Project Officer: Early Warning System & Civil Works - ActionAid Ghana

• Early Warning Systems Setup: Coordinate the implementation of design, installation, and operationalization of community-based Early Warning Systems across 11 flood-prone communities, in collaboration with NADMO, Ghana Meteorological Agency, and other technical partners.
• Technical Supervision of Civil Works: Coordinate and monitor the construction and rehabilitation of relevant infrastructure such as flood channels, signage, culverts, rain gauges, and siren systems to support EWS and urban flood adaptation.
• Community Engagement and Preparedness: Mobilize community members and train EWS committees to manage, maintain, and respond to alerts using appropriate technologies.
• Simulation Drills and Testing: Facilitate regular simulations and testing of EWS infrastructure to ensure functionality, inclusivity, and responsiveness to flood risks in collaboration with NADMO, and EWS consultant.
• Collaboration with Stakeholders: Engage local assemblies, engineers, and disaster response agencies to ensure adherence to technical and environmental standards.
• Monitoring and Reporting: Conduct site inspections, collect field data, assess risks, and prepare timely technical and narrative reports.
• Environmental and Social Safeguards: Ensure all civil works comply with environmental and social safeguards, including inclusive design standards that account for women, youth, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable groups.
• Problem-Solving and Technical Guidance: Address implementation challenges related to logistics, infrastructure, and community coordination, and provide timely technical advice

• Liaise with the finance unit to implement cost-effective strategies and systems to ensure optimum efficiency and effectiveness in line with value-for-money principles, ActionAid’s Financial Policy and Procedures Manual, and donor financial guidelines.

• Identify emerging technical issues or opportunities for scale-up and alert supervisors for development of concept notes and funding proposals.
• Support documentation and dissemination of technical challenges, opportunities, and lessons learnt to promote continuous improvement and organizational learning.

• Be abreast of ActionAid’s safeguarding policies, including the child protection policy, and ensure full compliance with its provisions.
• Ensure EWS infrastructure and civil works promote community safety, particularly for women, children and vulnerable groups.
• Educate community members and partners on safeguarding principles during engagement and construction activities.

• Approximate number of people managed in total: n/a
• Approximate number of people matrix managed (projects/dotted line): n/a
• Team Leader (Yes/No): No
• Grandfather – manager of Team Leaders: Head of Programmes, Campaigns & Innovations.

• Internal Relations: Programme team, MEL team, finance unit, procurement team
• External Relations: Engineers, MMDAs, NADMO, Ghana Meteorological Agency, community leaders, contractors
• Responsibility for Assets: Equipment for early warning systems (e.g., sirens, sensors, communication tools), civil works materials and tools

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering, Disaster Risk Management, Environmental Science, Geography, or related field with at least 3 years of relevant work experience.
• A professional certification or postgraduate degree is an added advantage.

• Technical knowledge of Early Warning Systems and climate-related disaster risk reduction
• Experience in supervising small- to medium-scale civil works or infrastructure projects
• Familiarity with community-based disaster preparedness approaches
• Ability to interpret construction designs, site maps, and Bill of Quantities (BoQs).
• Experience working with government agencies like NADMO, GMet, and MMDAs
• Knowledge of gender-responsive and inclusive infrastructure principles
• Proficiency in technical report writing, data collection, and Microsoft Office Suite
• Familiarity with AutoCAD or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools (an added advantage)

• Tact
• High emotional intelligence
• Reliability
• Change agent
• Good listening skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Team player
• High attention to detail and quality assurance

• Tact: Ability to manage sensitive or complex situations diplomatically and respectfully.
• Emotionality: Maintains composure and sound judgment under stress or conflict.
• Reliability: Keeps commitments and meets deadlines consistently.
• Change Agent: Proactively promotes innovation and improvement in disaster preparedness.
• Listening: Welcomes diverse opinions and integrates feedback constructively.
• Communication: Delivers clear technical information tailored to different audiences.
• Team Player: Works effectively within teams and fosters collaborative problem-solving.
• Quality of Output: Produces thorough and accurate work, especially in field and infrastructure-related tasks.

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