Program Manager Job Vacancy - NGO

Solidarités International (SI) is an international humanitarian aid organization which provides assistance to populations who are victims of armed conflict or natural disaster.

For 30 years, SI has concentrated its action on meeting three vital needs: water, food and shelter.

By carrying out emergency programmes, SI has acquired experience and expertise in the fields of water and sanitation and food security.

In Horn Africa, SI is currently implementing food security, water and sanitation project in Kenya, South Sudan and Somalia.

We are seeking a qualified person to fill the following position:

Position: Food Security Program Manager
(1 position)

Location: Adaado (Caadado) and Abudwak, Central Somalia

Report to: Field Coordinator

Technical links with: Food Security Coordinator, Kenya/Somalia

Supervisor to: Field Food Security Staffs

Duration: 4 months (with extension possibility)

Start date: 19 January 2014(approximately)

Position Objective: The Food Security Program Manager is a key person who will be responsible in managing the whole food security component of the program implemented in Adaado and Abudwak Districts, Galgaduud Region.

Hierarchy

Report to: Field Coordinator

Technical links with: Food Security Coordinator, Kenya/Somalia

Supervisor to: Field Food Security staffs

Keys responsibilities

Note: This list gives the framework of your activities but it is not exhaustive. You may be asked to complete other duties.

Strong capacity building of local staff is necessary to be able to implement the proposed activities.

Program realization
  • To assess the political, social and security context in the region, identify the key trends
  • To be responsible of the coherence of the program in regards to the population needs and logical framework proposed
  • Contribute to a program strategy adapted to the organisation strategy and the context
  • To plan activities and resources in time, according to the objectives of the program
  • To ensure adherence to the budgets with objectives and activities settled jointly with the financial staff in the field on in the headquarters

Management
  • To recruit and train the staff under its direct responsibility
  • Recruitment will be organized under the supervision of the Field Coordinator
  • To motivate and manage the team.
  • To prepare job descriptions of the team members under his/her responsibility.
  • To evaluate skills and performances of the staff under his/her responsibility, every 6 months.
  • To organize with his/her team a detailed planning of activities.
  • To organize the collection of information with his/her team and M&E staff.

Follow-up of current program
  • To implement the proposed Food Security activities.
  • To undertake an initial assessment of the feasibility of the proposed activities, when required.
  • To propose alternative appropriate and cost-effective activities relevant to the area.
  • To be responsible of the progress, timeliness and quality of the work for the food security activities.
  • To control the evolution of the food security component (progress indicator, relevance and efficiency) and to adjust activities and processes where necessary (see sections about budget account and human resources management).
  • To ensure periodic assessments of the food security component and to adjust if necessary to the needs in collaboration with the Field Coordinator and Food Security Coordinator.
  • To report on activities and feed into donor reports.
  • To contribute to the capitalisation of tools and reports.

Logistic / Administration
  • To prepare purchase requests for his/her field (tools and materials) in liaison with the Administrator, concerning food security activities.
  • To schedule movement and transport needs according to food security activities.
  • To validate access to working places in the intervention area in terms of security, for staff and him/herself, in liaison with the field coordinator.
  • To validate movements in and out of stocks, concerning food security activities.
  • To follow the program budget lines, prepare food security budget forecast and insure budget is matching with expenses.
  • To set and follow up needs in terms of cash flow forecast for the food security component.

Activities

Nb: This list will evolve during the course of the project
  • IDPs and agro-pastoralists farming activities, including promotion of dry season farming and strengthening local seed production systems

Support to alternative livelihoods including milk value chain improvements
Cash for work
  • Unconditional food voucher distribution
  • Training/capacity building
  • Evaluation / reporting
  • Make sure indicators as specified in the logical framework are used according to the sources specified
  • Participate in needs assessments
  • Propose new activities according to needs assessments for the area covered
  • Monitor regularly the nutritional and food security situation in program area and develop monitoring tools
  • Evaluate success of project and its impact at the end of all projects.

Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, or other technical field relevant to Food Security/Livelihoods.

Experience
  • Minimum 3 years of experience in Food Security/Livelihoods project management in a similar position
  • Minimum 2 years of experience within an NGO or similar agencies
  • Proven experience in project cycle management in the NGO context
  • Proven experience of working directly with communities and developing community driven projects
  • Experience in team management and planning

Person Specification:

Skills/Competencies
  • Understanding and interest in emergency humanitarian situations
  • Knowledge and understanding of Somalia
  • Knowledge and understanding of the humanitarian actors
  • Team leader and coordination ability
  • Ability to propose and put into action new ideas
  • Ability to negotiate
  • Excellent communication skills and writing capacity
  • Calm and diplomatic
  • Patience
  • Ability to work in remote and potentially hostile settings
  • Initiative and drive to work with limited supervision at times Ability to work in a multicultural team
  • Good knowledge of the project management cycle and methodology
  • Ability to understand and prioritize the perspective of beneficiary communities during the planning and implementation of project activities
  • Good stress management skills
  • Adaptability to security rules and behavior guidelines

Languages:
  • Fluency in English and Somali languages
  • Knowledge of French and/or Kiswahili languages is an added advantage

IT Skills:
  • Excellent Computer skills (Word, Excel, Outlook)
  • Knowledge of data analysis software would be an added value

How to Apply:

Send a cover letter and CV with 3 references to the following email address: jobapplication@solidarites-kenya-som.org  

Please indicate the job title and location in the email subject line.

Qualified persons with Somali background will have high consideration for an interview opportunity.

Deadline for applications: 4th January 2014.

Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview.


Solidarités International is an equal opportunity employer