Food Security & Livelihoods Technical Adviser

The job of a Save the Children UK Food Security & Livelihoods Technical Adviser is varied and rewarding.

• Do you have experience in the design, implementation and management of Food Security and Livelihoods programmes in an international development context?
• Do you have a substantial level of technical expertise and knowledge of the debates surrounding at least one of these technical areas: resilient livelihoods, poverty graduation, private sector engagement?
• Are you motivated by our vision of creating a world where every child doesn’t just survive, but thrives, and can go on to change the world?

If the answers to these questions are yes, we would love to hear from you!

About Us

We are Save the Children. Together, we fight for children every single day so that they can make their mark on the world and build a better future. We stand side by side with children in the toughest places to be a child. We do whatever it takes to make sure they survive, get protection when they’re in danger, and have the chance to learn.

We work with Save the Children International colleagues and local partners, combining and optimising resources for maximum impact. Through our resilient partnerships model and technical expertise, we design appropriate, high quality humanitarian and development programmes, that drive sector level change and provide immediate and lasting impact for children around the world. We take pride in developing processes and tools that underpin our data driven decision making, ensuring we work in the most inclusive, effective, and efficient way possible.

This role sits in the Programme Quality and Impact (PQI) department works to ensure we deliver high-quality, evidence-based programmes and that we develop technical approaches to achieve positive sector-wide change for children. We work with partners and across the Save the Children movement to provide technical support to programme design and implementation, partnership development and in developing quality standards, technical approaches, and tools.

Job Purpose

We are looking for a committed and experienced individual to join us as a Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) Technical Advisor, playing an exciting role in strengthening our programmes and driving sector wide change through supporting our teams in Country Offices to design, implement and learn from high quality programmes.

As an Adviser, you will carry out a broad range of assignments and/or projects in line with the strategy and policies for your professional area and under overall managerial direction. You will hold responsibility for driving work on specific parts of the Save the Children strategy, often working with minimal supervision. You will represent the organisation regularly with external experts. You will be a recognised specialist in your field, often working on complex assignments and projects, and providing technical guidance to others in resolving complex issues in a specialised area.

As an FSL Advisor, you will provide support across a range of FSL programmes and initiatives focussing on one or more FSL approaches (resilient livelihoods, poverty graduation, private sector engagement).

Main Accountabilities

• Work collaboratively to develop and implement specific parts of the Save the Children strategy to deliver on our ambitious goals for children.
• Collaborate in the technical design and delivery of high-quality, inclusive, and impactful programmes, working collaboratively with other stakeholders, especially with colleagues in country offices and partners, and with/across technical areas and themes.
• Contribute to developing and maintaining quality, inclusion and impact across Save the Children and the wider sector.
• Contribute to and collaborate with others to develop technical guidance and products to a high standard, such as best practice guidance, standard setting and technical strategies.
• Contribute to the work of technical groups within the Save the Children movement and/or wider sector.
• Contribute and support technical engagement in strategic partnerships to amplify impact.
• Contribute to research, evaluation, and innovation projects in your field of expertise to expand the knowledge base, promote a learning culture and identify new / enhanced approaches to amplify impact.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key external stakeholders and build good working relationships with technical experts, partners and advocacy targets for technical exchange and influence.
• Provide or facilitate formal and informal support and capacity strengthening to other technical advisers and programme colleagues and partners, for example through mentoring, coaching, training, or guidance.
• Build strong relationships with colleagues across the Save the Children global movement, including in country offices.
• Maintain and develop knowledge and expertise in your specific area.
• Contribute to the wider success of Save the Children by providing programme evidence and technical expertise as required to inform and influence country strategies, advocacy, fundraising and communications.
• Champion and embed approaches to shift power and decision-making closer to the children and communities we are working with and for.
• Demonstrate a commitment to Save the Children’s workplace behaviours and to building an inclusive and equitable workplace. Champion and be an ally to improve diversity and inclusion.

Programme and strategy design and implementation:

• Provide technical support to the design and implementation of FSL projects and programmes, ensuring they are based upon high-quality needs assessments, are in line with Save the Children’s theory of change and that they contribute towards national policies and international best practice
• Provide technical support the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation tools and frameworks, and support the generation and sharing of learning and evidence
• Contribute to the implementation of Save the Children’s Hunger Reduction and Livelihoods strategy through supporting its development, delivery, monitoring and review
• Ensure integration of FSL programmes and other initiatives with other sectors (e.g. nutrition, child protection) as part of Save the Children’s Child Poverty framework which aims to ensure FSL programming contributes to outcomes for children.

Technical leadership

• Provide technical and thought leadership in a key thematic area such as poverty graduation, private sector engagement, climate resilient livelihoods, through developing tools and guidance materials, participating in relevant internal and external forums and groups, and coordinating with relevant stakeholders throughout the organization;

Portfolio development

• Support fundraising efforts by contributing to the development of high-quality concept notes and proposals, participate in donor meetings and ensure that gender, climate change, systems change, disability and inclusion, and child participation are mainstreamed into FSL programmes.

Person Profile

Experience

• A high and substantial level of technical expertise and knowledge of the debates surrounding at least one of the technical areas (resilient livelihoods poverty graduation, private sector engagement)
• Demonstrated experience in the design, implementation and management of FSL programmes in an international development context;
• Knowledge of institutional donors and a proven track record in developing funding proposals and reports for a range of institutional and other donors;
• Proven experience of developing effective working relationships with a range of senior stakeholders e.g. government, donors, academics including successful influencing.

Abilities

• Strong analytical and conceptual skills, with the ability to think and plan strategically
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships, with colleagues, Members, and external partners and supporters
• Ability to travel globally up to 30%

Aptitude

• A proven understanding of broader livelihoods programming e.g. resilience building, cash and voucher assistance, gender-sensitive livelihoods, VSLAs and IGAs
• Familiarity with various analytical tools related to FSL e.g. Household Economy Analysis, the Cadre Harmonise/Integrated Phase Classification (IPC)

Please Note: This role can be based internationally outside the UK provided it is in a country with an SC office from which you would be able to and have the right to work – the salary will be based on local pay structures if not based in the UK.

Ways of Working:

Remote First – The majority of our roles can be performed remotely, however you may work from the office as often as you wish. Whilst you will be predominantly working from home, we may at times require you to come to your contracted office (up to 2-4 days per month or 6-8 days per quarter). Note: This will be agreed with your Line Manager and team. This is intended to be time spent on collaborating with colleagues and relationship building.

On-site – There are certain roles that cannot be performed remotely and so your role will be based in an office location and you may occasionally be able to work from home.

Flexible Working – We are happy to discuss flexible working options at interview**.**

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

Save the Children UK believes in a world that is fair, inclusive and equitable where all children have the opportunity to change their world. We apply this to our workforce and we are committed to developing and supporting a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organisation where all employees have a sense of belonging and feel that they can be “Free to Be Me”. We are mot looking for just one type of person – we want to recruit people who can add fresh perspectives, innovative ideas or challenge that disrupts the risk of group think.