Food Security and Livelihoods Manager

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC began working in South Sudan in 1989. South Sudan declared independence in July 2011 following decades of brutal civil war rooted in disputes over religion, ethnicity, resources, governance and self-determination. The security situation remains fragile and testing operational challenges abound. IRC-South Sudan operates a country office in Juba, field offices in Lakes, Unity, Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Eastern Equatoria states. Currently, IRC South Sudan implements programs in primary health care, community case management, environmental health, women’s protection and empowerment, protection and access to justice and livelihoods.

JOB OVERVIEW:

The Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) Manager will oversee a FSL project in Nyal. S/he will ensure the implementation of good quality food security and livelihoods program activities and will identify gaps and advise on the necessary steps to address those gaps. S/he provides technical oversight and training to field-based program staff in the area of FSL, with an emphasis on national staff capacity building. The Food Security and livelihoods Manager will be based in Nyal where the program will be implemented.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Program Management & Development
  • Oversee all the Food Security and Livelihoods interventions to ensure they are of quality and in compliance with the project proposal, the IRC’s response strategy as well as industry standards such as those defined by the SPHERE Project.
  • Work closely with the health, WASH and Womens Protection and Empowerment managers to propose and implement initiatives to improve the overall quality of the Food Security and Livelihoods activities and monitoring activities.
  • Promote a culture of learning and documentation so that lessons learned and good practices are documented and shared for institutional memory and learning as well as to advocate on behalf of the communities with which we work.
  • Ensure IRC food security programs are implemented using best practice tools for effective project cycle management (workplan, spending plan, procurement plan, etc.).
  • Design high quality monitoring and evaluation systems to monitor program activities and ensure that monitoring data is analyzed in a timely manner in order to influence and adapt program activities.
  • Participate in the development of proposals, budgets and concept notes for future food/food security/livelihood strategy and interventions by the IRC in the South Sudan in coordination with the DDP, Grants team, and HQ Technical Unit.
  • Undertake other tasks as requested by the DDP.
• Staff Management
  • Recruit national staff in conjunction with the Human Resources Department.
  • Maintain updated job descriptions, conduct interviews, orient new staff to the IRC and the Health program.
  • Supervise the project team directly, providing ongoing leadership to the team and oversee implementation and coordination of activity plans to ensure targets are met. 
  • Overall responsibility for health team’s timesheets, work plans, vacation schedules, and staff training/development activities. 
  • Ensure Performance Management System documentation for all staff is in place and followed up regularly.
  • Build staff capacity in work plan development and reporting to ensure accurate monitoring and documentation of activities.
  • Recommend and implement a capacity building/development plan for project staff based on documented capacity needs assessments exercise.
  • Ensure project staff understands and follows IRC and donor Policies and Procedures.
  • Develop and maintain an effective orientation package, and ensures that new staff members are appropriately orientated on health protocols and guidelines in a timely manner.
• Grants Management & Reporting
  • Manage and oversee all the health grants, and develop and maintain work, spending and procurement plans for all projects.
  • Participate in Grants Opening, Mid-Term and Closing meetings.
  • Prepare internal and external reports within agreed deadlines using IRC and donor formats, as required.
  • Assure appropriate and timely spending of grants to achieve program goals, grant reporting contributions, use and distribution of supplies and resources.
  • Prepare a weekly HIS report for the health coordinator and provide a brief analysis of the particular health cases seen during the week.
  • Prepare a weekly report to the Health Coordinator on the main health activities of the week, highlighting the accomplishments, what has been delayed, and any constraints faced during the week.
• Representation & Coordination
  • Develop and maintain effective working relationships with all stakeholders - including community leaders, NGOs, UN agencies, community based organisations and other IRC sectors to enhance cooperation and coordination.
  • Represent the IRC in all relevant humanitarian coordination meetings, ensuring that IRC efforts and resources are engaged in a planned and well-coordinated manner.
  • Ensure that the humanitarian community is aware of  IRC’s Food Security activities and advocate for follow-on actions by other agencies as needed;

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• University degree; preferably an advanced degree in an appropriate field such as nutrition, agriculture, management, international affairs, or related topic;
• Minimum of 4 years overseas experience, preferably in complex humanitarian and/or emergency settings.
• Strong skills in Food Security program management and design;
• Excellent program management, project planning, budget management and organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills;
• Knowledge of and experience in working with and coordinating with international and national partner organizations;
• Must be able to work independently while being a strong team player with proven management and leadership skills;
• Ability to work long hours in stressful, often insecure environments;
• Additional qualities: ability to multitask, ability to handle pressure well, ability to improvise, flexibility, cultural and environmental sensitivity;
• Fluency in English required (oral and written).

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The security level is orange. The situation in Nyal is calm at the moment but remains tense and unpredictable; concerns include criminality, presence of armed troops, and looting. There is active conflict in many parts of the country and a possibility for further expansion of the conflict and violence into other areas and other states.
• Lodging in field sites range from a tent to a traditional hut to permanent structures. Field compounds have common latrines and showers. All IRC sites have electricity and internet at least several hours per day. Food is the individual’s responsibility.
• The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.