ASCEND Project Officer - Sightsavers

ASCEND Project Officer at Sightsavers is to ensure the Ghana ASCEND project is planned, implemented, monitored and evaluated to the highest possible standards as laid out in the organization’s policies and procedures.
 
To collaborate with other staff, partners and others to identify areas for project growth and assist in identifying and developing new initiatives 

Principal accountabilities:

Working with ASCEND Partners 10%
 

• Work with the programme Manager to coordinate the activities of ASCEND partners in Ghana to ensure successfully execution of the ASCEND scope of work in Ghana. 
• Develop and support longer term relationships with these partners that go beyond the duration of the ASCEND project. 
• Support ASCEND partners in the identification of their own capacity building needs and help facilitate the provision of these needs. 
• Disseminate information about Sightsavers and its work to ASCEND partners
• Establish partnership agreements with ASCEND partners where appropriate
• Promote shared learning and collaboration between partners by facilitating partner networks and meetings
   

Financial & Resource Management  20%

•  Assist the ASCEND project partner in the preparation of budgets.
• Monitor expenditure of project financial resources and liaise with the FSSM/O  where necessary.
• Ensure that partners submit timely financial returns.
• Follow up with partners any actions arising from audits carried out by the finance officer or by external auditors.

Project Management  60%

• Supporting all aspects of the ASCEND project management including planning, implementation and monitoring & evaluation. 
• Work routinely with partners to identify needs for technical support. Incorporated under Royal Charter Registered Charity Nos. 207544 & SC038110 Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind
• Support the partner to ensure that all project documentation and reports are made available in a timely and accessible way.   
• Review information from the field status reports and team meetings, provide feedback and escalate issues whenever required; 
• Ensure all interventions uphold a commitment to gender, equity, social inclusion, value for money and sustainability; 
• Work with the programme Manager to collate and update annual activity logs and logical frameworks; 

Information & Communication Management  10%

• Be proactive in providing good quality information on case studies, interesting news stories etc relating to the ASCEND project. 
• Participate in all meetings and activities planned by partners in the ASCEND project and provide feedback. 

Jobholder entry requirements the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours required

Knowledge (Education & Related Experience): 

• Degree in Relevant Field ( Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Health, Education) 
• Minimum of 5 Years working experience, ideally in an NGO environment
• Experience of all aspects of project management in community development  programmes
• Experience in working with the Ghana Health Service 

Skills (Special Training or Competence): 

• Project management skills 
• Excellent communication skills (both oral and written)
• Good written English skills
• Good IT skills
• Ability to understand and work with project budgets, forecasts and reports 

Core behaviours:  

• Change and Improvement
• Communicating and Influencing 
• Decision Making 
• Team Working 
• Planning and Organising 
• Delivery and Implementation
• Plus, we would expect the following: 
• Interpersonal and intercultural sensitivity
• High degree of integrity
• Active listener 

Key relationships

Internal 

• Country Director / Senior Programme Manager, Programme Manager
• All country staff
• Institutional Funding Manager, WARO
• Regional Director
• Various staff based in all departments at Haywards Heath, UK 

External 

• Partners
• Consultants
• Service Providers
• Government agencies
• Community leaders