Project Assistant

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been working in Somalia since 1964. As a service provider with worldwide operations in the fields of international
cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, GIZ works with its partners to develop effective solutions that offer people better prospects and sustainably improve their living conditions. The goal of GIZ is to support the capacity development of people, organizations and institutional structures in the partner countries so as to enable them better their living conditions through their own efforts.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, on behalf of the
German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and in
cooperation with the Somalia Federal Ministry of Interior and Federal Affairs, is implementing various projects in Somalia, across multiple sectors and regions. In Jubaland Kismayo, GIZ is piloting the graduation approach towards social and economic inclusion of multi-dimensionally poor communities, with a special focus on women headed households, through the project “Socio-economic participation of multi-dimensionally female-headed households in Kismayo” (GIZ SEPOW). This inclusion is achieved through coordinated measures consisting of
social protection (including cash transfers), social and economic empowerment, life skills and livelihoods training and financial inclusion

The Project is seeking Project assistant who will contribute to the day-to-today operations of the project.

• Support the project Technical Team in Kismayo to ensure the timely and efficient delivery
  of field activities.

• provide day-to-day operational and administrative support for the implementation,
  monitoring, and reporting of SEPOW interventions. This includes maintaining a proactive feedback mechanism and effective case management system to ensure that targeted participants are well integrated into the project.

• contribute to tracking participant progress, addressing emerging challenges, and facilitating smooth transitions as beneficiaries move toward sustainable livelihoods and graduation from ultra-poverty to economic self-reliance and resilience
  

1. Coordination.

• Assist in the coordination and execution of SEPOW project activities in Kismayo, ensuring timely delivery in line with work plans and project objectives,
  

• Assist the SEPOW technical team to develop and maintain detailed project calendars and activity schedules,
  

• Proactively identify and document cases where households disengage or drop out, promptly flagging these to the technical team, and with coaches and mentors help investigate reasons for drop off and support re-engagement. Participant Support and Coaching (Graduation Approach)
  

• Assist in coordinating with the project technical team, coaches and mentors in the development and implementation of tailored follow up actions or interventions to encourage full participation in the graduation process and minimize attrition
  

2. Scheduling

• Assist in organizing and scheduling regular project team meetings, meetings with implementing partner, beneficiary household visits, and relevant community engagements,
  

• Assist the technical team in tracking participation of target households throughout each stage of the graduation process, maintaining accurate attendance and engagement records,
  

• Support coaches and mentors in delivering the agreed schedule of household coaching visits, reinforcing training content between formal sessions, including livelihood management, financial literacy, positive savings behavior, health-seeking behavior, life skills and equitable gender norms.
  

• Help participants identify basic household needs and link them to appropriate social protection mechanisms, including the project's cash-transfer support.
  

• Support participants' linkage to basic services — health, education, nutrition, safety nets and community support groups.
  

• Promote and support participation in Savings for Transformation (VSLA) and Self-Help Groups as part of the financial-inclusion component.
  

• Track each participant's progress against graduation milestones and minimum graduation criteria, flagging participants at risk of falling behind to the technical team.
  

• Encourage participant confidence, positive coping and full engagement through the sequenced stages of the graduation process toward self-reliance.
  

• Support life-skills and social-awareness messaging on child protection, FGM, early marriage, child labour, nutrition and school retention, consistent with the project's safeguarding focus.
  

3. Feeback and Reporting

• Assist in the project’s feedback processes: phone calls, home visits and regular engagements with participants and other stakeholders, including documenting all cases and following up with the technical team for timely resolution,
  

• Support the project technical team in collecting and compiling data from field activities and reporting,
  

• Draft meeting notes, activity summaries, field reports and beneficiary feedback reports,
  

• Flag and report any gatekeeping reports and/or cases to the project management team,
  

• Assist in facilitating community sensitization sessions to promote project objectives, activities and code of conduct against gatekeeping,
  

• Ensure that project communication is inclusive, culturally sensitive, and gender responsive,
  

• Document lessons learned, best practices, and success stories for knowledge sharing.
  

4. Monitoring

• Assist with daily entry and updating of participant records, including attendance and absence tracking, VSLA and SHG membership data, and case management information in the project database.
  

• Conduct field visits to track progress, gather beneficiary feedback, and identify challenges,
  

• Assist in conducting post-distribution monitoring activities, including monitoring of monthly cash transfers,
  

• Assist in conducting pre and post training assessments,
  

• As directed by technical staff, support in the collection and documentation of success stories and case studies
  

• Contribute to data collection, verification, and analysis for data-informed decision-making.
  

Qualifications and specialist knowledge

• Diploma or equivalent in community development, management, social science, or a related technical field.
  

• 1-2 years of relevant experience in project coordination, community development or mobilization, or a similar role,
  

• Strong organizational and multitasking skills with attention to detail,
  

• High levels of motivation and proactive and problem-solving mindset,
  

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, especially when interacting with multi-dimensionally poor female led households, and other project actors,
  

• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); knowledge of M&E tools is an advantage,
  

• Commitment to gender equality, social inclusion, and the empowerment of marginalized groups,
  

• Fluent written and spoken English
  

• Somali Native.
  

• Proactive, structured approach to work with the ability to manage multiple priorities
  

• Customer- and service-oriented attitude
  

• Maintains confidentiality in handling data and information
  

• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity
  

• High commitment to integrity
  

GIZ is an equal opportunity employer

Female candidates are especially encouraged to apply.

Candidates living with a disability are encouraged to apply.