Project Officer- Gender and Climate Resilience

About Trócaire

Trócaire is an International NGO. We work with local partners in the world’s most at-risk communities and with people in Ireland to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and injustice and respond to the crises they create. Together we bring about positive and lasting change for a just world. Trócaire works in up to 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. We work towards five goals:

• Promote Access to Justice;
• Achieve Climate & Environmental Justice;
• Ensure Women & Girls’ Protection, Voice & Influence;
• Save Lives and Protect Human Dignity and
• Mobilise the Public on the island of Ireland to achieve Global Justice.

Our work is rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and in our values of Solidarity, Courage, Participation, Perseverance and Accountability.

In Sierra Leone since 1995, Trócaire works to achieve climate and environmental justice; ensure women and girls’ protection, voice & influence; and save lives and protect human dignity. Trócaire supports work on the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, women’s political participation and leadership, sustainable livelihoods and economic empowerment, natural resource management and environmental conservation, and humanitarian preparedness and response.

Trócaire works exclusively with local partners and actively supports localized development and humanitarian aid. Supporting local civil society organisations to strengthen their organizational, institutional, financial, technical, and managerial capacities is core to Trócaire’s partnership approach in Sierra Leone.

Trócaire is currently seeking to recruit a Project Officer – Climate Resilience & Gender to join our dynamic and passionate Programme Team. The role will report to the Lite Salone Programme Lead, with matrix management to the Programme Technical Lead - Climate Change Policy & Advocacy.

Role Summary

The Project Officer – Gender and Climate Resilience will play a key role in supporting the management, capacity strengthening and accompaniment of Trócaire’s partners and projects under Trócaire’s climate change programme – that aims to enhance women, youth and communities resilience and adaptation to the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation in Sierra Leone. The role will have a focus on gender, women’s empowerment and social norms change within the climate change programming. This programme includes seven partners currently funded through Irish Aid in 4 Districts (Kambia, Port Loko, Karene and Western Area Rural) under two projects: Lite Salone and Ireland’s Civil Society Partnership for A Better World (ICSP). Lite Salone is an innovative, ambitious renewable energy project aiming to bring affordable solar energy to all last mile households in Kambia District. It is currently at pilot phase of testing solar Energy as a Service (EaaS), gathering evidence for replication and scale. The Gender and Climate Resilience Officer will play a key role in supporting the Lite Salone Programme Lead and Programme Technical Lead – Climate Change Policy & Advocacy in ensuring the needs and priorities of women are kept at the fore front of the climate programme. The role will provide also learning opportunities for the right candidate.

The ideal candidate will be a dynamic, proactive and results-oriented with a track record and passion for gender, womens empowerment and social norms change within climate programming and working with local partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Partnership, Capacity Strengthening & Programme Quality

Lite Salone:

• Support the Lite Salone Programme Lead in the day-to-day management and accompaniment of the local implementing partner based in Kambia including:

• Supporting the preparation, administration and filing of partner project related documents in hard copy and in salesforce;

• Supporting the team to keep the partner project on salesforce up to date;

• Assist in timely preparation of paperwork needed for partner grant transfers;

• Assist in logistics (travel, accommodation, stationaries etc.) and raising and liquidation of float requisitions for field visits including donor visits;

• Conduct regular field accompaniment visits with local partner including jointly with Lite Salone Programme Lead and provide input into written feedback to the partner on project progress in line with project objectives and Trócaire’s standards;

• Coordinating closely with Trócaire Technical Lead for Womens Empowerment on providing technical support and accompaniment to the partner, on ensuring the pilot project proactively addresses, documents and prioritises the rights, voices, and needs of women;

• Support in ensuring partner activities are delivered on time, in line with workplan and approved budget;

• Participate in Lite Salone Technical Working Group meetings – supporting in documenting minutes. Participating in Steering Committee meetings as needed. ICSP:

• Support the Programme Technical Lead – Climate Change Policy & Advocacy (CCP&A) in:

• The day-to-day management of ICSP CLIM partners including supporting PTL-CCP&A in salesforce and hard files up to date.

• Capacity-strengthening initiatives, coaching, and mentoring of partners, especially Women-Centered Organizations (WCOs) including regular field accompaniment visits (coordinating with Technical Lead for Climate Change and Food Security and Gender & Women’s Empowerment for cross learnings and integration).

• Coordinating closely with Technical Lead for Women’s Empowerment on providing technical support and accompaniment to climate partners on gender inclusion, women's empowerment and social norms change within their climate change/resilience projects.

• Supporting the PTL—CCP&A in providing high-quality technical support and accompaniment to partners on climate change adaptation and mitigation and natural resource management.

• Reporting and Information Management

Lite Salone:

• Support the Lite Salone Programme Lead in reviewing the local partner reports (narrative and finance) including reminders on reporting schedule.

• Support on drafting partner sections of donor and Service Level Agreements reports. ICSP:

• Support the Programme Technical Lead CCP&A in reviewing the local partners reports (narrative and finance).

• Contribute to development of case studies and lessons learned documents. Other Duties:

• Carry out other responsibilities as agreed and assigned by the Lite Salone Programme Lead or Programme Technical Lead CCP&A – that are consistent with the nature of the job and its level of responsibility including for capacity development.

• Support in hosting visitors, including donors, Ministries and the media to the climate programme, and represent Trócaire at relevant forums and events.

• Contribute to country-level strategic planning, program reviews, and team learning.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field.

Experience

• Minimum 2 years’ experience in working in gender, women’s empowerment and climate change programming
• Experience working with local civil society partners or in partnership-based programming
• Experience in women’s empowerment and gender inclusion within the climate space.
• Demonstrated experience in facilitating meetings, workshops, capacity-strengthening and community engagement.

Skills

• Strong writing skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, coordination, and facilitation skills.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building, diplomacy and negation skills and represent Trócaire with professionalism.
• Strong understanding of gender equality, women’s economic empowerment, safeguarding, and social inclusion principles.
• Highly organized with excellent planning, problem-solving, multitasking, and prioritization skills
• Ability to work both as part of a team and independently
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, power point).
• Fluent in English (written and spoken) and Creole – Temenne will be an added advantage.

Qualities:

• Commitment to Trócaire’s Vision, Mission and Values and safeguarding policies.
• Flexibility and ability to multi-task under pressure.
• Openness to learning.

Others:

• Ability and willingness to travel within country and internationally, and stay in rural areas in the country.

• Able to work irregular hours on an occasional basis

• Financial integrity and stewardship of project funds

• Safeguarding – Preventing Abuse and Exploitation

• Trócaire is committed to safeguarding people from exploitation and/or abuse by our employees or others working on our behalf or as a result of our programmes or activities. Trócaire has specific policies on this commitment (including a Global Code of Conduct, Global Safeguarding Policy) which outlines the expected behavior and the responsibility of all employees, consultants and other organizational representatives. As an employee of Trócaire you are required to abide by these policies. More information on Trócaire’s safeguarding policies available here.

• Diversity and inclusion

• We welcome diverse applicants to join our inclusive workforce.

• Trócaire is an equal opportunities employer. We are an organization that embraces diversity and inclusion. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds to bring their experiences and perspectives to Trócaire.

• Diversity and Inclusion statement available here.

• Benefits

• For the candidate with the required technical knowledge, experience, and passion for the role, Trócaire offers a competitive package of salary and benefits on local terms and conditions on a one year fixed term contract. Applicants must have rights to work and live in Sierra Leone. We particularly encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups, including women.

• Closing date is on the 4th November 2026.