Background
This is an opportunity to join a dynamic DFID team in Zimbabwe at a very exciting time. DFID Zimbabwe currently has its largest value bilateral programme ever for Zimbabwe.
The number of Zimbabweans dependent on food assistance has fallen dramatically from its peak of six million in 2008-09, to a low of just over one million in 2011-12. However, after three consecutive years of the numbers of food insecure reducing, a single poor harvest increased the numbers of food insecure by over sixty per cent in 2012-13. DFID’s focus has moved from supporting households to survive, to more empowering support to help them increase their resilience and move out of poverty.
DFID is a major donor in this sector, meaning policy leadership and influencing is an important role. A new multi-donor Livelihoods and Food Security Programme, with a total budget of £70.5m, is expected to commence in the middle of the year. This programme will combine activities in the areas of agricultural productivity, market development and productive safety nets to reduce food insecurity by 70,000 households and increase farm output by $70 million.
Job Description/duties
1. You will be the lead adviser in the livelihoods, food security and agriculture sectors, responsible for the implementation of the Livelihoods and Food Security Programme [LFSP] (50% of time).
Specifically you will work to ensure:
- a. Technical oversight of the new programme, including implementation, delivery of results, ensuring Value For Money (VfM) and the regular programme monitoring reviews and evaluation;
- b. Management of key relationships with government, multilaterals, NGOs and donors, including active support and guidance to the LFSP Steering Committee;
- c. Overseeing the timely completion of key Project Cycle Management tasks.
2. Building an effective working relationship with all relevant stakeholders involved in livelihoods, food security and agriculture (25% of time), specifically:
- a. Maintaining a productive dialogue with GoZ on livelihoods and food security issues;
- b. Building and maintaining effective networks with all stakeholders to ensure more effective programming in the livelihoods, food security and agriculture sectors;
- c. Ensure the coordination of programme activities in the livelihoods, food security and agriculture sectors for better aid effectiveness.
3. Lead on DFID Zimbabwe’s policy and programme development in livelihoods, food security and agriculture (15% of time), specifically;
- a. Policy and strategic leadership in all areas of livelihoods and agricultural policy and strategy development;
- b. DFID technical lead for land issues in the context of the multi-donor Land Reform Working Group. Provide policy advice in the context of rural livelihoods and agricultural growth;
- c. Lead DFID’s engagement on rural market recovery through a Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) approach;
- d. Lead DFID Zimbabwe’s resilience work, in particular embedding resilience in the country programme;
- e. Lead humanitarian response to livelihoods and food, security crises (when required).
4. Professional support to DFID Livelihoods Cadre and other business units following corporate guidelines with activities such as (10% of time):
- a. Review of livelihoods related Business Cases, including as part of the Quality Assurance process;
- b. Contributing existing skills/expertise to review / programme design mission of another DFID office;
- c. Support to Livelihoods Cadre professional development and recruitment processes;
- d. And in addition, keep up to date through your Continuous Professional Development (minimum 50 hours/year) and Learning and Development allocations.
The post holder with report directly to the Team Leader of the Governance, Wealth Creation and Vulnerability Team. It is not envisaged that you will have any Line Management responsibilities.
Personal Qualities and Skills Required (Person Specification)
For this post, it is expected that the livelihoods adviser will have a relevant post graduate degree and experience in livelihoods and food security in a developing country context.
The post-holder will need to be able to demonstrate:
- At least 5 years experience of working in Zimbabwe or a similar context, which has provided knowledge of livelihoods and food security provision;
- The ability to deliver quality work on time in a complex environment;
- Specialist technical knowledge of food security and livelihoods with a strong understanding of vulnerabilities and insecurities poor people face, particularly hunger, and the measures available for dealing with risk and predictable food insecurity.
- The ability to provide policy advice and leadership on livelihoods, food security, improved agricultural production, resilience, climate change and economic opportunities for the poor;
- Excellent written communication skills, and experience of producing high quality briefings;
- Be an effective team-worker with DFID and external colleagues.
Core competencies
The Adviser will need to demonstrate particular strength in the following core competencies for DFID Advisers:
- Planning and delivery of work
- Analysis and use of information
- Working with others
- Decision making
- influencing
Technical competencies and professional skills
Livelihoods Cadre technical competences at A2 level, as laid out in the Livelihoods Technical Competency Framework.
The Adviser will need to demonstrate particular strength in the following livelihoods technical competencies:
- Knowledge and application of rural development policy and delivery in a developing country context (including agricultural systems, technology & markets, safety nets)
- Understanding sources of risk and insecurity, their impacts on livelihoods and application to building resilience (to climate and natural resource shocks, food and nutrition insecurity, political economy and in fragile contexts)
- Knowledge and application of analytical tools, ways of working and evidence, innovation and learning
Salary
A competitive salary starting at US$5,803 per month, plus benefits is offered.