HelpAge International is a global network of not-for-profit organisations with a vision of a world where older people fulfill their potential to lead active, dignified, healthy and secure lives.
To facilitate this and in service to the older people, we seek to fill below vacancies in various projects and support services.
National position based in Lodwar, Kenya
Job Title: Assistant Social Protection Rights Coordinator (ASPRC)
Department: Programmes
Location: Lodwar, Kenya
Department: Programmes
Location: Lodwar, Kenya
Responsible To: HSNP Social Protection Rights Coordinator
Responsible for: Field Officers,
Relations with Others:
- Social Protection Rights Coordinator
- Project Manager – HSNP
- Regional Social Protection Manager
- EWCARDC team in Nairobi
Organization Background
HelpAge International is a global network of not-for-profit organisations with a vision of a world where older people fulfill their potential to lead active, dignified, healthy and secure lives.
With more than 70 affiliates and 300 partners across more than 50 countries the HelpAge International network brings together hundreds of organisations worldwide.
HelpAge International has a secretariat with offices in London and Brussels, five regional centres in Africa, Asia/Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean and Central Asia, seven national programmes and a number of emergencies.
Background to the HSNP
The Hunger Safety Net Programme (HSNP) is a long term social protection programme in Kenya funded by UKaid from the Department for international Development, AusAID and in partnership with the ministry for Development OF Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands. The aim is to reduce extreme poverty; vulnerability and hunger and also develop a national social protection framework in Kenya.
The programmes aims to achieve its objectives by delivering long-term guaranteed cash transfers to extremely poor and vulnerable households to improve access to food protect assets and reduce the impact of shocks.
HelpAge is one of the consultants that was mandated to deliver the social protection rights component in the just completed phase 1 of the HSNP programme and has been contracted to deliver the social protection rights component in phase 2 which will run from 2012 to 2017.
The programme is being implemented in Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit and Turkana districts with HelpAge’s role in the programme being to promote the realization of rights of programme beneficiaries and the rights of the wider
communities in all the four counties.
communities in all the four counties.
It is expected that HelpAge will work with government institutions and other stakeholders to realise its objectives and ultimately handover its responsibilities to the government to ensure a sustainable rights based grievance mechanism.
Overall Job Purpose:
The ASPRC will work closely with the Social Protection Rights Coordinator (SPRC) in the design, review and implementation of all aspects of the HSNP SPR component in the county of Turkana with guidance from the Project Manager in Nairobi on policy and other critical issues.
Specific responsibilities include:
- Contribute to the progressive design and review of the SPR component including: the Programme Charter of Rights and Responsibilities; the Programme Service Charter; grievance mechanism (including appeals process); and rights education programme to reflect the changes due in the second phase of HSNP
- Implementation of the HSNP grievance mechanism including processing and following-up on complaints and adjudicating on appeals cases.
- Facilitate meetings with the programme participants to obtain feedback and communicate grievances or problems to the SPR team.
- Facilitate the realization of the rights of the wider community through collaboration with duty bearers and training of the community and advocacy work.
- Support the setting up of effective advocacy groups and Rights committees
- Process monitoring and independent quality assurance of the HSNP’s targeting, payments and M&E processes and evidence-based engagement with implementing components.
- Representing HelpAge at key local forums including DSG meetings, food security steering group meetings and others as necessary in the absence of the SPRC or as delegated.
- Working with the SPRC to develop workplans and compile all reports required.
- Consistently and regularly ensure collection and submission of quality data by field Officers
- Establish and train Rights Committees in each of the targeted communities and delivery of separate programmes of rights education to
a) Rights Committees,
b) communities as a whole and
c) community leaders. Public administrators, government officers and representatives of statutory bodies at county level
- Proactive engagement with existing rights-oriented civil society organisations and networks to ensure maximum ‘reach’ at community level. Recruit and train volunteers to provide on-going capacity building support to the HSNP Rights Committees.
- Implementation of an appropriate public communications strategy including engagement of alternative communications strategies such as community drama would be particularly desirable as would facilitation of alternative means of lodging complaints. ASPRC and SPRC will work together to develop these approaches.
- Evidence gathering on rights infringements and contribution to HelpAge’s internal learning process as part of the Social Protection team.
- Providing support to HelpAge’s implementing partners in the HSNP in the absence of the HSNP PM or when delegated.
- In the absence of the SPRC, or when delegated, day-to-day management of HAI’s sub-office in Lodwar including operational management, logistics, line management of support staff and implementation of HelpAge’s security plan.
- Ensure that there is an updated status of all programme matters particularly complaints received, resolved and status of all unresolved cases
Person Specification:
The following criteria are considered as essential:
- Bachelors’ degree in social sciences, development studies or community development.
- At least 3 years work experience in NGO
- Understanding of social exclusion, vulnerability and rights-issues
- Experience in operational management including management of field staff;
- Experience in capacity building and working with civil society organisations
- Knowledge of relevant rights-oriented civil society networks;
- Strong community mobilisation, facilitation and mediation skills;
- A commitment to rights education and the empowerment of vulnerable groups
- Ability and willingness to travel extensively in Northern Kenya
- Proficiency in nga’turkana and English languages;
In addition, the following will are considered desirable:
- An understanding of the basic principles and objectives of the humanitarian accountability agenda;
- Experience in cash-based interventions;
- Some experience in the design or management of complaints mechanisms and/or dispute resolution/or working in a rights based programme
To apply for this position, please send an updated CV, copies of certificates and covering letter, explaining how you meet the criteria for this role to the Regional Human Resource Coordinator on helpage@helpage.co.ke by 27th July, 2012, clearly indicating the position you are applying for on the subject of your email.