Cash Transfer Officer

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and Helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933, the IRC offers lifesaving care and Life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. IRC has been working in Ethiopia since 1999 and is implementing integrated, community-managed programs aimed at improving the quality of lives and recover of livelihood of disaster-affected population’s through promoting individual participation, strengthening institutions and emergency response.

JOB OVERVIEW: IRC currently responds to the needs of vulnerable HHs affected by conflict-induced displacement in Konso Zone and surrounding districts through a multi-sector interventions that address both short and long term needs. Under the program “Emergency life-saving and complimentary assistance to communities affected by conflicts and draught in Bule hora, Gelana and suro Berguda Woredas of West Guji Zone”, IRC intends to implement a multipurpose cash transfer project in the West Guji zone in collaboration with the government, INGOs, and DRA partners to mitigate the impact of conflict and draught on the most vulnerable households. Cash transfer Officer is the primary field-level position for ES-NFI cash transfer programming. The Officer spends most of his/her time in the field, identifying priority needs and target communities those affected by natural and mam made crisis, through the process of client verification assessment, conducting market assessment in the areas of needy community, conducting post distribution monitoring, establishing relationships with community, local government and leaders, coordinating field-level operations, such as the delivery of materials/inputs, registration of complaints, and payment to beneficiaries. The CTO will technically report to Sr. Cash Officer based in Addis Ababa and Emergency Response Manger based in Hawassa is the immediate supervisor for this position.

Major key Responsibilities: The main objective of the Cash Officer position should efficiently implement cash based ES-NFI response, including:

• Assist the Cash Sr. Office and Emergency Manager in CTP post crisis start up planning
• Apply technical knowledge and skills to implement and/or assist in community delivery of cash based programs;
• Promptly identify and recommend solutions to cash based technical issues
• Prepare Purchase Requests for program supplies/activities and liaison with field SC and finance team to undertake field procurement as designated and authorized.
• Participate on the on job training of how the e-voucher system works, how to handle data, accurately use the e- devices (e-voucher reader, Smartphone with application, and e-voucher) including the hand over process with the vendors
• Participate in the process of identifying beneficiary communities/targeting based on robust and participatory criteria, assist other CTP staffs, if any
• Ensure appropriate community messages are transferred to clients, local government partners, vendors, non-clients and other key actors
• Ensure training/re-orientation of the vendor staff e- voucher system (how it works, synchronization, handling including safe keeping of e-devices) until hand over of the e-devices to IRC
• Ensure the conduct of beneficiary feedback and response mechanism (BFRM) activities are undertaken and also serve field focal point for handling the BFRM data base
• Work with and provide timely technical support to the IRC’s implementing partners; maintain encouraging and constructive relations with partner staff
• Closely work with all IRC field team in general and with ERR team in particular how to integrate and align cash programming with other ERR activities and priorities
• Fully align with IRC safety and security procedures and provide support to security monitoring and assessments ensure a safe and secure environment for program implementation
• Coordinate the cash transfer assistant.

Project Monitoring and Reporting

• Assist in the collection of data, conduct of assessments (needs, market, risks and security) and provide input for concept note/ proposal development for cash transfer project in collaboration with the local community structures and community members
• Monitor progress against grant work plan; promptly identifying any current or potential delays
• Produce/give to IRC and donor reports as per set schedules (monthly, quarterly and annually) on grant activities, indicators and achievements.
• Assist his/her supervisors to ensure all monitoring activities are fully detailed, including systematic and timely data required under the grant and for IRC M&E purposes.

Capacity Building and Coaching:

• Aware the communities, and partners to consider cash response as one modality at appropriate situation.
• Capacitate the community facilitators, staffs under his/her supervisee, and others (if any) on cash Transfer Programming.
• Support and mentor the FSP to meet the humanitarian principles during Cash Response program/facilitating the payment to the beneficiaries.

Coordination and Representation

• Participate on seasonal and ES-NFI cluster assessments and share findings
• Work integrating with IRC supply chain, finance and admin/HR staff to process Purchase Requests, and Payment Vouchers,
• Represent the IRC on MPCT coordination meetings at different level like region, zone and woreda.
• Identify and work very closely with Financial Service Providers (FSP).
• Build very good team sprit with IRC program and supporting staffs at field, at office level including Addis.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor, and ERR team to enable and develop IRC programs.