Food Assistance Program Officer at Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Food Assistance Program Officer

Location: Dikwa, Borno
Position Status: Full-time, Regular
Reports Directly To: Food Security Program Coordinator
Works Directly with: All program Staff, M&E teams, MC beneficiaries, and MC Partners

Program / Department Summary

• We are preparing to deliver a 24-month assistance and early recovery intervention in line with the Borno State Government Strategic Transformational Initiatives-STIs (2020-2030) and 25-Year Development Framework.
• The Broadening Emergency and Graduation Efforts in Borno (BEGE-Borno) intervention not only contributes to Pillar Six (Reconstruct, Rehabilitate & Resettle) of the Borno State Government STIs, it also aligns with Mercy Corps vision of building towards a more inclusive, resilient future for the communities we serve through a framework of helping people and communities to cope, adapt and thrive.
• The BEGE Borno intervention’s goal is to deliver lifesaving, life-sustaining interventions and enhance the adaptation of 238,369 displaced, returnee and host households to shocks and systemic constraints within Borno State. BEGE Borno is a consortium led by Mercy Corps, with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) as a partner, alongside other local partners, delivering integrated assistance to people in acute need through Health, Nutrition, WASH, Food Assistance, Unconditional Cash, Protection, Shelter, and Agriculture sectors.

General Position Summary

• The Food Assistance Program Officers, under the supervision of the Food Security Coordinator, will support the day-to-day implementation of Food Assistance activities in Dikwa under the BEGE Program.
• S/he will work closely with other sectors such as MEL, CASH, Nutrition and Livelihood ensuring smooth project implementation and delivery of program objectives.

Essential Job Responsibilities

• Implement all Food assistance activities within the work plan and offer technical guidance to the team.
• Support the implementation of Food assistance activities and ensure smooth coordination across sectors under the BEGE program.
• Develop activity work plans and manage day-to-day activity implementation related to Food Assistance.
• Ensure that beneficiaries are effectively targeted according to vulnerability criteria.
• Conduct monthly food redemption across communities within the LGA.
• Provide technical inputs on the execution of the implementation of Food assistance activities in a timely manner.
• Coordinate with other sectors (Cash, Nutrition, Livelihoods, MEL, WASH) and support units to ensure activities are conducted within MC policy and with the maximum benefit to the program.
• Provide inputs to the design and implementation of training in any areas related to the program activities for staff, communities, and program beneficiaries.
• Regularly monitor and supervise redemption exercises as well as beneficiary targeting.
• Ensures beneficiary complaints mechanisms and Accountability to the Affected Population are addressed in the appropriate way that does not discredit the image of Mercy Corps.
• Ensure establishment and maintenance of relationships with communities, and local government in the target.
• Ensure that key learnings are extracted from Food assistance implementation and incorporate them in Food assistance implementation and staff development processes.
• Provide systematic training and build the capacity of the food assistance teams.
• Maintain filing of all Mercy Corps beneficiaries, and ensure all lists are well captured electronically and manually.
• Facilitate and co-facilitate community meetings, events and training as required.
• Represent Mercy Corps in relevant forums/clusters.
• Work with all program teams, and M&E on food assistance monitoring including baselines, end-lines, midterm reviews, lesson learning exercises and evaluations and ensure learning informs programming.
• Responsible for monitoring the day-to-day activities in the field and initiating relevant assessment reports with proposals.
• Build and maintain good external relationships and coordination with relevant food assistance actors within and out of Maiduguri.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Any Other duties as assigned

Orgazational Learning:

• As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities they serve we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to beneficiaries:

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• Transaction monitors.

Knowledge and Experience

• BA / B.Sc in Agriculture or any related discipline.
• 2 years of experience working on the development, implementation, administration and compliance of a field-based international development or humanitarian program; general gender and protection mainstreaming experience & knowledge required.
• At least 2 years of experience implementing Food Assistance program in the Northeast, Nigeria.
• At least 2 years of experience implementing Supplementary Nutrition Assistance/fresh food and vegetables.
• Experience using voucher modality and knowledge of Nagis platform.
• Experience working with local partners, especially market vendors, is required.
• Experience with conducting gender analysis, protection assessments, monitoring and evaluation and other learning efforts required.
• Demonstrated strengths in analytical skills, monitoring and evaluation, and report writing.
• Strong interpersonal, intercultural and communication skills.
• Excellent oral and written skills and computer skills.
• Fluency in English and Hausa is required.

Success Factors:

• The successful candidate will be capable of multi-tasking, rapid decision-making, have initiative, drive, and a lot of energy, as well as high emotional intelligence, constructive mentoring skills and proven experience with capacity building.
• S/he will be committed to long-term program sustainability and the delivery of high-impact activities at the community level.
• Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.
• Mercy Corps team members represent the agency both during and outside work hours. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps' policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:

• Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together.
• Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we can better leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges.
• We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

• Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have a sustained global impact.
• We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all.
• We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, colour, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics:

• Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity.
• We are committed to the core principles regarding the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary-General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.
• We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members.
• As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and adhere to the Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times.
• Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Application Closing Date
22nd September, 2023.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• Applicants should have their CVs and Cover Letters in one document addressing the position requirements.
• Female candidates who are qualified are strongly encouraged to apply.