interpersonal, analytical, negotiation, and mentoring skills, with the ability to manage complex organizational relationships.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); familiarity with network analysis software is an added advantage.

Core Competencies: 

• Dedicated and hardworking, with the ability to set clear goals and consistently manage toward achieving them.
• Highly self-motivated and results oriented.
• Approachable and able to engage effectively with diverse community members.
• Strong collaborator, working seamlessly with staff and stakeholders to achieve shared objectives.
• Confident and proactive in pursuing organizational goals and priorities.
• Demonstrates integrity in managing financial and organizational resources.
• Applies program quality standards to project design, implementation, and organizational learning.
• Committed to respect, equity, diversity, and inclusion, with a strong focus on gender equality.

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an

engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. These are rooted in the

mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities

and achieve the desired results.

• Personal Accountability - Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity - Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust - Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others - Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn - Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

 Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change - Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others - Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhances team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset - Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

 Disclaimer:

This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

What we offer:

CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package and the opportunity to work in a collaborative, mission-driven culture that is committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.

CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting men, women, boys, and girls safe from abuse, exploitation, and harm.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply for this position, especially those from marginalized and people with disabilities backgrounds.

Data Protection/Disclaimer: Catholic Relief Services is committed to ensuring the security and protection of the personal information that we process and provide a compliant and consistent approach to data protection.

Recruitment Disclaimer: We wish to notify you that CRS does not demand or charge any fee/charges from the aspiring candidates for consideration of their candidature or at any time during the recruitment process, nor have we authorised any individual, agency, or firm for recruiting candidates for us. Any person seeking employment with CRS needs to be cautious and not trust any agency or individual claiming to be our representative and charging fees for providing/securing employment with us.

By applying to this job, I understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.  Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.  We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse.  The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. 

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

General Requirements

CRS offers are contingent on the selected candidate’s ability to legally work where the position is to be performed. Every government has a unique set of work permit eligibility requirements.  All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside a home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical clearance; some work permit processes require clearing a separate government administered medical examination.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.