Yemen: Field Officer

ARK is a social enterprise, empowering local communities through the provision of agile and sustainable interventions to create greater stability, opportunity, and hope for the future.

We believe that strong, resilient communities are the foundation of local, national, regional and international development and stability – and ultimately a safer, peaceful and more prosperous world. At ARK, we have delivered research and programmatic interventions validating this approach in over twenty countries since 2008. As a social enterprise we work in partnership with communities, our donors, and other implementers to build local capacities, generate opportunity and bring about sustainable change.

Learn more about our impact here: https://www.ark.international/impact

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

ARK Group is seeking two Field Officers for the Yemeni Community Resilience Award (YCRA) implemented in Abyan, Aden, Al-Dhalie and Lahj governorates in south Yemen. YCRA aims to support community resilience activities and strengthen community capacity to prevent child trafficking and recruitment into armed groups and reintegrate children associated with armed forces and armed groups (CAAFAG). YCRA will prioritize building community awareness, prevention mechanisms and reconciliation, actively engaging children and youth, promoting economic empowerment opportunities to limit the drivers of recruitment, and addressing the psychological and emotional aspects of individuals through mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), including specialized assistance needs to provide care and referral services for women and girls experiencing high rates of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Yemen.

Working closely with the project coordinator, the Field Officer will provide technical and operational support and ensure that the project activities are delivered with the highest standards of quality service. The delivery of quality assurance is supported by needs assessments, lessons learned and evidence-based practices. The Field Officer will be responsible for ensuring that appropriate technical capacity processes, tools, resources, and systems are in place to enable project team, implementation partners, and stakeholders to benefit from successful experiences and implement high-quality, evidence-based interventions.

The Field Officer is expected to support efforts to technically strengthen CAAFAG prevention and re-integration capacity to improve access to adequate CAAFAG interventions and strengthen the protective environment for CAAFAG and ex-combatants; victims of human trafficking, conflict and SGBV, as well as to their families and members of vulnerable groups in target communities, through project team and dedicated civil society organizations.

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILTIES:

• Provides input to the annual workplans, and to designing activities that foster positive coping skills among former CAAFAG and vulnerable children at multiple levels of children’s social ecology (individual, family, and community).
• Oversees the quality implementation of the project activities and ensures that all planned activities are carried out on time and within budget.
• Regular travel to the field to support and monitor the YCRA project activities.
• Maintain positive work relations with project stakeholders, including local authorities, line-ministries’ offices and institutions, CBOs, CSOs, community leaders, women and youth groups.
• Provides capacity building and technical support to project stakeholders to better prevent recruitment and address the needs of CAAFAG during their reintegration.
• Provides technical support to ensure high-quality implementation of CAAFAG frameworks, case management and referral tools, practical recommendations, case studies, and technical assessment, and supports activating referral focal points.
• Works closely with the project team to feed in priority CAAFAG-advocacy-related themes and ensures that relevant community awareness and advocacy messages and initiatives are well-informed.
• Supports project team and implementation partners in developing guidelines for community-level validation mechanisms (Local Action Committees) adopted and supported by the project.
• Works with the project team and stakeholders to strengthen communities’ protective factors and support meaningful participation of local women and youth in addressing CAAFAG issues by strengthening capacity-building of community-level women and youth groups.
• Boosts the understanding of project team and stakeholders of what is working, what the challenges are and where there are gaps in addressing CAAFAG prevention and re-integration interventions/activities.
• Prepares activity and regular progress reports with statistical and narrative information at field level.
• Assists the MEAL and Research teams in the development of priority knowledge-based products, including but not limited to case studies, lessons learnt, assessments, and project evaluations.
• Ensures CAAFAG measurement tools are adequately selected and deployed, and that monitoring data is correctly interpreted and used to ensure high-quality implementation of CAAFAG interventions.
• Undertake any other tasks as assigned by the relevant line manager.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, psychology, law, or any other related field.
• At least 3 years of experience implementing CAAFAG and/or child protection programs in humanitarian settings.
• Comprehensive understanding of CAAFAG issues – causes, factors, risks, and multiple effects on child, family, and community; and its connectedness to child protection, SGBV, displacement, and social and economic exclusion.
• Understanding of the specific needs of children associated with armed forces and armed groups.
• Understanding of the multi-sectoral response to CAAFAG, and social and economic inclusion.
• Significant technical experience in areas such as community-based child protection and case management, and children in armed conflict.
• Understanding of youth participatory approaches and methodologies, and knowledge and experience of how to apply them.
• Experience of making logistical arrangements including preparing budgets for activities and events.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate CAAFAG-related trainings and workshops, including excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated capacity and experience in conducting field level assessments and developing assessment tools, e.g., questionnaires, focus group discussions.
• Strong understanding of the contextual situation of the targeted locations.
• Ability to work under pressure, be a team builder, innovative and demonstrate the capacity for maintaining high professional standards.
• Good command in spoken and written Arabic and English.
• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

MORE ABOUT OUR COMPANY:

We believe that strong, resilient communities are the foundation of local, national, regional and international development and stability – and ultimately a safer, peaceful and more prosperous world. At ARK, we have delivered research and programmatic interventions validating this approach in over twenty countries since 2008. As a social enterprise we work in partnership with communities, our donors, and other implementers to build local capacities, generate opportunity and bring about sustainable change.

Our People: 

Our team covers a diverse range of professional backgrounds, from diplomacy, humanitarian, development and the military, to the UN, civil society groups, multilateral organisations, journalism and the private sector.

An ARK Person Is:

• Smart: We think deeply about things. We’re proud of our institutional knowledge and our grounding in rigorous research, which we use to make informed decisions.
• Humble: Our work leaves little room for pride or arrogance. Our operating environment is constantly evolving, and we recognise our limitations. We believe in and rely on the education and experiences of others while remaining quick to read, invite feedback, and ask sensible questions.
• Accountable: Each of us want ARK, its partners, and beneficiaries to succeed. This means taking initiative, assuming ownership when necessary and never giving up on our beneficiaries. We are committed and accountable, to both our donors and the communities we serve.
• Collegiate: We know we are stronger together, and that every contribution counts. We trust each other and always support each other.
• Outspoken: We tackle diverse challenges, and we always want to find the best solution to a problem. We aren’t afraid to share our opinions and we want to hear those of others too.

ARK Group is an equal opportunity employer. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. ARK Group does not discriminate on the basis of ability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. We welcome all kinds of diversity. ARK Group places human dignity at the centre of its development and stabilisation work and is thus committed to the protection from sexual exploitation and abuse of children and adults. All ARK Group employees and related-personnel are expected to share this commitment, and only those who also uphold these values will be recruited as part of our team. This vacancy is therefore subject to a range of due diligence checks.

How to Apply: 

Interested candidates who meet the above criteria are encouraged to apply via our company website: https://apply.workable.com/j/D50D0413FE