Job Profile SCI Yemen
save the children
international programs
role profile
TITLE: Head of Hunger and LivelihoodsTEAM/PROGRAMME: Nigeria / LOCATION: Abuja
GRADE: TBC / CONTRACT LENGTH : 12 months
CHILD SAFEGUARDING:
Level 3: the role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.
ROLE PURPOSE:
Under the general direction and guidance of the Director of Programme Development and Quality, the incumbent ensures that all food security and livelihoods programming is of excellent technical quality, attracts significant donor funding and contributes to national, regional and global learning, advocacy and programme development. The post holder is expected to provide technical advice and support to project staff to ensure programming objectives are successfully achieved.
The post-holder also contributes to the development and/review of the country strategic direction and actively lead in the development of food security and livelihood policy and programme formulation and ensure adequate integration of strategic directions and activities with the Health, Nutrition, Child Protection and Education thematic sectors.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Director of Programme Development and Quality
Dimensions: Save the Children works in 11 States of the Federal Republic of Nigeria including Regions in Niger with 200 staff and expenditure of approximately US$ 22 million each year with programmes in Health, Nutrition, Child Protection, Education, Food Security and Livelihoods.
Staff directly reporting to this post: TBC
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Support to Programme Development, Implementation & Quality (50%)
· Actively participate in the development of the Country Strategic and Thematic Plans. Specifically lead in the definition of strategic axis of intervention on resilience, social protection, safety nets and livelihood support. It encompasses the preparation of situational analyses, gathering background information, policy formulations, and establishing indicators in the area of Food Security and Livelihoods.
· Review and approve donor report narratives of relevant Hunger and Livelihoods programmes.
· Identify funding opportunities for Hunger and Livelihoods programmes, lead the design and participate in the proposal development processes.
· Design a crisis modifier approach, in consultation with DFID to scale up and out the cash transfers under the Child Development Grant Programme.
· Ensure all funded projects are technically sound and feed into the Hunger and Livelihoods thematic strategy, providing support to:
§ Develop plans to States, LGA, and communities;
§ Design and implementation of the Monitoring and Evaluation systems;
§ Ensure appropriateness, coherence and verification of targeting of recipients of Food Security and Livelihoods interventions;
§ Guide the geographical focus of interventions to maximise programme impact and coherence.
· Provide technical and coordination support to the improvement of the Federal, State and local-levels early warning systems and response mechanisms in partnership with the Federal, State and Local Government of Nigeria:
§ Advise the HEA Focal Point on technical, coordination and capacity building activities linked to the implementation of the HEA Sahel project in Nigeria.
§ Participate, as appropriate, in joint food security analysis missions led by CILSS (ECOWAS), FAO and FEWSNET;
§ Engage the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) and the relevant State Emergency Management Authorities (SEMA) to communicate officially on the basis of the HEA Sahel, joint missions and other assessments findings.
· Specifically provide technical expertise on current portfolio (M&E, review of processes, of implementation plans):
§ Emergency or seasonal Cash Transfer Programmes (ECHO);
§ Safety net and social protection programmes (CDGP);
§ Explore and develop longer term livelihood support interventions complementing a. and b. It can build the experience and expertise on Village Savings and Loans (VSL – micro savings), financial, business, skills and Income Generating Activities development trainings gained during the implementation of the OVC – Links For Children (LFC) project.
§ Explore and develop longer term agriculture and livestock support interventions complementing a., b. and c. Save the Children in Nigeria currently has no experience in this sub sector.
· Lead Hunger and Livelihoods field assessments (including emergency seasonal assessments – following droughts or floods – and Household Economy Approach baselines) as appropriate. It encompasses leading the planning and implementation of these in agreed locations, in collaboration with Field Managers in States and the SMT in Abuja, ensuring that an integrated approach with all other thematic areas during planning and implementation is observed. Results will be disseminated and will feed into any existing national surveillance systems.
· Review relevant monitoring reports (M&E Baselines, Mid lines, End lines, Post Distribution Monitoring, Interim and Final reports) to donors to ensure that technical aspects are well articulated and reports are of good quality before review by Regional and Head Offices and before submission to donors. It encompasses mentoring and providing support to improve team members’ report writing skills.
· Lead the systematic documentation of project impact, lessons learnt and corrective measures based on case studies, compilation and analysis of monitoring information in close collaboration with the MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning) team. Documentation (reports, briefs, presentations as appropriate) will be shared through External Networking & Representation.
· Build on technical knowledge, latest research in the sector and current and previous programming to develop proposals for new programming in close coordination with the programme staff. Ensure all new programming supports the achievement of Save the Children Country Strategy and Thematic objectives, specifically the reduction of child mortality due to malnutrition. The post holder will keep regular contact with Head Quarter and Regional Office-based Food Security and Livelihoods advisers, who will assist him/her with the above.
External Networking & Representation (15%)
· Represent Save the Children and confidently engage with UN agencies, Donors, Nigeria Government at Federal, State and Local levels, other International and National NGO, FEWSNET and other stakeholders at the central and local levels in both verbal and written communications. The post holder will promote Save the Children vision and work in Nigeria focusing on early warning and response systems, child survival and resilience.
· Attend specifically following group meetings:
§ Participation in quarterly Food Security Theme Group (let by FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture) meetings and proactively lead some of its activities relevant to the post holder’s job description;
§ Advise field teams to ensure adequate field representation and participation through technical attendance to relevant forums at State and Local Government Area levels;
§ Ensure active dissemination of programmes findings and lessons learned to key stakeholders.
§ Other ad-hoc meetings on Food Security and Livelihoods called by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health and the National Emergency Management Authority.
· Share and exchange best practices with other international and local NGOs:
§ Promote the exchange of programming tools (design, monitoring, evaluation, etc.) between agencies and ensure Save the Children is recognised as a proactive actor and leads on some of the initiatives falling under its mandate;
§ Initiate and lead the development of a joint advocacy platform, and produce short advocacy notes
· Regularly liaise and meet with key in-country donors to gain intelligence and prepare for upcoming calls for applications, in accordance with Save the Children Country and Thematic Strategies and areas of expertise.
Internal Networking and Cooperation (5%)
· Actively participate in key relevant internal meetings such as Senior Management Team or State-based meetings as required.
· Maintain communication with Save the Children members’ Regional and Head Offices to keep updated on the latest policy development, global objectives and targets and training opportunities.
Mentoring and Capacity-Building (20%)
· Assist in the development of tools for project staff and partners to improve the quality of Food Security and Livelihoods work.
· Provide technical trainings to project staff and partners as required (HEA, monitoring and evaluation, market assessment, social protection mechanisms, cash and voucher distributions, VSL, conservation farming, and other ones as appropriate).
· In collaboration with the different Field Managers, Director of Operations and Human Resources Manager support the development and the implementation of the Hunger and Livelihoods team members’ work plans, performance objectives and professional development plans.
Others (10%)
· Contribute to advocacy and research initiatives such as the Hunger and Livelihoods Breakthrough, the CDGP Political Economy Analysis, the Nutrition Causal Analysis, and other ones as appropriate.
· Comply with all relevant Save the Children policies and procedures with respect to child safeguarding policy, health, security and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies.
· Any other reasonable duty as may be assigned by the line manager that is consistent with the nature of the job and level of responsibility.
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS
Accountability
· Hold oneself accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
· Hold the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.
· Create a managerial environmentacross the Country Programme to lead, enable and maintain Save the Children culture of child safeguarding.
Ambition
· Set ambitious and challenging goals for oneself and the team, take responsibility for his/her own personal development and encourage the team to do the same.
· Future orientated, think strategically and on a country programme wide scale.
Collaboration
· Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.
· Build and maintain effective relationships with colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters.
· Value diversity and different people’s perspectives, able to work cross-culturally.
Creativity
· Develop and encourage new and innovative solutions
Integrity
· honest, encourages openness and transparency, builds trust and confidence
· displays consistent excellent judgement
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
· Postgraduate qualification in discipline related to agricultural economics, development economics, agriculture, food security, social science or other relevant discipline or commensurate work experience in lieu of postgraduate qualification.
· Significant experience (at least 5 years) in food security and livelihoods programming with specific experience and/or advanced understanding of at least two (2) of the following:
o Social protection systems for vulnerable populations especially pastoral and agro-pastoral populations;
o Experience of running and monitoring cash transfer programmes;
o Designing and implementing market assessments and analysis of data collected;
o Relevant training and expertise in using Save the Children Household Economy Approach (HEA)
o Assessment of Food Security Early Warning Systems in sub-Saharan Africa
· Strong commitment to capacity building of national staff and partners with willingness to adopt a participatory and consultative management approach.
· Significant experience in relief and rehabilitation programmes in developing countries, with a focus on Food Security and Livelihoods.
· Develop market based programming promoting a better nutrition for children and livelihoods development in an integrated approach.
· Strong report writing skills, including experience in writing proposals and donor reports. For this excellent analytical skills and computer literacy is required.
· Extensive experience in data management and analysis, including data collection tools design, database design and management and data quality checks.
· Sound and mature understanding of rights-based approaches to development and participatory concepts and practical experience in similar context.
· Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels, taking into account cultural and language difficulties with tact and diplomacy.
· Ability to communicate and maintain good work relations with relevant local authorities in politically sensitive environments.
· Experience of working in insecure/conflict situations and security management.
· Willingness to travel regularly and in difficult circumstances.
· Sensitive to issues affecting children and committed to Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding Policy.
· Excellent command of the English language.
Date of issue: January 2, 2014