Social Accountability Officer

HUNDEE-Oromo Grassroots Development Initiative is a local NGO established in 1995. It has strong aspiration that equality and dignity of all human persons are respected and protected. This is clearly and adequately reflected in its organizational vision that is centered on human dignity and prosperity. What underpins this vision statement is that poverty is understood not only as material deprivation but also as power imbalance in social, economic and political spheres. Poverty affects women and men, boys and girls, but the impacts are different based on their sex, age, social and economic status, literacy and disability. Our strategy focuses on the outcome areas of: (1) Food Security and Agriculture Development Program; (2) Community Mobilization and Citizens Engagement Program; (3) Child, Youth and Women Development Program; (4) Livelihoods, Resilience Building and Humanitarian Response Program; and (5) Health, WaSH and Nutrition Program. Currently, we operate in Oromia National Regional State of twelve zones and working with a diverse base of donors that includes the German Agro Action (GAA), Kerk in Actie (KiA)/Cordaid, USAID/ISHDO, Cafod/Sciaf/Trocaire (CST), Kindernothilfe (KNH), World Bank /MA, Dan Church Aid (DCA), CGWE, UN/OCHA, Christian Aid Ethiopia (CAE), Mercy Corps, Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI)/ Caster Card Foundation and other foundations. HUNDEE has been working secured funding support from USAID under the lead of Mercy Corp for the implementation of a project Highland Resilience Activity (HRA) that will contribute to the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) 5s Big Push initiative and support these households in moving above the graduation threshold.

The USAID-funded Highland Resilience Activity (HRA) - will contribute to the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) 5s Big Push initiative and has the overarching goal of strengthening resilience among vulnerable households in Ethiopias Highlands, resulting in 120,000 PSNP households reaching the graduation threshold. HRA will support these households in moving above the graduation threshold and to where they no longer require social safety net programming for household food security and have the capabilities and assets to withstand regular and predictable shocks. The Activity will achieve this goal by directly supporting households in increasing their on-farm, off-farm, and employment incomes while facilitating improvements in the market systems required to increase demand for goods and services in PSNP communities. HRA is a five-year program that starts in January 2024.

Under the direction and management support from the Zonal project coordinator and Project technical team, the Social Accountability Officer is responsible for the overall planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the Social Accountability activity at zonal and woreda level, Social Accountability Officer including targeted woredas under West and East Harerghe Zones. They ensure all project initiatives are implemented to achieve maximum impact as per program and project objectives while remaining on schedule and budget. The Social Accountability Officer directly manages zonal & woreda field-level program team, finance, and operation teams in related to social accountability. S/he will work with the implementing partner, doner organization, field level technical team and stakeholders to ensure that HRA project objectives are implemented effectively through each objective. Their close working relationships with all technical units ensure program activities are carried out according to the highest standards and remain responsive and appropriate to the local context. The Officer facilitates partnerships with other implementing partners and the private sector at Zonal and woreda level to ensure complementarity with existing activities, while ensuring the alignment of HRA implementation in line with the programs overall approach. S/he maintains close work with the government offices, and PSNP program participants. to ensure implementation quality and accountability. S/he is also accountable for effective monitoring and evaluation of Zonal and woreda level push interventions and ensures timely and quality delivery of quarterly and annual project reports and documents the impact of HRA activities. Her/his close working relationships with all technical units ensure program activities are carried out according to the highest standards and remain responsive and appropriate to the local context.

Adhere to program learning systems and strengthen the effort to document the impact of HRA activities.

Facilitates and helps update the setting of targets for program implementation based on context.

Closely works with the Regional M&E team to continuously monitor, ensure implementation quality, and support an accountability system in the field.

Ensure the Zonal & Woreda programming targets and approach are being met, by implementing activities in accordance with the agreed work plans and timelines, and report discrepancies and changes to the regional coordinator.

Partners learning opportunities from similar projects in the Zone.

Closely work with regional finance staff, in budget development, spending, and forecasting

Facilitates government monitoring and evaluation missions at zonal level.

Ensure timely revision of zonal & woreda procurement plans and review procurement status weekly to closely monitor and accelerate procurement processes when needed.

Regularly visits to zonal & woreda for field support.

Encourages team leadership with regular management meetings, promoting a participatory approach and proactive problem-solving.

Ensures zonal & woreda administration, Development Agents, and beneficiary communities are actively engaged in program planning, implementation, and monitoring

Facilitate partnerships with and community program vision and approach - all HRA stakeholders at woreda and zonal-level, including government representatives, partner programs, and private sector actors.

Represent HRA at zonal of operation on government and non-government coordination meetings.

Facilitates government monitoring and evaluation missions at the Woreda and zonal level.

Work with zonal & Woreda government stakeholders in periodic reviews, evaluations, and joint monitoring

Ensure timeliness of government reporting as per government guidelines and HRA partner directives

Partner and coordinate with zonal & Woreda stakeholders, government partners, and HRA-implementing NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in the nearby zonal & Woredas to ensure collaboration and synergy.

HRA team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our program participants, community partners, and other stakeholders, and to international standards guiding international relief and development work. We are committed to actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of our field projects.

Reports Directly ToHUNDEE Zonal project Coordinator and regional

Works Directly WithZonal HRA project team, Mercy Corps project team, Partners, consortium team and HUNDEE Program team