Democratic Republic of the Congo: Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor, Development Food Assistance Program (DFAP)

Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor, Development Food Assistance Program (DFAP)

Summary

Save the Children, USA (www.Savethechildren.org) is currently accepting expressions of interest from qualified candidates for a potential Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor position on an anticipated USAID Food for Peace funded program in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that is planned to start in October 2016 and operate for a minimum of five years. The objective of this Development Food Assistance Program is to improve the food and nutrition security and economic well-being of vulnerable households in the Kasai Provinces. The program will include livelihoods (primarily agriculture, but also non-agriculture), nutrition, health and resilience objectives, as well as gender and social cohesion objectives. The focus will be on reducing chronic malnutrition among children under 5; improving household availability and access to food through enhanced agriculture and livestock productivity; and increasing household incomes to improve dietary diversity and economic well-being.

The Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor role is a leadership position within the program; s/he will be in charge of agriculture and non-agricultural livelihoods (farm and non-farm) program planning, capacity assessments, partner and staff training, program implementation, and program monitoring and adaptation, and reporting. The Livelihoods Advisor will be responsible for liaising and developing productive relationships with local partners, donors, and government stakeholders. The Livelihoods Advisor will also lead the livelihoods technical team and guide program activities, including farmer groups, youth groups, and other activities to promote Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), especially growing nutrient-dense crops; improving livestock husbandry practices; facilitating formation of producer organizations for youth and adults; training in post-harvest handling/storage; ensuring adequate linkages to local stakeholders (especially the private sector); and carrying out early detection to identify and mitigate agriculture and livelihood risks.

Essential Duties, Responsibilities and Impact

• Work closely as part of an interdisciplinary team with Health & Nutrition, Gender, and other technical advisors, under the guidance of the Chief of Party and Save the Children U.S. technical advisors, as well as with externally hired technical consultants, on the design, implementation, monitoring and adaptation of farm and non-farm livelihoods activities.
• Regularly travel to field locations and manage a team of livelihoods technical staff which may include agro-forestry, market systems, livestock, agricultural, non-agricultural income generation, and youth livelihoods, and other specialists.
• Lead implementation of agriculture, livelihood and savings and loans activities for both youth and adult beneficiaries and lead the design of livelihoods activities tailored to different age-groups.
• Strengthen production and commercialization of agricultural crops/livestock for small-scale producers, including facilitating formation of producer groups, developing market and supply chain linkages and micro-income generating activities. This will encompass providing technical direction, developing work plans, monitoring implementation and impact, ensuring that program deliverables are completed, supervising staff, and managing technical component program budget.
• Ensure that the livelihoods activities performed by staff and community volunteers conform to the programs’ Gender, Youth; Governance: Social Behavior, Change and Communication (SBCC), and other program strategies and action plans.
• Collaborate with the Gender Advisor to build livelihoods team capacity for gender-sensitive and gender transformative livelihoods activity implementation, including ongoing monitoring and identification of any unintended consequences or harm arising from livelihoods activities and appropriate mitigation techniques.
• Proactively monitor the quality delivery of all livelihoods activities, documentation of challenges, and adaptation and resolution of problems.
• Assist to develop monitoring systems jointly with the M&E Coordinator/Officers and provide regular input to update Indicator Performance Tracking Table (IPTT); and collaborate with M&E team to ensure rigorous, effective and quality data collection, analysis and reporting.
• Contribute accurate and quality writing of all required program activities reports.
• As part of program learning agenda, design and oversee surveys, need assessments, data and information collection for refining, learning and adapting to changing circumstances.
• Read, edit and finalize reports submitted by national staff and contribute to and coordinate livelihoods team contributions to project reports, annual implementation plans and other written deliverables in a timely and accurate manner.
• Articulate clear performance standards for livelihoods staff with mutually agreed upon benchmarks.
• Contribute to the development of and work closely with the Gender Advisor to develop gender-sensitive tools and guidance to build staff and local implementing partner capacity.

• Assist in the development and execution of project interventions and ensure technical quality of training curricula, manuals, research tools and other materials developed by the program. Write success stories, best practices and lessons learned from program implementation.

• Work with other technical sector leads, including Nutrition, SBCC, Gender and other Advisors in organizing and leading annual work-plan development. Maintain results meetings on monthly or quarterly basis.

• Work closely with local village or territorial-based organizations and implementing partners to develop strategies that promote capacity-building.

• Ensure effective and transparent use of financial resources in compliance with Save the Children International’s (SCI) and donors’ policies and procedures.

• Ensure the smooth flow of routine program support functions (e.g., budgeting, administration, logistics, HR).

• Coordinate human resources under the program, including recruitment and orientation of new staff, ensuring compliance with labor laws.

• Ensure that procurement procedures for the program are carried out along SCI’s and donors’ procurement guidelines.

• Liaise with local government technical officials, local NGOs/community-based organizations, local religious leaders and other community members to ensure support for and acceptance of the Save the Children project in Kasai Central.

• Develop relationships with key external stakeholders including relevant ministries, donors and other development agencies, private sector actors etc. as required to support the needs of the program Livelihoods activities.

• Participate in local coordination mechanisms and technical working groups, and liaise with other stakeholders.

• Serve as a focal point on livelihoods, with local and international partners.

Preferred Background, Experience, and Skills

• Master’s degree in agriculture, business management, economics or related field.
• At least 8 years of experience in implementing large donor-funded agriculture livelihoods food security programming, particularly in failing states, or post-conflict countries.
• Experience designing and implementing livelihoods and market development activities to support poor farmers in both agriculture and non-agricultural sectors.
• Experience and/or knowledge of the design and implementation of youth livelihoods and income-generation activities and groups.
• Knowledge and experience of gender-sensitive and gender-transformative approaches is a plus.
• Track record of participatory project planning, capacity building, working with host governments, local private sector, and other related players.
• At least 5 years program management and implementation experience, developing income generating activities that transition into market-driven micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) activities.
• Experienced in the direct supervision of a diverse team of local professionals including extension workers, agro-inputs service providers, savings and financial literacy technical and support staff.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to motivate staff to be accountable for program outcomes.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in French and English. Tshiluba proficiency is desirable.
• Proven writing and reporting ability.
• Experience interacting regularly and professionally with senior host-government and community level counterparts on activity selection, planning, and field implementation.
• Demonstrated attention to details; ability to follow procedures; meet deliverables and deadlines on time; work independently when required; and effectively cooperate with all team members is crucial.

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Save the Children provides an attractive benefits package including competitive salaries, a matching retirement plan, health and welfare benefits, life insurance, an employee assistance program, generous time off and much more. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.

https://chp.tbe.taleo.net/chp01/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=SAVETHECHILDREN&cws=1&rid=4295