Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international non-governmental organization supporting relief and development work in over 99 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons on the basis of need, regardless of creed, ethnicity or nationality. CRS works through local church and nonchurch partners to implement its programs, therefore, strengthening and building the capacity of these partner organizations is fundamental to programs in every country in which CRS operates. CRS has worked in Nigeria for more than 25 years.
We are recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Agriculture / Livelihoods Specialist
Job Reference Code: SALS3920
Location: Maiduguri, Borno State
Department: Programs
Band: 7
Reports To: FFP/EFSP Program Manager II
Project Background
- NE Nigeria has been severely affected by insurgency led by armed opposition groups (AOGs) since 2009 and has been declared to be in a “state of emergency” since 2013. As clashes between Nigerian security forces and AOGs persist into its tenth year, over 2 million individuals remain displaced across the six Northeastern states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe.
- Pockets of relative stability have encouraged some households (HHs) to return to their places of origin, yet they remain vulnerable and precariously sensitive to the changing contexts. Additionally, the prolonged conflict has eroded economic and livelihood opportunities of vulnerable HHs who struggle with limited incomes and purchasing power.
- Since 2016, CRS Nigeria has responded to critical WASH, shelter, food security and nutrition needs in both Yobe and Borno States, including through four phases of the USAID office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) funded Emergency Food Assistance for Conflict Affected HHs (FFP/EFSP) project. During an anticipated 12-month fifth phase of the project,,CRS will scale-up lifesaving support to a total of 15,900 HHs, or 95,400 individuals. CRS’ goal is to improve food security for vulnerable HHs in conflict-affected areas through e-vouchers for food. CRS will complement food assistance with agriculture support to increase food availability at the HH level in LGAs with better land access. Complementary activities will target 2,500 HHs from the food assistance caseload, in areas where beneficiaries have access to farmland.
- CRS is looking for a strong candidate to work as an Agriculture/Livelihoods Specialist (ALS) on the project team.
Job Summary
- As a member of the FFP/EFSP project team, under the leadership of the FFP/EFSP Program Manager (PM), the ALS is responsible for leading planning, execution and reporting of all project/ agricultural/ livelihoods activities, and providing technical guidance and advice to staff, partner(s) and beneficiaries of the project.
- This includes program support in beneficiary selection and registration, community mobilization, monitoring of e-voucher distributions and redemption processes, monitoring and evaluation of project activities, coordination, and reporting.
- Your coordination and relationship management skills will ensure that the project for which you are responsible applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve.
Roles and Key Responsibilities
The ALS’ specific responsibilities will include the following:
- Organize and lead the implementation of all agriculture activities. This includes providing technical direction, developing work plans, monitoring implementation and impact, and ensuring that project deliverables are completed in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices;
- Work with CRS the FFP/EFSP PM, and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Team in:
- Designing and applying criteria for beneficiary selection;
- Designing systems for beneficiary identification and registration;
- Designing systems for MEAL and reporting;
- Training and overseeing teams in implementing the above systems;
- Ensuring sound agriculture activities and monitoring progress against performance indicators;
- Implement monitoring systems jointly with the MEAL officer and provide regular reports on program activities and inputs for donor reports;
- Supervise and perform ad-hoc inspections of various processes and resources at project sites to ensure timely project activities implementation and adherence to established process standards and procedures;
- Ensure learning properly accompanies project activities throughout the project cycle;
- Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and guiding partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences;
- Assist with preparation of trends analysis reports and documentation of case studies and promising practices;
- Analyze implementation challenges and report any inconsistencies and/or gaps to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules;
- Conduct surveys, need assessments, data and information collection for the development of ongoing and future proposals;
- With guidance from FFP/EFSP PM, liaise with local officials, international and local NGOs and civil society organizations, local religious leaders and other community members to ensure support for and acceptance of CRS.
- Participate in local coordination mechanisms;
- Maintain close relationship with other humanitarian and development organizations, human right organizations, and local partners;
- Coordinate and oversee working relationships with all local project stakeholders and serve as the liaison between them and the project team management to mobilize local actors and promote project activities and impact;
- Support and coordinate capacity building and technical support activities to ensure assigned project activities are implemented per project guidelines and standards.
- Coordinate provision of any logistical and administrative support to partner staff and enumerators;
- Ensure project documentation for assigned activities is complete with all required documents and is filed per agency and donor requirements;
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree required in relevant field such as Agriculture or Rural Development;
- Minimum of 4 years of work experience in project support, ideally in the field of
- Agriculture/markets/livelihoods or early economic recovery interventions for an NGO;
- Additional experience may substitute for some education;
- Demonstrated experience and abilities in donor and host government representation at field level, in capacity building of local staff and local government, in negotiation, and monitoring;
- Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint);
Required Languages:
- Strong English, Ability to speak local languages - Kanuri and Hausa - is a strong preference.
Travel:
- Must be willing and able to travel about 60% of the time, including to LGAs, such as Kaga and Magumeri
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Excellent oral and written communication skills;
- Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities;
- Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment;
- Team-oriented;
- Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners and community members;
- Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented;
- Ability to work effectively under pressure and to organize and prioritize a variety of initiatives;
Preferred Qualifications:
- Supervisory experience;
- Experience working with partner organizations;
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
- Integrity
- Continuous Improvement & Innovation
- Builds Relationships
- Develops Talent
- Strategic Mindset
- Accountability & Stewardship
Supervisory Responsibilities:
- Partner staff and enumerators during field activities
Key Working Relationships:
- Internal: FFP/EFSP Program Manager II, MEAL team members, FFP/EFSP Market team members
- External: Implementing CBO’s staff, NARS, NGOs, Informal Settlements land owner, IDPs, Host Households, farmer organizations, farmer cooperatives and private sector
Application Closing Date
23rd March, 2020.
https://www.hotnigerianjobs.com/hotjobs/280753/agriculture-livelihoods-specialist-at-catholic-rel.html