Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis Response Specialist

About Us

We are International Business & Technical Consultants, Inc. (IBTCI), a global consulting firm working some of the most complex and impactful development problems worldwide. We work on programs that help government agencies, private companies and donors improve the lives of others. At IBTCI you will be part of an inclusive team that provides expert solutions and advice to understand and address critical problems while giving you opportunities to succeed and grow.

Assignment Title: USAID/AFR Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis Response Specialist

Department/Location: Washington, D.C.

Technical Point of Contact: Project Manager, Institutional Support & Program Implementation

Type: Consultant

Classification: Consultancy

Category: Ongoing Project

This position will be embedded within USAID/AFR and will have USAID.gov email address. Therefore, the candidates MUST be able to obtain and hold USAID Facilities Access Clearance.

Overview:

The Bureau for Africa (AFR) is the USAID/Washington operating unit that manages USAID economic development and trade programs in Africa. The AFR Office of Sustainable Development (AFR/SD) provides strategic guidance and intellectual leadership to the Africa Bureau, conducts economic, social, and political analyses critical to the development of AFR policies, strategies, budgets, and activities, and supports, coordinates, and facilitates technical and budgetary priorities and personnel considerations for the field. AFR/SD’s technical responsibilities span across all areas of economic development – economic growth, trade, investment, agriculture, the environment, global climate change, biodiversity, water, democracy and governance, education, and health. The Office’s work falls into four main components: providing technical assistance to Africa Missions; operationalizing Presidential Initiatives and global strategies; undertaking research and pilot activities to improve development programs in Africa; and support to USAID leadership and other USG departments and agencies, including in developing policy.

AFR/SD’s Division of Economic Growth, Environment, and Agriculture (EGEA) works across multiple sectors related to economic growth, trade, investment, agriculture, climate change, biodiversity, water, and environmental compliance. The Division directly manages activities that support the capacity development of African regional institutions and that provide analysis and data to assess regional needs, identify trends, and inform project designs. The EGEA Division collaborates closely with other USAID Bureaus to integrate programs and coordinate strategic and technical support to staff and programs in USAID Missions in Africa.

EGEAs Agriculture team supports USG and USAID Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) goals and Feed the Future (FTF) activities by partnering with the Bureau for Resilience and Food Security (RFS) to ensure that USAID FTF activities reflect AFR/SD technical and thought leadership in Sub-Saharan African programs and partnerships on food security, agriculture, resilience, and nutrition. In addition, EGEA Agriculture addresses the complex agricultural and socioecological dynamics of African food systems and their associated key actors by leveraging Agency influence on food security and engaging directly with regional pan-African policy and research institutions through buy-ins into USAID (or other USG) implementing mechanisms that focus on development assistance work in food security, agricultural production, and agricultural trade.

Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine is not only causing immense suffering for the Ukrainian people, but is also resulting in global food, fuel, and fertilizer shortages and rising prices for these commodities around the world. The war has already exacerbated high levels of African food insecurity that have resulted from a combination of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate shocks, protracted conflict, humanitarian crises, and above-average food prices. In Africa, food, fertilizer, and fuel price increases compound existing development challenges and humanitarian emergencies, and worsening conditions could trigger new challenges for the region and make it difficult for some African governments to deliver critical social services and maintain stability. If the conflict continues, these high prices and decreased food production are likely to persist for at least 1-2 years and would significantly worsen food insecurity, poverty, and malnutrition in Africa and lead to an increased risk of political instability. It is estimated that 350 million Africans are already suffering from severe food insecurity and 23.7 million people need emergency food assistance (Phase 4) – another 10 million will need emergency assistance if action is not taken soon. Countries in the Sahel and Horn of Africa are at particular risk.

The Biden-Harris Administration’s $33 billion emergency supplemental request for Ukraine included $760 million of FY 2022 Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act (AUSAA) Economic Support Fund (ESF) resources to address the global food security impacts of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Under the USG Near Term Plan to Address Global Food Security in Response to Russia’s War in Ukraine, USAID plays a global role in addressing impacts through three agency-wide pillars: Pillar 1: Cushioning the macroeconomic shock and impact on poor people; Pillar 2: Mitigating the global fertilizer shortage; and Pillar 3: Increasing investments in agriculture capacity and resilience. USAID plans to mitigate declines in agricultural productivity, food security, and incomes by addressing the challenges resulting from limited fertilizer availability, its high cost, and its effect on production in vulnerable countries. In Africa, over $400 M in AUSAA/ESF funds will be programmed through the following 25 OUs: Burkina Faso; Democratic Republic of Congo; Ethiopia; Ghana; Guinea; Kenya; Liberia; Madagascar; Malawi; Mali; Mozambique; Niger; Nigeria; Rwanda; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Somalia; South Sudan; Tanzania; Uganda; Zambia; Zimbabwe; USAID/Sahel Regional Office; USAID/Southern Africa Regional Office; and USAID/West Africa Regional.

Responsibilities

On behalf of EGEA, IBTCI is seeking a Short Term Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis Response Specialist to work closely with the agriculture team and the extended AFR food crisis response group to advance a timely, effective AFR Bureau response to the crisis. This work requires a high level of knowledge, expertise, and technical skills related to agriculture, food security, and resilience in Africa. The incumbent will be working independently, with limited direct supervision. Work may require a high degree of collaboration both within the Agency and with external partners, particularly African institutions.

DUTIES AND DELIVERABLES

The short-term Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis Specialist will provide critical support to the Bureau on the urgent response to the impact of the global food crisis on sub-Saharan Africa. Specific tasks include:

1. Provide thought leadership and expert advice to Bureau technical teams and senior managers on the Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis response.
2. Track global and regional policy, research, and other trends to inform Bureau and Agency decision-making about Africa-specific agriculture, agriculture trade, resilience, and food security policy interventions relevant to the Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis and consistent with overall U.S. Government and Agency policy directives.
3. Support planning, design, and implementation of agriculture, agriculture trade, resilience, and food security development programs and activities, identifying critical issues and constraints to resilience, food security, agriculture, and rural development and appropriate solutions to achieve Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis objectives.
4. Establishe and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of partners and collaborators, including other donors, intergovernmental organizations, and multilateral development banks, to assist in coordinating the Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis response.
5. Network with agriculture, food security, resilience, trade, and private sector actors, including government, non-governmental organizations, private voluntary organizations, universities, agribusiness, trade and professional associations, other donors, multilateral, and international organizations, to keep current with the latest development trends.
6. Provide updates to AFR staff on Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis, relevant development innovation, and trends and shares information on challenges and lessons learned. Coordinate AFR/SD processes for all Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis-related workflows, including taskers, briefers, meetings, events, communications, budgets, mission support, intra-agency and interagency coordination, etc.
7. With direction from the EGEA Agriculture Team Lead and/or AFR/SD leadership, assign, track, and close out tasking of specific assignments/products to the extended AFR/SD Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis Working Group.
8. Draft, review, and/or present briefing documents for Bureau and Agency leadership relating to the Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis.
9. Create, maintain, and/or contribute to information/knowledge management systems necessary to support the Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis response.
10. Collaborate with the Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis Communications Specialist on all communications workflows. Prepare inputs for communications products.
11. Coordinate Africa Bureau consultations to further the AFR Bureau, AFR mission, and Agency Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis response objectives.
12. Provide guidance to AFR missions to support their Ukraine/Africa Food Security Crisis responses, including support AFR/SD can provide on a) leveraging existing mission activities and rapidly designing/procuring new activities, b) budgeting, reporting, and communications, c) responding to any other mission needs/requests.
13. Other tasks as assigned

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelors with 8 years of experience, or Masters with 5 years of experience, or a Ph.D. with 3 years of experience in a relevant field including agriculture, trade, rural development, food security, and agribusiness with at least two (2) years of experience in the design of agriculture, rural development, and food security program strategies for developing countries.
• Knowledge of theories and principles of development assistance, particularly in Africa and USAID work in Africa.
• Knowledge of, and experience with, the political, economic, administrative, and cultural characteristics of a variety of developing countries, and their policies as they relate to USAID’s agriculture and rural development and food security strategies to assess the suitability and technical feasibility of development strategies, programs, and projects.
• Familiarity with USAID’s agriculture, food security, trade, and private sector engagement policies, priorities, and project planning and implementation procedures to ensure these are reflected in proposed strategies and projects.
• Strong analytical skills to identify issues, analyze complex situations and available resources, and display options for decision-makers in a well-organized and well-written presentation,
• Ability to take an interdisciplinary approach to address issues within the context of international development assistance programs.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and cross-culturally with individuals or groups in various situations to present ideas and solve problems.
• Strong writing and editing skills; ability to prepare and contribute collaboratively to written products and briefing materials under tight deadlines.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

Travel: International travel may be required and may include travel to fragile or conflict prone zones.

About the Organization:

IBTCI has been in business since 1987. We specialize in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL), Institutional Support (IS), Financial & Risk Management (FRM), Supply Chain Management & Procurement (SCMP); Social & Behavior Change (SBC) and Capacity Building. We provide these services across many sectors including, but not limited to, agriculture, resilience & food security, conflict & crisis, democracy & governance, economic growth & trade, education, energy & Infrastructure, environment & climate change, global health & WASH and humanitarian and disaster assistance. At IBTCI, our colleagues are encouraged to collaborate and be part of the solution while getting the tools and guidance needed to grow and support our clients’ missions.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

IBTCI is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identification, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, or any other classification protected by applicable anti-discrimination laws. We prohibit and do not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment. VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

If you are an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability, or unable to use the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact the Talent Acquisition team at [email protected] (Do not send your resume to this account, for consideration please apply in our career page).