Apply on our site: https://chm.tbe.taleo.net/chm03/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=IRC&cws=1&rid=14800

Background:

Over the past 80 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees, and internally displaced persons forced to flee from war or disaster as well as hosting communities. The IRC’s Economic Recovery and Development Unit (ERD) is responsible for providing dynamic, innovative support to IRC’s field offices on natural resource-based livelihoods programming in conflict, crisis, and early recovery settings across Sub Saharan Africa and Asia. IRC’s agricultural and food security team designs and advises on programs that can generate economic and food security and nutrition outcomes for vulnerable rural groups especially women.

Job Overview:

The Technical Advisor for Food Security and Livelihoods will take a lead role in providing technical support, guidance, and training to a number of IRC country programs, particularly (but not exclusively) in West Africa, the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, to improve and develop IRC’s food security work both in the immediate emergency phase through to our post-conflict work. He/she will be responsible for enhancing the scope, impact and quality of IRC’s economic programs. Improved design, monitoring, publication of strategies and tools, staff training and capacity building are considered key components in achieving these objectives.

By working closely with the country teams through regular field visits and communication, the Technical Advisor will support the development of new proposals and planning for program growth to effectively address the needs of this sector of the population. He/she will also play a role in liaising with and influencing donors in terms of recognizing and funding activities to address the food security needs of the populations that IRC serves. The Technical Advisor will contribute to our women’s economic empowerment strategy alongside the ERD Gender TA and staff from other sectors such as health, women, child and youth protection and development, helping to improve food security outcomes through all of IRC’s work.

Major Responsibilities:

Provide ongoing direct technical support to country programs:
Be the primary provider of technical support and guidance for food security and livelihood programming in selected field programs (in 6-8 countries), in accordance with IRC’s Technical Support package and with a particular emphasis on design, monitoring and resource publications. This will be done through:
Regular field visits to monitor implementation, deliver technical support to field staff, conduct trainings, provide resources, and make clear recommendations on ways to strengthen programs and share learning across programs;
Regular communication with the field through phone and email; ?
Writing and publishing resources for field programs in relation to design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Support HR in recruitment for positions in the field (international staff, interns and consultants): assist with developing job descriptions, conduct technical interviews and provide feedback.
Develop strategies and tools:
With the full participation of field programs, contribute to the development/ revision of best practice guides, manuals and other technical resources to improve the quality of IRC’s food security and livelihood programs;
Work with the Rural Livelihood technical team and the Research, Evaluation and Learning team to design research that will build upon and add to the knowledge base on cost effective approaches to deliver food security to crisis affected populations;
Work with other technical units to support the development of guidance and resource materials that aim to improve food security and agricultural outcomes.
Fundraising and proposal development:
Support the development of the business development strategy for food security and livelihood programming in assigned countries and contribute to business development, including conducting stakeholder analysis and identifying potential partnership opportunities, pre-positioning with donors, conducting sound assessments and developing technically sound proposals, and identifying research and evaluation priorities;
Supporting design of proposals and the development of good monitoring plans, directly engaging in the design and development of large RFAs, RFPs, IQCs and other proposals and drafting, reviewing and editing other proposals on an ongoing basis.
Represent IRC at relevant fora:
Represent IRC in selected internal IRC meetings and selected interagency and donor meetings, workshops and conferences;
Regularly provide briefings on agriculture and food security programs, emerging issues, and political developments in our areas of operation to a range of audiences, including IRC staff, donors, the media, UN agencies, inter-agency networks, and new recruits.
ERD technical unit support/development:
Participate in ERD TU strategic planning, special projects, meetings, communications material development, and intra-net content development;
Respond to requests for information about ERD programs from IRC colleagues from various departments and field programs;
Undertake special projects as requested.
Emergency preparedness and response:
Input to development of food security emergency preparedness and response programming models.

Job Requirements:

Education: Masters degree in Agricultural Economics, Nutrition, or another related field.

Work Experience: A minimum of 5 years’ related work experience with p roven technical expertise in delivering and managing agriculture and food security programs, including some significant experience in implementing programs overseas— preferably in conflict or disaster affected environments.
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies: Knowledge of agriculture and food security programming in both humanitarian and post-conflict settings . Excellent writing and editing skills required, including the ability to draft and edit proposals, as well as write and publish technical resources to support design and implementation of agriculture and food security programming. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to successfully listen to, interact with, and communicate clearly with people from diverse nationalities and backgrounds. Excellent computer skills: MS Word, Excel, Power Point, and database software.
Language Skills: Fluency in English and proficiency in French is required.

Working Environment: Fast-paced work environment requires ability to work within a team as well as independently. Extensive travel to IRC target locations required.