Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting Sr. Manager

Responsible for an ambitious vision to produce state-of-the-art communication materials to strengthen collaboration with partner coalitions and develop high-quality learning products that will consistently enable the RFSA to adapt and remain impactful. You will work closely with and provide expert advice to the M&E lead and chief of party on how best to leverage knowledge management and learning systems to consistently adapt and improve outcomes. You will work with partner coalitions, at the national and regional levels, to support the development of effective knowledge management and learning strategy and systems. You will create guidelines for CLA in the context of the program, manage CLA “pause and reflect” events and follow through with resulting adaptive management analysis, decision-making, program adjustments, and capacity strengthening.

This role is contingent on approval of a USAID grant, donor approval, and funding.

Food for the Hungry (FH) is searching for an experienced Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) Sr. Manager for the anticipated BHA/DRC 5-year Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA). The program will seek to improve and sustain the food and nutrition security of vulnerable populations through multi-year resilience food security activities. These activities work at the individual household, community, and institutional levels to address the underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition and strengthen transformative opportunities. RFSAs are intended to strengthen resilience in populations vulnerable to acute, chronic hunger, and malnutrition; recurrent shocks, stresses, and crises; and to reduce the need for ongoing or future emergency food assistance.

Principal Responsibilities

Collaboration

• Map, analyze, and develop effective linkages with external stakeholders across the RFSA’s intervention areas.
• Understand and identify capacity gaps within the knowledge management and learning systems of partners. Collectively develop strategies to strengthen knowledge management and learning systems of partners and follow these through.
• Provide consistent on-the-job facilitation, together with targeted trainings, to actively strengthen and develop knowledge and learning platforms within the RFSA and of collaboration partners.
• Develop a network of peers, linking and connecting partners to continually keep knowledge management and learning systems relevant and effective.
• Facilitate collaboration with other USAID and implementing partners and local stakeholders, such as research communities, NGOs, government, local media, and advocacy groups, to form or strengthen best practices across governance and operational frameworks.

Learning

• Help develop a shared learning agenda for the RFSA, managing implementation, events, processes.
• Produce state-of-the-art evidence-based learning products to actively support the RFSA’s positioning & influencing agenda.
• To the fullest extent, use platforms and tools to widely disseminate information to the public in DRC to strengthen resilience.
• Support RFSA leadership with talking points and presentations to share and promote learnings at different levels.
• Facilitate establishment of online platforms to support locally led learning initiatives.
• Collaborate with research institutions and local organizations to pool findings on major topics, and to draft learning pieces that are informative to a broader audience.
• Design action-oriented learning forums on targeted resilience questions at national and regional levels.

Adaptation

• Develop a culture of curiosity and self-reflection based on evidence and results.
• Support the RFSA team and partners to continually learn and improve by adapting to changes in context and environment.
• Regularly review the theory of change and the assumptions of the RFSA and recommend changes as needed.
• Provide demand-driven assistance (including facilitation, technical assistance, training design) to government representatives, non-state actors, and other stakeholders to strengthen their capacity to apply adaptive learning techniques to programmatic decisions.

Reporting and Documentation

• Document changes to program design during the “refine” phase required as a result of formative research findings and operational planning discussions.
• Support the program team in the development of professional-quality technical reports such as case studies, technical papers, learning briefs, and other learning products.
• Tailor evidence and learning materials to different audiences, with particular attention on how best to motivate different stakeholders.
• Contribute to the development of reports including quarterly reports, annual results reports, pipeline, and resource estimates.

Other duties as assigned.

Job Level Specifications

• Understanding and familiarity with USAID BHA relevant regulations, and CLA required.
• Demonstrated computer-operating skills, including proficiency in Google platforms, Microsoft Office products, and virtual technologies such as Skype and/or Zoom.
• Ability to create infographics, presentations, and documentation.
• Strong capacity strengthening and curriculum development skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a collaborative management style.
• Strong networking and representation skills.
• Commitment to work with the poor as demonstrated by past positions.
• Fitness to live and travel in rural and urban areas with extreme conditions and limited medical support.
• Ability to travel up to 30% of time to fragile contexts, and/or locations in DRC.

Experience

• Minimum of 8 years of experience in knowledge management, learning, and communication.
• At least 3 years in a manager or leadership role.
• Experience with food & nutrition resilience strengthening learning processes is a plus.
• Excellent networking skills with government, private sector, academia, I/NGOs, UN, and broader civil society.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and representational skills.
• Fully conversant with social media platforms.
• Strong coordination skills with peers.

Education/Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields required.

Language

Proficiency in spoken and written English. Working abilities in French are highly desired. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Supervisor Responsibilities

Directly supervises staff. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints, resolving problems, etc.

Safeguarding Policy

FH strives to provide an environment free from sexual exploitation and abuse and harassment in all places where relief and development programs are implemented. FH holds a zero-tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and abuse and harassment. FH expects its employees to maintain high ethical standards, protect organizational integrity and reputation, and ensure that FH work is carried out in honest and fair methods, in alignment with the Heartbeat Values, safeguarding, and associated policies. Violations to stated policies will be subject to corrective action up to and including termination of employment.

An application and resume through our online system is required. Click here to access our system.