Food Security and Livelihood Coordinator - Somaliland (DRC)

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OVERALL OBJECTIVES

The position of Food Security & Livelihood Coordinator will work under the supervision and direction of the Country Director for DRC Somalia, managing the following aspects of the programme:

1) Strengthening DRC Somalia capacity and profile in agriculture and food security programming.

2) Review existing programming and make recommendations for areas of expansion.

3) Take lead in the development and implementation of appropriate technical guidelines.

4) Focal point for DRC Somalia programmes in reporting, proposal development, documentation and programme monitoring of all agriculture/food security projects.

BACKGROUND

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. Using a protection of human rights framework, DRC has mainly focused on Somalis who are displaced by conflict. Programmes include protection, livelihoods, water and sanitation, food and NFI distribution, community driven recovery and development and advocacy, amongst others. There are 14 main/sub offices throughout Somalia, Puntland, and South Central Somalia. Recently, the three separate programme areas (Somaliland, Puntland and Somalia) have been restructured as the Somalia Country Programme.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Food Security and Livelihood Coordinator will oversee and provide technical and strategic assistance to food security / livelihood programme activities for DRC Somalia. This new post will play a critical role in supporting the delivery of quality programme implementation though sustained quality technical advice. The Food Security and Livelihood Coordinator will work closely with agriculture, livelihood, and area managers throughout Puntland, Somaliland, and Somalia to review and improve existing programmes and identify opportunities for new and innovative programmes.

This position will primarily focus on agriculture and food security programming in terms of ensuring best practices, maximum impact, and quality programming. Currently, DRC implements programme to increase agriculture production in irrigated and rain-fed areas and engages in other livelihood activities to improve food security among displaced and host communities. Livelihood activities include cash for work, cash relief, support to new and existing small businesses and vocational training. The Food Security & Livelihood Coordinator will, in addition to providing technical support to agriculture programmes, assist in developing viable livelihood activities in both rural and urban areas to strengthen food security of vulnerable households. In addition, the Coordinator will support a consistent integration of HAP and M & E principles and practices into all programmes activities. The key responsibilities include:

• Focal point for all food security and agriculture related programmes to ensure best practices and optimum results.

• Ensure technical quality though support to national and international staff and identify staff internal capacity and provide on the job training and capacity building for relevant staff together with the area managers.

• Take lead in the development of new guidelines and review of existing technical guidelines to ensure they remain relevant and consistent to the humanitarian context, international standards and available food security analysis by key stakeholders.

• Take lead in the development of food security indicators and relevant monitoring and evaluation instruments and provide real time technical advice to project staff through direct field visits.

• Focal point for technical proposal writing and quality reporting for food security and livelihood programmes.

• Undertake frequent field visits to project sites to ensure that the activities are carried out in accordance to work plan and technical requirements.

• Identify staff internal capacity and provide on the job training and capacity building for relevant staff together with the area managers.

• Liaison with various stakeholders and leading food security organizations in all project locations, and take lead role in providing information regarding food security trends to DRC managers.

• Ensure all food security and livelihood related programming adheres to HAP guideline and that food security activities are appropriately integrated with other relevant programmes.

• Strategy development and development of future interventions related to agriculture and food security.

• Ensure that the senior management are kept informed on food security trends especially those of emergency nature and play a key role in DRC emergency contingency planning.

• Take a lead role in planning timely and effective food security and livelihood related assessments.

• Member of DRC Somalia senior management team;

• Represent DRC Somalia in technical meetings and related forums.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, rural development or other relevant field.

• A minimum of 5 years experience in a senior programmatic capacity with food security, livelihood and/or disaster risk reduction (namely drought) programs with international NGOs.

• Experience with cash based programmes

• Demonstrated ability to implement technically appropriate and innovative approaches within this sector in highly challenging environments

• Experience in undertaking similar tasks in arid and semi-arid lands that are prone to cyclic disasters such as floods and droughts.

• Demonstrated experience in assessment and M&E, and integration of FSL initiatives with other sectors.

• Knowledge and experience in participatory approaches and tools.

• Experience working in insecure environments, preferably Sub-Sahara Africa.

• Proficiency in written and spoken English is essential and proficiency in written and spoken Somali is beneficial.

• Extensive operational knowledge of donor guidelines and procedures (logical frameworks, proposal development and report writing

• Experience in capacity building of national staff and communities.

• Good command of computer programs and applications.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, and demonstrated ability to establish effective working relations various stakeholders.

CONDITIONS

Availability: July 2011.

Duty station: Hargeisa, Somaliland or other programme office in Somalia programme with frequent travel to other field offices and Nairobi. Please note that this posting is a non-family duty station.

Contract: One year with possibility of extension. This is a “Field-Recruited Expatriate” position with the salary and other terms in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Field Recruited Expatriates recruited by the Horn of Africa (HOA) Regional Office in Nairobi.

For general information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult www.drc.dk.

APPLICATION AND CV

Applicants should send a 1-page cover letter that clearly states how they are qualified, and why they are interested in, the post and their CV to: drcjobs@drckenya.org. Please indicate “Food Security and Livelihood Coordinator” as the subject heading.

Deadline for receiving applications is June 21, 2011. Applications received after this date will not be considered.

GENERAL

Commitments: DRC has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability committments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework (http://www.drc.dk/HAF.4265.0.html)