Solidarités is seeking to recruit:Position: Field Coordinator / Food Security Project Manager 1 (one)
Line Manager: Country Director
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Starting date: 1st of December 2008
Duration of the contract: 9 months
Solidarités is an international humanitarian aid organization which provides assistance to populations who are victims of armed conflict or natural disasters. For 28 years, Solidarités has concentrated its action on meeting three vital needs: water, food and shelter. By carrying out emergency programs, Solidarités has acquired experience end expertise in the fields of access to drinking water and sanitation.
In the Horn of Africa, Solidarités is currently implementing food security, water and sanitation projects in Kenya, South Sudan and Somalia.
1. Program description:
This program is currently in its second phase. The first phase was implemented between January and June 2008, following the post election violence in Kenya.
Main activities to be implemented are:
- Urban agriculture through the growing of vegetables in organic sacks
- Simple food processing techniques
- Household poultry units for the most vulnerable
The Food security Program Manager is a key person who will:
- ensure achievement of the objectives within the timeframe of the program
- be responsible in managing the whole Food Security component of the program
- prepare reports and planning
- assess others needs in terms of Food Security in the area
Under the authority of: the Country Director
The Food security manager will oversee the activities of the following staffs:
- Food security supervisors (4)
- Community mobilisers (22)
- Administrator (1)
Note: this list gives the framework of your activities but it is not exhaustive. You may be asked to complete other duties.
Program realisation
- To assess the political, social and security context in the region, identify the key trends
- To be responsible of the coherence of the Program in regards to the population needs and logical framework proposed.
- contribute to a Program strategy adapted to the organisation strategy and the context
- To plan activities and resources in time, according to the objectives of the Program
- To ensure adherence to the budgets with objectives and activities settled jointly with the financial staff in the field on in the headquarters
- To train the staff under its direct responsibility:
- To motivate and manage the team
- To evaluate skills and performances of the staff under his responsibility, every 3 months
- To organize with his team the detailed planning of activities
- To organize the collection of information with his team
- To launch the Food Security activities
- To undertake an initial assessment of the feasibility of the proposed activities
- To propose alternative appropriate and cost effective activities relevant to the area
- To be responsible of the progress and the quality of the work for the food security activities
- To control the evolution of the food security component(progress indicator, relevance and efficiency) and to adjust activities and processes (see sections about budget account and human resources management)
- To be responsible of program reporting to the head of mission, according to Solidarités and donor reporting regulations.
- To contribute to the capitalisation of tools and reports
- To Prepare purchases’ requests for his field (tools and materials) in link with the Administrator, concerning food security activities
- To schedule movement and transport needs
- To validate access to working places in the intervention area in term of security, for his staff and himself.
- To validate movements in and out of stocks, concerning food security activities.
- To follow the program budget lines
- To anticipate the needs in terms of cashflow forecast for the Program
The Food Security Program Manager will be responsible for the following activities:
Urban Agriculture component
- Establishment of vegetable nursery beds within 3 Nairobi slums
- Distribution of seeds for planting in nursery beds
- Management and monitoring of seedlings at nurseries
- Training on efficient and innovative urban agriculture concept
- Timely uprooting of seedlings from Nursery beds
- Distribution of seedlings to beneficiaries
- Monitoring of crops
- Data collection on beneficiary profiles, production, income generated etc
- Setting up criteria for selection of beneficiaries
- Training and community awareness on the need of simple processing as an income generating activity and a source of vital nutrients
- Training and capacity building of beneficiaries
- Identification of appropriate processing activities for different vulnerable communities
- Collection of data on beneficiaries
- Monitoring and reporting of progress on the component
- Setting up criteria for selection of beneficiaries
- Construction of household kitchen units for the most vulnerable people in the slums
- Training on poultry husbandry using simple techniques
- Monitoring of impact of poultry households units
The field coordinator / food security manager will represent Solidarites in meetings and forums related to the program, with local authorities and with other NGOs and partners at field level.
Evaluation / reporting
- Make sure indicators as specified in the logical frame are used according to the sources specified
- Participate in conducting need assessments
- Propose new activities according to need assessments for the area covered
- Monitor regularly the nutritional and food security situation in the area and develop monitoring tools
- Share with the managing team every information about security, activities, logistic or administrative needs
- Participate in the formulation of weekly situation report
- Write final and intermediary activity reports
- Participate to the monthly general planning of the program
Qualification :
Degree of Agriculture or Master of Science, in a field relevant with Food Security.
Experience :
- Minimum 4 years of experience in food security project management in a similar position
- Minimum 2 years of experience within an NGO or similar Agencies
- Proven experience of working directly with communities
- Experience in team management and planning
- Proven experience in project management
- Previous experience in the same area of intervention is an added advantage
Skills and competences
- Good knowledge of the project management cycle and methodology
- Understanding and interest in emergency humanitarian situations
- Knowledge and Understanding of the humanitarian actors
- Ability to analyze complex geopolitics contexts
- Team leader and coordination ability
- Ability to propose and put into action new ideas
- Ability to negotiate with communities
- Good communicator
- Excellent writing capacity
- Fluency in English and Kiswahili
- Excellent Computer skills (Word, Excel, Outlook)
- Kenyan nationality
- Calm and diplomatic
- Strong working capacity,
- Able to plan and work with minimal supervision
- Sense of initiative
- Ability to work in a multicultural team
Please send you CV, cover letter, copies of testimonials, certificate of works, 3 contact references to rha2.solidarites @ yahoo.fr.
The closing date for application for this post is 21st November 2008.
Please indicate the position you are applying for in the title of your email.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for tests and interviews.
