Reporting to the Regional Director the Regional Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor has the responsibility to ensure Islamic Relief food security, livelihoods and resilience building programmes in our operational countries in East Africa that are of high quality and impact focused. The post holder will assist the Regional Director in ensuring that learning and innovation is disseminated across Islamic Relief and beyond. The post holder will engage strategically to build in-country and regional partnerships and influence thinking in the resilience building, food security and livelihoods sector. Key deliverables will be leading on developing FSL sector strategy which provides strategic framework to our programmes, increased fundraising, and building capacity of national staff to ensure IR delivers impactful projects and programmes
Responsibilities
TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGYDevelop future FSL programme strategy in close coordination with the FSL national teams, and create and refine operational planning and supportive budget. .**
Provide technical expertise and knowledge to ensure that food security and livelihoods interventions, including cash based interventions, voucher programming, and in-kind food basket distribution and economic strengthening interventions meets appropriate minimum and technical quality standards. **
Coordinate and/or lead relevant assessments including the Household Economic Assessment (HEA) approach (needs and baseline assessments) and emergency market assessments. **
Contribute to situational analysis for identifying livelihoods protection and recovery needs, with due consideration for cross cutting issues within all interventions.
PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT
Oversee the implementation of the Livelihood & Food Security projects in in East Africa countries, ensuring timeliness and delivery according to the activity plan and results frameworks.
Manage the Livelihoods and Food Security activities ensuring that it is meeting its intended aims and objectives and achieving impact.
Assure full compliance of operations with IRW’s principles, rules, regulations and policies, operational strategies and relevant reference documents and policies (Sphere, Do no harm).
MONITORING, EVALUATION, LEARNING AND ACCOUNTABILITYConduct need assessments, baseline surveys, feasibility studies ensuring that sound methodologies are employed and that the findings inform the formulation of winning grant applications.
Conduct real-time evaluation and impact assessment in relation to food security and livelihoods programmes in conjunction with the Country Programme M&E Coordinators and Global Monitoring and Evaluation, Accountability and Learning unit
Spearhead innovations in the field of food security and livelihoods including introducing technologies and new ways of working in order to deliver lasting impact on the people the organisation serves.
FUNDRAISING, REPRESENTATION AND NETWORKING
In collaboration with country-based sector specialist, lead the development of competitive, long-term and impactful resilience building, food security and livelihood proposals
Develop skills and capacity of IR staff who work in food security and livelihoods projects in East Africa
Represent IR to regional and global relevant networks, high level meetings and working groups
Contribute to research, policy development and advocacy at a regional and global level
Lead partnerships with relevant academic institutions, networks, think tanks, corporate companies and other stakeholders in East Africa region.
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
Develop skills and capacity of IR staff who work in food security and livelihoods projects in East Africa
Provide leadership, coaching and mentoring to staff under indirect management, ensuring that they have clear objectives and receive meaningful feedback on their performance and development.
To be successful in this role you will have strong specific technical/professional knowledge from formal training and/or work experience, an in-depth understanding of supporting potential sustainable livelihoods options through market-led interventions for different livelihoods groups, especially promoting economic leadership as well as proven skills in emergency food security and livelihoods interventions and policy issues.
You should also have some understanding of disaster preparedness, DRR and Climate Change Adaptation in drought affected communities and knowledge of cash and market related methods of delivering assistance to disaster affected people. You will need to demonstrate ability to work creatively, innovatively and effectively. Good communication skills and demonstrated skills in training and mentoring others are a must for this position. Experience as a team worker and demonstrable inter-personal skills are highly valued for this position,
Qualifications
Higher University degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Rural development or any other related fields.
An extensive hands-on experience related to food security and livelihoods with International NGOs at senior level (for example, Technical Advisor, Sector Head/ Thematic head)
In-depth understanding of livelihoods frameworks, theory of change and logical frameworks/intervention logic of some of the major institutional donors and foundations
A proven track record of successful proposal development for bilateral donors such as DFID, ECHO, Europe aid, SIDA, CIDA, USAID etc for rural development, food security, livelihood programmes
Proven track record of developing strategies, evidence-based research papers, and advocacy at national level
In-depth understanding of supporting potential sustainable livelihoods options through market-led interventions for different livelihoods groups, especially promoting economic leadership as well as proven skills in emergency food security and livelihoods interventions and policy issues.
Ability to think strategically, achieve results and innovate.
Excellent report writing skills and analytical skills
Fluency in English, both spoken and written
Knowledge of national languages (Swahili, Somali, Amharic, Arabic) spoken in the region is an asset.
Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
Willingness to travel to hard to reach and insecure locations
Interpersonal skills and team player
