Senior Officer, Agricultural Livelihoods

Job Title: Senior Officer, Agricultural Livelihoods

Reports to: Manager – Health and Nutrition Tana River County and Consortium Programme Manager

Direct Reports: Officer Livelihoods – Tana River

Job Location: Hola – Tana River County(Candidates must be legally entitled to work in Kenya at the time of application)

Contract Details: Fixed Term (One Year Contract), renewable subject to availability of funds and performance

Job Summary:

To provide technical leadership in the implementation of the Tana River Livelihoods and Agri-nutrition projects and mentorship and technical guidance to the Officers with a focus on agricultural production using Climate Smart Agriculture. The person will also offer technical guidance in the county in the areas of Disaster Risk Reduction, market systems development, resilience modelling, and climate change adaptation.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide technical support to the Officer Livelihoods and Sub-county government line officers in charge of key sectors including department of agriculture, Water environment and Natural resources, trade, industry and enterprise development amongst others to establish a collaborative working environment; implement high impact and evidence informed interventions.
• Lead in the day to day livelihoods program management (planning, implementation, and monitoring) and prudent utilization of resources towards meeting the program mandate in line with the approved work plan, organization policies, and standard operating procedures; in close collaboration with the line manager.
• Foster linkages with partners and other stakeholders in public and private sector in the County to enhance synergy, collaboration and learning.
• Represent Concern Worldwide at County and sub county level livelihoods related technical and coordination forums in: Natural Resources Management, livestock sector forums, agriculture sector forums, WESCOORD, contingency planning and early warning systems, social protection systems and cash transfer programming, and others as will be specified by the line manager.
• Play an active role in generation of new knowledge through documentation of informal interactions and feedback sessions with communities and through participating/supporting surveys and other assessments; and documenting lessons learnt and success stories.
• Contribute to the development of the annual work plan and quarterly costed work plan and support in tracking implementation and reporting.
• Support in the implementation of Concern integrated approaches in education, livelihoods, health and nutrition at community level liaising closely with Technical Managers Health & Nutrition, Livelihoods, and Education and government service providers to ensure organized community groups have adequate technical support to develop and implement their action plans that address barriers to basic service delivery.
• Conduct regular field visits to monitor to monitor progress, receive community feedback, check on the quality and impact of activities approved in the annual program proposal, and quarterly costed work plans.
• Advice the line manager on necessary changes to ongoing projects as observed on the ground in order to improve implementation of planned interventions.
• Develop programming opportunities in Tana River County ASAL Livelihoods through sharing potential programming areas with the line manager at least twice a year through draft county specific proposals.
• Support in the development of quality and timely monthly, quarterly and annual internal and donor reports.
• Ensure the program meets the desired quality standards by conducting timely routine program monitoring through field visits and review of data and reports.
• Support in proposal development and fundraising.
• Development and implementation of joint work plans with the County government teams and other stakeholders.

Others

• Adhere to and promote the standards outlined in the Concern Code of Conduct and associated policies to their team, beneficiaries, and be committed to providing a safe working environment.
• Participating and contributing towards Concern’s emergency response, as and when necessary.
• Take all possible measures to meet Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS).
• Any other duties as assigned by the Line Manager.

Person Specification

Minimum Education, Qualifications & Experience Required:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture (Agriculture Production, Agriculture Economics, or Agronomics) or a related field.
• At least five (5) years’ experience in ASAL livelihoods programming, with a focus on crop agriculture production, and agriculture value chain.
• Demonstrated understanding of climate smart agriculture.
• Must have a working knowledge of Project Cycle Management, Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction, Animal health, Water supply systems, Natural Resource Management, Pastoral Field Schools, Making Markets work for the Poor and Value Chains Development.
• Working knowledge of the following technical approaches: Community Conversations, Natural Resource Management, Making Markets work for the Poor and Value Chains Development.
• Fluency in spoken and written language in English and Swahili
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Computer literate with good MS Office skills
• Good computing and report writing skills

Preference will be given to candidates who have:

• Be able to work independently, as well as in a team
• Strong leadership and management skills
• Be willing to accept responsibility and to show good judgment, initiative, and resourcefulness
• High integrity and demonstrated ability to follow standards and policies
• Ability to work in a systematic and organized manner and to tight deadlines
• Energy to work in the, sometimes long hours
• Positive attitude and willingness to learn

Competencies required:

• Trustworthy, honest and reliable
• Willing to challenge or question others constructively when appropriate
• Ready to accept changes as new situations arise

Safeguarding at Concern: Code of Conduct and its Associated Policies

Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisation, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a consultancy opportunity with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their consultancy contract. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies. Additionally, Concern is committed to the safeguarding and protection of vulnerable adults and children in our work. We will do everything possible to ensure that only those who are suitable to do consultancy work or volunteer with vulnerable adults and children are recruited by us for such roles. Subsequently, being hired as a consultant with Concern is subject to a range of vetting checks, including criminal background checking.

Concern’ is the trading name of ‘Concern Worldwide’, a company limited by guarantee, registered number 39647; registered charity number CHY 5745, registered in Ireland, registered address is 52-55 Lower Camden Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. Follow Concern online: www.concern.net