Project Officer - Graduation Program
Lilongwe, Lilongwe, Malawi
Full Time
Entry Level
The Project Officer, Graduation Program, is responsible for managing the implementation of a customized graduation program in Malawi, with a focus on economically empowering ultra-poor families. This includes assessing the poverty landscape and identifying opportunities within the implementation areas, selecting program participants, and building their capacities for resilience. The officer will champion Opportunity’s vision role, coordinating with various stakeholders, overseeing program activities, and ensuring that participants achieve sustainable livelihoods and successfully graduate from the program. Acting as the bridge between Opportunity Malawi and the communities it serves, the officer must be a trusted and engaging communicator, delivering tailored empowering interventions to marginalized individuals to help them transform their lives, businesses, and families.
RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Technical TasksTRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
Opportunity International is a global non-profit that has been equipping people to build sustainable livelihoods and educate their children for 54 years. Opportunity provides 21 million families with innovative financial resources, training, and support to grow their small businesses and send their children to school. In 2024, Opportunity International and its partners helped fund 19,000 schools that reached 3.4 million children. We respond to Jesus Christ's call to love and serve people living in poverty. We seek to emulate the Good Samaritan, whose compassion crossed ethnic groups and religions. We serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. Discover more at opportunity.org or join the conversation on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
CHILD PROTECTION COMMITMENT
Opportunity believes that all children have a right to protection from any form of abuse regardless of gender, culture, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, or ability. Opportunity operates in line with international best practices for child protection and recognizes its responsibility to ensure that all employees. This policy applies to anyone acting on behalf of Opportunity or is involved in its programs in any capacity. All employees are subject to background checks, which include criminal checks and sex offender list checks, as allowed by local law.
RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Technical Tasks
- Oversee and ensure the quality and accuracy of the participant selection process.
- Conduct household visits to verify the eligibility of selected households.
- Identify and facilitate access to local economic opportunities for ultra-poor households, integrating them into sustainable income-generating activities.
- Provide ongoing guidance and technical assistance to participants, helping them adhere to best practices for livelihood improvement.
- Supervise the efficient and effective use of program assets, cash, and other resources to improve participants' economic and social conditions.
- Facilitate and organize exposure, learning or exchange visits, and other events for the program staff and participants to foster learning and experience sharing.
- Ensure timely procurement of and delivery of the right quality and quantity of program tools required by the participants and ensure these are appropriately used .
- Conduct regular household visits to monitor progress, ensure the quality of graduation assessments, and track progress against program indicators.
- Ensure that all participants achieve quality graduation.
- Consolidatemonthly, quarterly, and annual activity reports and special events showing achievements, lessons, constraints, and recommendations to the relevant authority.
- Participate in field-level assessment and/or evaluation of project performance.
- Monitor the development of Case Workers and Sector Specialists and support their professional growth.
- Conduct annual performance reviews to ensure continuous improvement.
- Build relationships and coordinate with stakeholders including local leaders, district authorities, microfinance institutions, etc., and relevant government Ministries/departments.
- Identify community challenges and opportunities, tailor deliveries, and/or seek new resources to meet needs.
- Act as a liaison between the communities and Opportunity.
- Identify opportunities for the expansion of Opportunity’s programs.
- Ethically champion and model the core values of Opportunity in the communities.
- Uphold and promote safeguarding standards within the program.
- Read, understand, and practice safeguarding policies, ensuring they are implemented in all activities.
- Follow safeguarding reporting procedures and encourage others to do the same.
- Case Workers
- Sector Specialists
- A degree in a relevant rural, agricultural, or community development field.
- Minimum of 3 years' experience in rural, community, agricultural, or economic development.
- Strong understanding of the target market and the value of community trust.
- Excellent organizational, multitasking, and consensus-building abilities.
- A team player with excellent interpersonal, writing, speaking, and presentation skills.
- Computer literacy, including spreadsheets, word processing, data entry programs, tablets, and other mobile technology.
- Passionate about Opportunity’s mission. Able to promote and communicate the organization’s goals and objectives to external and internal stakeholders.
- Must hold a motorcycle driving license or be willing to acquire one.
- Written and verbal fluency in English and Chichewa required, additional 1 or 2 local languages preferred.
- Must be able to attend & fully participate in meetings conducted in English.
CONTRACT TYPE
- 2 years fixed term
- Travel to the community almost daily to deliver projects and interact with the communities, investigate expansion opportunities, and respond to community requests.
- Travel to other districts within Malawi for cross-learning activities, workshops, conferences, and other meetings as and when required.
Opportunity International is a global non-profit that has been equipping people to build sustainable livelihoods and educate their children for 54 years. Opportunity provides 21 million families with innovative financial resources, training, and support to grow their small businesses and send their children to school. In 2024, Opportunity International and its partners helped fund 19,000 schools that reached 3.4 million children. We respond to Jesus Christ's call to love and serve people living in poverty. We seek to emulate the Good Samaritan, whose compassion crossed ethnic groups and religions. We serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. Discover more at opportunity.org or join the conversation on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
CHILD PROTECTION COMMITMENT
Opportunity believes that all children have a right to protection from any form of abuse regardless of gender, culture, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, or ability. Opportunity operates in line with international best practices for child protection and recognizes its responsibility to ensure that all employees. This policy applies to anyone acting on behalf of Opportunity or is involved in its programs in any capacity. All employees are subject to background checks, which include criminal checks and sex offender list checks, as allowed by local law.
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