Food Security and Livelihood Program Manager

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 24 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 50 countries, our 8,300 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Action Against Hunger USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network. As an independent NGO, Action Against Hunger USA currently manages operations in 8 countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Haiti. Action Against Hunger-USA has over $100 million in programs, and approximately 1,800 permanent staff based in New York City, Washington D.C, Nairobi, and country offices. Additional growth is anticipated.

I.  Summary of position

Food Security and Livelihoods Program Manager will lead and manage food security and livelihoods (FSL), Cash and Voucher Assistance including Fresh Food Vouchers, Livestock emergency response and recovery as well as long-term development projects in Borena region. The program manager will have technical leadership, management and supervisory responsibility for the overall accomplishment of the objectives of the food security and livelihoods projects in different locations of Borena zone -Oromia region. S/he will provide strategic and operational leadership to overall technical and programmatic quality intervention, compliance with donor rules and regulations, and the timely submission of all deliverables, including detail implementation plan, monitoring plan, and report. S/he is also responsible for budget management and internal control, program reporting and FSL project staffs management across the region.

The FSL program manager’s role purpose, engagement and delivery are described as follows:

• Purpose

The Food Security and Livelihood Program Manager will lead implementation, monitoring and daily follow up of Food Security and Livelihoods; Cash and voucher Assistance, Fresh Food Voucher Programs, Agricultural programs support and Livestock emergency response and recovery projects in Borena Zone IDPS and host communities. S/he provides technical and programmatic guidance in planning, reviewing and effective implementation of the various projects under his/her supervision including budget management, control and forecasting, project monitoring and supportive supervision.

• Engagement:

The Food Security and Livelihood Program Manager will collaborate and closely work with other departments in the base, operation units and capital teams. Externally, s/he build relationship with local government officials and community leaders; Regional /Zonal /woreda government representatives and authorities and with other Humanitarian organizations in the region engaged on food security and livelihood interventions. Representing AAH’s FSL programs, S/he will actively participate on regional /Zonal meetings / forums like UN agencies led monthly meetings, DRM/ATF meetings, Cluster Food Security and other coordination meetings that undertake in the region.  

• Delivery:

The Food Security and Livelihood Program Manager will organize project execution consistent with program objectives engaging counterparts and building reputation for quality implementation and reliable delivery in line with donor rules, regulations and standards.

II.  Essential job duties and responsibilities

• Collect, Organize and analyze food security and livelihood situation /status in the region and communicate Capital office and notify all concerned as need may arise 
• Led and Organize FSL and CVA preliminary assessments and identify needs and priorities of the vulnerable populations in need of assistance.
• Engage on the market assessment, Emergency Food Security and Livelihoods Assessments (EFSA),  base line and end line surveys for cash and voucher programs, Fresh Food Voucher and other Food Security and Livelihood emergency response and development projects
• Establish/strengthen systems to monitor the implementation of project activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan.
• Maintain ongoing communication with cooperating agencies and implementing partners on project progress, fund utilization and challenges.
• Ensure that reports are prepared and submitted to concerned parties, donors, counterparts on time and in a professional manner.
• Contribute to the development of concept notes and project proposals.
• Organize and supervise the implementation of planned activities in collaboration with other department.
• Prepare weekly, monthly and quarterly FSL program reports for the internal and external consumption.
• Plan/forecast program budget and monitor the financial utilization of the program;
• Work with field coordinator to prepare interim, intermediate and final FSL program reports.
• Ensure that Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM) and Post-Harvest Monitoring (PHM) exercises are carried out by MEAL in a regular basis and as per approved plan.
• Represent Action Against Hunger in regional cash working group, FSL related coordination platforms with different stakeholders such as DRM/ATF, Food Cluster, regional CWG coordination platforms and meetings
• Explain the project’s activities and objectives to partners and communities whenever needed.
• Implement other duties assigned by direct line manager.

III. Supervisory Responsibilities

• Direct Management: Food Security and Livelihoods Project officers and Community Facilitators.

IV. Gender Equality Commitments  

• Foster an environment that supports the values of women and men, and equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion. Race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
• Value and respect all cultures. 

V. Fiscal Responsibility

• Budget follow up (BFU) regularly and ensure the utilization of allocated budget in timely manner to ensure accurate and effective use of funds.
• Update the monthly BFU and facilitate the monthly cash needs forecast ensuring adequate funds are always available.
• Ensure that budget is implemented in compliance with Action Against Hunger and donor regulations.
• Developing annual financial plans of the program and ensure that these financial plans are implemented in accordance with annual physical/activity plans.

VI. Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

VII. Working Conditions, Travel, and Environment 

The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required.

Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high-security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases. 

I. Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• BA Degree / Master’s Degree in Economics, Agricultural economics, Management, Development Studies, Sociology and social anthropology, Geography, Food Security and Livelihoods studies
• Eight (8) years relevant professional work experience in humanitarian organizations (NGOs) out of which at least six years in food security and livelihood / Agricultural support Programs’ coordination role
• Previous experience in managing staff and working with teams to achieve project objectives
• Significant exposure to projects involving networking and multiple partnerships, particularly related to emergency response, food security issues, agriculture, and livestock
• Working knowledge of programming in vulnerable environments, including conflict environments

II. Required Skills & Competencies

• Computer knowledge; Excellent knowledge of English (written and spoken); report writing skill and ability to respect deadlines; Willing to share information and communicate transparently; and capacity to develop and maintain team spirit; and capacity to analyze humanitarian context.
• Good knowledge of the intervention area/region.
• Proven track recording on Food Security and Livelihoods project management, implementation, good technical skill on needs assessment, project formulation and monitoring, good knowledge in food security and innovative agricultural activity and staff /team management experience.
• Good interpersonal communication skills and ability to effectively liaise with government, community leaders and other stakeholders.