WATER SMART AGRICULTURE REGIONAL ADVISOR

CARE is seeking to hire a Water Smart Agriculture Regional Advisor (WaSA RA) will work across the Water and Food and Nutrition Security teams, and will be responsible for refining the Water Smart Agriculture concept and its relation to other sustainable and climate smart agriculture approaches, while supporting implementation of and evidence generation for Water Smart Agriculture in CARE’s Pathways program in Mali, Malawi, and Ghana. 

The Pathways program is an anchor initiative under CARE’s Food and Nutrition Security portfolio which seeks to empower poor women smallholder farmers and to increase their productivity in more equitable agricultural systems at scale across six countries. The WaSA RA will spend the majority of his/her time supporting the Water Smart Agriculture through Pathways program: providing technical assistance in integrated soil and water management for sustainable agriculture, refining the Water Smart Agriculture concept and initiative in practice within the Pathways program, advising research and learning towards an evidence base for Water Smart Agriculture, and engaging in global dialogues and advocacy. As a member of the Water Team, s/he will also contribute significantly to the Water Team’s priorities and programs, enhancing the Water Team’s approach to water resources management for food and nutrition security.  

The WaSA RA will report directly to the Senior Water Policy Advisor of the CARE Water Team but will work in close collaboration with the Pathways team and the Director of Agriculture and Market Systems. 

Responsibilities

• Provide direct technical assistance and guidance in the area of integrated soil and water management to Pathways programs in Mali, Malawi, and Ghana and to other strategically important countries, regional and global projects and programs that contribute to the water security, food, and nutritional security, and climate resilience of CARE’s identified impact groups.
• Support the development of tools, systems, processes and approaches that continuously improve technical excellence and better coordination at the project, program and global levels in the area of Water Smart Agriculture. 
• Lead refinement of CARE’s Water Smart Agriculture concept and approach, and contribute to the execution of research, learning, and advocacy that maximizes the impact of Water Smart Agriculture at local, regional, and global levels, and contributes directly to CARE’s 2020 program strategy. 
• Support strategic thinking on Water Smart Agriculture’s role in CARE’s multi-sector programs
• Support resource mobilization efforts to advance and expand CARE's work in Water Smart Agriculture.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, Master’s preferred in relevant areas such as agronomy, crop science, soil science, irrigation management, agri-business or another agriculture-related field etc.;
• At least 5-7 years of professional and practical experience in tropical agriculture, involving significant work in Sub-Saharan Africa;
• Experience working with a wide-range of stakeholders to develop common agendas and action;
• Demonstrable ability to shape and provide technical advice in order to ensure sustainable agriculture and water security, while addressing underlying causes of climate change, poverty and marginalization of relevant impact groups, particularly smallholder farmers; 
• Demonstrable ability to develop effective written communications for multiple audiences;
• Track record of collaboration with research and other technical institutions and in the development of partnerships with local and international civil society and government organizations;
• Ability to work well in a team which is diverse and geographically separated;
• Experience developing and applying organizational learning strategies into program design and implementation; 
• Experience developing and engaging in advocacy agendas or policy related to sustainable agriculture or water security;
• Experience working with USAID, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other large donors a plus;
• Demonstrated communications expertise, and experience with the use of social and other media 
• Knowledge of integrated soil and water management, and sustainable and climate smart agriculture practices in crop production;
• Knowledge of participatory extension systems and approaches including Farmer Field Schools, Participatory Learning and Action, Farmer Participatory Research, Action Research amongst others;
• Experience living and working in the developing world especially Sub-Saharan Africa;
• Excellent verbal and written English skills, particularly communication and presentation skills for diverse audiences;
• Proficiency in verbal and written French;
• Proficiency in other languages commonly spoken in Africa will be an asset.