JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title:
Social Protection Rights Coordinator (SPRC): Wajir, Marsabit
and Mandera
Department:
Programmes
Location:
Marsabit
Responsible To:
Project Manager – HSNP SPR
Contract Duration: 1 Year (Renewable)
Relations with Others:
1. The Social Protection Rights Coordinator (SPRC) will work closely with Partner
NGOs in the on-going design and implementation of the HSNP SPR component
in Northern Kenya.
2. Project manager
3. Project Staff – Partner Data Officers, Field Volunteers, Learning and Information
Officer and Complaints and Grievances officer.
4. EWCARDC staff 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
Hunger Safety Net Programme (HSNP) is an unconditional cash transfer (CT)
programme, geographically focused in the 4 poorest counties of the ASALs:
Turkana, Marsabit, Mandera and Wajir. It offers an alternative to food aid and aims
to reduce poverty, food insecurity and promote asset retention and accumulation
in poor households. Independent evaluations of HSNP Phase I show it works
effectively as a safety net, particularly for the very poorest.
HSNP Phase I (Phase 1) (2007-13) reached 69,000 House Holds (HHs) (66%
women headed) or 496,800 people (49% women). It used a private sector payment
provider (Equity Bank) and a biometric smart card to make regular CTs of Kshs
1,750 (approx. £13, per month) to beneficiaries. HelpAge participated as the rights
component.
HSNP Phase 2 (Phase 2) will scale-up in the 4 counties to reach 100,000 HHs
(720,000 chronically poor people) with regular CTs of up to KES 2,700 (approx.
£19, per month). Beneficiaries will have a fully transactional bank account and fully
functioning bank card. Phase 2 has also registered a further 275,000 HHs across
the 4 counties, in order to act as a scalable safety net in times of crisis (e.g. climate
induced such as a drought).
Overall Job Purpose:
The SPRC will be responsible for the design and implementation of all aspects of
the HSNP SPR component in Marsabit, Mandera and Wajir.
Responsibilities:
1. Contribute to the progressive design and review of the SPR component
including: the Programme Charter of Rights and Responsibilities;
Complaints and grievance mechanism (including appeals process); and
rights education programme.
2. Day-to-day liaison with HelpAge partners in Marsabit, Wajir and Mandera,
including Human, capital and financial resource management.
3. Development of relevant office management systems in collaboration with
EWCARDC support staff.
4. Implementation of the HSNP grievance mechanism in Marsabit, Mandera
and Wajir including processing and following-up on complaints.
5. Facilitate regular meeting with programme participants to provide an
opportunity to obtain feedback and communicate grievances or problems to
the SPR team.
6. Process monitoring and independent quality assurance of the HSNP’s
targeting, payments and M&E processes and evidence-based engagement
with implementing components.
7. Representing HelpAge at key local for a including HSNP meetings, DSG
meetings, food security steering group meetings and others as necessary.
8. Leading the development of workplans and compilation of all reports
required to the SPR Project Manager.
9. Through partners, establishing and training 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.
10. Proactive engagement with existing rights-oriented civil society
organisations and networks to ensure maximum ‘reach’ at community level.
11. Recruit and train volunteers to provide on-going capacity building support
to the HSNP Rights Committees.
12. Ensure data is collected consistently and updated into the MIS
13. Implementation of an appropriate public communications 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.
14. Evidence gathering and documentation of rights infringements and
contribution to HelpAge’s internal learning process as part of the Social
Protection team.
15. Providing support to HelpAge’s implementing partners in the HSNP in the
absence of the HSNP PM or when delegated.
16. Undertake any other duties as and when necessary to fulfil the objectives
of the SPR component
Person Specification:
The following criteria are considered as essential:
 Bachelor’s degree in social sciences or development studies.
 Understanding of social exclusion, vulnerability and rights-issues in Northern
Kenya;
 Experience in operations management, including management of field staff;
 3 years experience in capacity building and working with civil society-based
organisations and knowledge of relevant rights-oriented civil society networks;
 A strong understanding of current emergency programmes in Northern Kenya
 Excellent report writing skills;
 Strong team management, budget control and interpersonal skills
 Strong community mobilisation, facilitation and mediation skills;
 Excellent communication skills;
 A commitment to rights education and the empowerment of vulnerable groups
in Northern Kenya.
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;
 Experience in rights based projects and or programming;
 Experience in data management and basic computer skills.