Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) Adviser at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in over 120 countries around the world. Recognized for our commitment to accountability, innovation and collaboration, our work takes us into the heart of communities, where we help children and families help themselves. We work with other organizations, governments, non-profits and a variety of local partners while maintaining our own independence without political agenda or religious orientation. Save the Children's mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.

Save the Children is looking for experienced development professionals to work within the Nigeria Country Programme. These roles will be critical for the delivery of results for children expected by this programme.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) Adviser

Job ID: #937106
Locations: Abuja and Borno

Role

• The FSL Adviser will be expected to lead on sectoral assessment, programme design and master budgeting, coordination, and support fundraising, recruitment and procurement.
• In most circumstances, the post holder will be expected to mentor and/or capacity building existing country programme staff.

Main Responsibilities
Programme Support (typically will be for small or medium-sized emergencies):

• Lead on technical FSL assessments (including market assessment) in coordination with other SC thematic areas and/or other external sector agencies, ensuring assessment findings are documented and that all assessments include a specific analysis of children’s needs.
• Working with the Deputy Team Leader - Programmes or Team Leader to develop sector response plans and master budgets and contribute to Save the Children’s overall response and recovery strategy.
• Working closely with the Deputy Team Leader – Programmes or Team Leader, support fundraising for FSL, including development of high quality concept notes and proposals, and engagement with donors’ technical Advisers in country.
• Prepare and oversee programme implementation to ensure appropriate and timely delivery of programme activities (for example, monitoring against logframes, individual performance management and work plans).
• Prepare timely programme and donor reports on project activities in compliance with internal SC requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
• Working closely with the HR team, identify FSL staffing needs (both national and international) for emergency programmes, and ensure rapid recruitment, induction and training of new staff.
• Identify programme supplies needs and coordinate with the logistics team to put in place a sensible phased procurement plan.
• Work with finance and other teams to ensure appropriate modality of aid transfer and an accountable cash transfer mechanism is in place.
• Working closely with the Monitoring & Evaluation team put in place a sector M & E plan, ensuring this links to reporting requirements, and capacity build technical field staff in carrying out the work.
• Working closely with the Accountability lead put in place accountability activities for your thematic area, ensuring that feedback from all relevant stakeholders is considered in programme design.
• To ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Charter and Red Cross Code of Conduct.

Capacity Building:

• Identify learning and training opportunities for Save the Children staff and partners and work as a mentor and role model for less experienced staff.

Representation & Advocacy & Organizational Learning:

• Ensure that Save the Children's work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and take a leadership role within Interagency Coordination forums, ensuring the specific needs of children are being addressed. This may involve taking the lead in coordination working groups.
• Take steps to document lessons learned for wider dissemination.
• In collaboration with senior programme staff, assist in advocacy activities that target decision-makers at all levels.
• In collaboration with FSL SC colleagues, feed in learning, experiences and evidence to relevant global advocacy objectives.
• To identify opportunities and material to contribute to communications and media work, acting as a spokesperson when required.

General:

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

Core Behaviors
Understanding humanitarian contexts and application of humanitarian principles:

• Able to assess and analyze key issues in the humanitarian situation and formulate actions around them
• Actively engages in disaster coordination mechanisms and interagency cooperation
• Leads on the development of an organizational response based on an understanding of the contexts

Achieving results effectively:

• Ensures beneficiary and partner feedback is incorporated into programme design, planning and learning
• Demonstrates flexibility to adapt plans and make decisions in rapidly changing environments
• Actively manages risk and takes action to reduce risk
• Makes changes to improve performance as a result of information received
• Documents lessons learned and applies them to future projects

Maintaining and developing collaborative relationships:

• Develops strategies for teams to work across traditional boundaries, working in diverse environments
• Establishes clear objectives with teams and individuals and monitors progress and performance
• Fosters collaborative, transparent and accountable relationships through partners
• Uses negotiation and conflict resolution skills to support positive outcomes

Operating safely and securely:

• Demonstrates an understanding of wider UN/NGO security coordination and how the organization can benefit from, and contribute to, those mechanisms.
• Undertakes effective risk assessments and develops contingency plans
• Takes appropriate, coordinated and consistent action to handle situations of personal risk and risk for others
• Reduces vulnerability by complying with safety and security protocols set by the organization

Managing yourself in a pressured and changing environment:

• Remains focused on the objectives and goals in a rapidly changing environment
• Able to identify, and act on, low levels of resilience in others

Leadership: Action; Thinking; Self; Inspiring; Developing Others:

• Builds own awareness of the bigger global picture by using a broad range of sources to gather data
• Demonstrates managerial courage by confronting difficult situations and seeking resolution, and stating willingness to champion ideas
• Actively contributes to a team environment where team members feel able to contribute, champion or challenge decisions
• Takes responsibility for own development, and actively takes steps to better understand and address own strengths and weaknesses.
• Openly talks about doing things differently, pushing the boundaries and ways of working
• Gives constructive feedback to enhance capabilities and responsibilities of team members for the purpose of their development
• Works to ensure that the workplace is inclusive and the talents of individuals are harnessed to achieve individuals and organizational success.

Person Specification
Essential:

• Significant management experience working in emergency response or fragile state contexts, including direct experience in implementing cash transfer programmes, market analysis and economic recovery.
• Previous first phase emergency response experience is essential
• Education to M.Sc/MA/MEng level in a relevant subject or equivalent field experience.
• Job years of experience: 3-5 years
• Previous experience of managing a team
• Previous experience of project management
• Experience of and commitment to working through systems of community participation and accountability

Demonstrated Monitoring and Evaluation Skills

• Ability to work both in an advisory and a hands on implementation capacity
• Proven capacity to supervise, train and coach staff
• Experience of representation and ability to represent SC effectively in external forums.
• Experience of preparing successful funding proposals for donors
• Ability to write clear and well-argued assessment and project reports
• Excellent communication skills with a high level of written and spoken English
• Strong influencing skills and experience in advocacy
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
• Commitment to the aims and principles of SC. In particular, a good understanding of the SC mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support.

Desirable

• Language skills in Hausa
• Knowledge and / or experience in using HEA, COD and EMMA / MIFIRA
• Familiarity with nutrition surveys
• Experience or knowledge of working and living in relevant regions/contexts
• Specific experience of designing and managing DFID and ECHO projects
• Specific experience of working in consortia projects.

Application Closing Date
23rd April, 2015.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should kindly send their C.V's and covering letter on or before the Closing date explaining why you are suitable to: [email protected] State position clearly in the subject field as applications without appropriate subject will be disqualified. Also, applications received after the Closing date will not be considered.

Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.