Senior Program Officer

Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of 15 Canadian churches and church-based agencies working to end global hunger. We are recruiting for a senior program officer to work with and support member agencies in planning, approval, administration and monitoring of food assistance, nutrition, and agriculture and livelihoods projects funded by the Foodgrains Bank.

Preferred qualifications include international work experience in a humanitarian assistance or development context, and demonstrated knowledge of food and hunger issues and international relief/development theory and practice. Among other qualifications, a service orientation and knowledge of results-based management are essential for success in this role.

Canadian Foodgrains Bank requires staff in this position to identify with our Christian faith and be an active member of a Christian faith community, and to support our core values. This position is ideally based in Winnipeg, but other locations will be considered.

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Project Planning and Approval – Review planning, provide feedback and process approval of projects submitted by member agencies for funding. This task includes:
2. 1. Liaising with member agencies and implementing partners regarding project planning;
   2. Reviewing project proposals from member agencies to ensure completeness, appropriateness and consistency with Foodgrains Bank policies;
   3. Providing advice regarding project planning and proposals;
   4. Seeking input to project proposals from technical advisors;
   5. Obtaining internal approval for projects, including project documentation and financing
3. Project Administration and Monitoring – Provide support and follow‑up on project implementation and reporting, including:
4. 1. Maintaining complete project files;
   2. Transferring cash to projects as per policy and the project funding schedule;
   3. Initiating commodity procurement being conducted by the Foodgrains Bank;
   4. Participating in tender reviews and procurement plans for commodity procurement being implemented by member agencies or implementing partners;
   5. Monitoring project implementation and providing advice as necessary;
   6. Ensuring monitoring and evaluation of project results;
   7. Obtaining and reviewing project financial, narrative and results reporting;
   8. Entering results reporting data in the IPro database;
   9. Closing and archiving completed projects.
5. Member Relations– Maintain good working relationship with assigned member agencies, including:
6. 1. Being informed about and discussing member programming plans and equity availability;
   2. Keeping member agencies informed about Foodgrains Bank developments and policies and procedures;
   3. Maintaining knowledge about member agencies (i.e., goals, strategies, methods, structures, and partnerships);
   4. Developing a mutual understanding of the services that the Foodgrains Bank is able and willing to provide.
   5. Coordinating with other Foodgrains Bank staff who relate to the same member agencies.
7. Technical Services– Provide/arrange technical support services (typically from the technical advisors, but may also include consultants) for member agencies and implementing partners as requested to facilitate or improve project planning, implementation, evaluation and reporting.
8. Knowledge Base – Maintain and develop knowledge about issues relevant to food assistance, nutrition, and agriculture and livelihoods programming.
9. Resource Support – Provide project information as requested to the resources and public engagement team.
10. Representation – Represent and speak on behalf of the Foodgrains Bank in various fora including:
11. 1. Participating in relevant sectoral and professional networks or events.
    2. Making presentations to supporters and the public about the programming of the Foodgrains Bank.
    3. Articulating the Christian nature and mission of the Foodgrains Bank among constituents, churches and with partner organizations.
12. Departmental collaboration – Participate in international program planning meetings and assist with occasional related tasks as assigned by the humanitarian and nexus program manager or international program director.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Demonstrated knowledge of food and hunger issues, and international relief/development theory and practice as acquired through international development studies and/or commensurate experience

Experience:

• Previous international work experience in a humanitarian assistance or development context
• Experience in project management
• Experience in financial management and budgeting

Special Skills

• Strong intercultural competency
• Strong English written and oral communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work well in a team
• Strong word processing and spreadsheet application skills
• Identification with and support for the underlying mission and Christian dimension of the Foodgrains Bank; identify with the Christian faith and be an active member of a Christian faith community
• Able to support our core values – compassion, equality, generosity, dignity, justice, peace, right to food, and right relationships.
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally

Assets:

• Expertise in one of the following:
  • food assistance programming
  • agriculture and livelihoods programming
  • nutrition programming
  • emergency response programming
• Familiarity with results-based management
• Fluency in additional languages such as French, Swahili, Arabic, or Spanish