Program / Department Summary
With
funding from USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), Mercy Corps’
Nawiri Program is leading a consortium of Kenyan and international partners on
a 8 year journey to sustainably reduce persistent acute malnutrition in Turkana
& Samburu Counties of Kenya. Through a phased approach that emphasizes
evidence gap analysis, as well as partnership, learning, and co-creation, the
program takes a robust county-centered design with government leadership,
active engagement from communities, the private sector, and civil society.
Mercy Corps’ consortium brings together the global leadership, research
capacity, technical expertise, and implementation experience necessary to
partner with local institutions to test, adapt, and scale evidence-based
solutions. Together we will sustainably reduce persistent acute
malnutrition for vulnerable populations in Samburu &
Turkana counties.
General Position Summary
The
Livelihoods and Food Security officer will be a member of the USAID Nawiri
Resilient Livelihoods Team supporting program implementation at sub-office
level. They will lead work plan implementation of livelihood interventions as
appropriate to context, for sustained vulnerable households’ access to
nutrient-dense foods and overall food security despite exposure to shocks and
stresses. They are directly responsible for all USAID Nawiri Livestock and
Agriculture (crop) program activities primarily; and also support financial
inclusion, market systems to last mile communities targeting poor and the most
vulnerable household to strengthen household economies. Works alongside other
officers in layering interventions for collective impact at household and community
level. The officer is able to translate how the interconnected actions at
household and community level contribute to sustainable household food security
and therefore motivate community-driven leadership of actions at local level.
Duties & Responsibilities
Program Management
- Leading implementation of work plan in
line with agreed approaches and milestones and specifically responsible
for Livestock and crop interventions, including irrigation in resilient
livelihood scope. Lead implementation of livestock, crops interventions
including coordination with target communities and partners at the
sub-office level.
- Directly oversee crop and fodder
production through irrigation in selected irrigation schemes
- Supports household engagements for
improved economies, transforming household and social dynamics and
responsible for layering interventions for collective impact at household
and community level.
- Coordinate with the different levels of
stakeholders including household members, community groups, local
implementing partners, community resource persons, government stakeholders
at sub-county, ward, village – to mobilize actions and ensure effective communication
channels.
- Coordinate with community leadership to
facilitate activity integration and targeting of participants.
- Collaborate with Nawiri health and
nutrition staff to integrate messaging into crop and livestock production
training curriculum.
- supports behavior change communication
and adoption of supportive practices. This includes sharing evidence
informing livelihood choices, in simplified manner with communities.
- Plans and leads TOT training sessions to
Community Mobilizers / Champions in collaboration with Government
counterparts.
- Liaise with other project teams and staff
at the sub office level to ensure that all USAID Nawiri interventions are
well-coordinated and prioritized.
- Coordinate with Markets and Alternative
Livelihoods team members to identify private sector partners or
opportunities for new enterprises that improve farmer access to input and
output markets. Supports financial inclusion interventions, activation and
lasting connections of markets to last mile communities for affordable
access to diverse nutrient-dense foods and services.
- Coordinate with public and private
service providers (animal health, crop husbandry, etc.) to reach program
participants at the ward level.
- Prepares activity reports and supports
County Resilience Livelihoods Coordinator in the review and development of
work plans and thematic reports.
- Collaborate with the M&E team to
support monitoring and evaluation on effectiveness and impact of
livelihoods activities at the Sub-office level and make recommendations
for improvements.
- Collaborate with Nawiri health and
nutrition staff to integrate messaging into crop and livestock production
training curriculum.
- Contribute to teamwork plans and guide
successful implementation of program activities, ensuring teams and
partners activities are on track and in alignment to achieve desired
impact;
- Work closely with all other program teams
at local level to identify clients for financial services and to support
service extension and financial inclusion as well as development of
suitable products and services.
- Actively participate in the periodic
program planning, review and reflection meetings and sessions.
- Prepare accurate and timely reports and
other project documentation and communication that contribute to a
learning organization.
- Coordinate with other Mercy Corps
programs and local government bodies to ensure coherent program
implementation and to capitalize on business opportunities in Mercy Corps’
target communities.
- Support collaboration, learning and
adaptations, monitoring surveys in area of operation.
- Conduct himself/herself both
professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy
Corps and to not jeopardize its mission.
- Coordinate with procurement, logistics,
security, administration, and human resources teams to ensure operational
systems support field activities.
Collaboration & Networking
- Integrates community approaches, gender
sensitivity, conflict sensitivity and do no harm principles and
mainstreams capacity building and sustainability approaches into all
activities as appropriate including certifying all interventions to adhere
to Mercy Corps’ Gender Policy, Do No Harm principles, and beneficiary
accountability standards.
- Conduct community mobilization and
sensitization meetings that are inclusive and to help prioritize the
economic needs of target communities.
- Support with collaborative partnership
with other development partners and identify potential opportunities for
linkages.
- Engage and support systems strengthening
actions including Ward Development planning.
- Link and strengthen capacity of program
participants to tap into opportunities including their influence in
influencing planning and budgeting of nutrition resilience interventions
i.e. their voice in Ward Planning Committees and multi-sectoral platforms.
- Continuously update stakeholder mapping
and coordinate activities with various stakeholders, to ensure strong
linkages between resilient livelihood and other priority pathways for
strengthening nutrition resilience in the context.
- Collaborate with consortium staff within
the geographical and thematic scopes to develop projects, implement and
closely monitor selected economic development projects including detailed
work plans and business plans.
- Mobilize sub-county, ward level and
village meetings with relevant stakeholders.
- Support the facilitation of planning
meetings and workshops with government, NGO, private sector, and community
partners to revise and customize implementation plans.
- Conduct community mobilization and
engagement meetings with ward and community-level leaders to implement
USAID Nawiri livelihoods activities.
- Support community visioning process for
resilient livelihoods.
- Support with collaborative partnership
with other development partners and identify potential opportunities for
linkage.
Influence and Representation
- Assist sub-office coordinator and County
Field Director to coordinate activities with consortium partners, sub
grantees, local government, and other implementers.
- Support the facilitation of planning
meetings and workshops with government, NGO, private sector, and community
partners to revise plans and promote partner acceptance/buy-in;
- Ensure close coordination and sharing of
information with relevant stakeholders such as local government
departments, NGO’s and local authorities, as appropriate and advised by
the line manager.
- Collaborate with Consortium partners, sub
grantees, local government, and other implementers working at the
sub-office level.
- Facilitate planning meetings and
workshops with government, NGO, private sector, and community partners to
revise plans and promote partner acceptance/buy-in at the sub-office
level.
- Conduct themselves both professionally
and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to
not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
Knowledge, Experience and Competencies Required
- Degree in agricultural related field
(Horticulture, Agronomy, Agricultural extension, Agribusiness,
Agricultural economics, Livestock production / Health)
- A minimum of 3 years’ experience directly
implementing agriculture (crop and livestock) interventions at the field
level in Kenya ASALs. Learning and experience in agronomy will be an
advantage.
- Demonstrable familiarity with Kenya’s
ASAL, agriculture crop and livestock and natural resources sectors.
- Proficient analytical skills that
demonstrate an understanding of the current concepts, priorities, and
issues in program monitoring, data collection, and evaluation.
- Team player who takes initiative and is a
problem-solver.
- Effective verbal and written
communication, multitasking and organizational s
- Ability to manage priorities
independently.
- Excellent attention to detail and ability
to complete tasks in a timely manner.
- Excellent teamwork abilities and
interpersonal skills.
- Familiarity with M&E, information,
communications, and knowledge sharing technologies and use of innovative
approaches on digital financial services.
- Demonstrated computer competency of
Microsoft Excel/Word and knowledge of data management software.
- Strong analytical and quantitative skills
- Demonstrated flexibility, creativity, and
enthusiasm as well as a willingness to learn and to be continually
adaptive within a dynamic and often self-directed working environment.
- Ability to focus on day-to-day tasks at
hand while also working towards longer-term objectives with an
understanding that these will change continuously.
- Ability to work without constant
supervision and as part of a diverse team.
- Good reporting, communication, and
representation skills.
- Good problem solving, written and oral
communication skills.
- Confident, sound training facilitation
and representation/relationship skills.
- Strong written and spoken English and
Kiswahili
- Local language skills required especially
Samburu and Turkana Languages.
How To Apply