Food income and markets manager

Job Purpose

The Programme Manager will lead and manage the Food Income and Markets programme which supports the recovery of the poorest families affected by severe food insecurity in 2011. The FIM action is embedded within a wider programme which includes health and nutrition.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

Management

- Lead the FIM team though supporting their respective team leaders in cash, agriculture and food-security information analysis/M&E.
- Ensure that the programme design, budgets, procurement plans and timeframes are fully understood by all team members and that clear milestones and targets are built into the implementation schedule.
- Proactively engage the regional logistics, administration and finance teams in programme updates and execution planning.
- Develop the strategy for the continuation of FIM programme activities and lead on the development of proposals and concept notes to donors in collaboration with the ACDP.
- Support and orient consultants undertaking technical support studies, surveys and evaluations.
- Maintain overall responsibility for the programme budget management ensuring adherence to donor rules and time tables for financial reporting.
- Ensure monitoring of the FIM activities (field visit, regular program monitoring, staff PDR and planning, monthly and quarterly reports, etc.)

Reporting

- Ensure high quality and timely reports developed for donors.
- Ensure all programme staff/partners are fully oriented in Concern’s Programme Participant Protection Policy, Sphere and HAP principles.

Representation/Coordination

- Work closely and clearly with the heads of Concern’s ongoing programming in child survival (ProSantE, Disaster Risk Reduction and Education) to ensure that all departments are aware of planning and actively share information between them.
- Work closely with the key regional and departmental government departments including health, agriculture and the regional early warning and emergency response and mitigation committee.
- Liaise with regional intervening partners (CARE, AFricare, World Vision, REFORM, MDM, ACH etc) and build strong relationships with the regional technical line departments, regional WFP, FAO and OCHA reps.

Work targets set for this post

- Programme implementation plan clearly established with key milestones tracked through to exit including monthly budget and expenditure review with sector managers.
- The programme indicators in household economic security are clearly established and an effective M+E system ensures effective data collection.
- The programme has a clear communication and accountability strategy and process to ensure participant awareness ensuring that programme participant protection is assured and that clear grievance channels are established.
- Manage the innovative mobile cash transfer programme, building on learning from the pilot and reinforcing the partnership with Airtel Concern’s commercial mobile network partner.
- Ensure that any large scale procurement (of mobile phones, CFW tools and seed and fertilizer) follows funder and concern procedures and is conducted in a timely fashion to ensure delivery at the optimum time.
- Ensure that data management is simple and consistent allowing easy access and recall for performance management, evaluation and analysis.
- Clear reporting responsibilities and timeframes established within the team allowing timely production of reports on expenditure and –in-kind support.
- Contributing to the development of a multi-annual programme design that will include FIM elements

Person Specification Essential

Education, Qualifications & Experience

Required

- Minimum two years experience in a programme management role with experience in slow onset food insecurity.
- Strong staff management and staff development experience: ability to manage local staff in a mature and impartial manner
- Strong systems management experiences
- Fluent spoken French and strong English oral and writing skills
- Flexible and positive personality; keen to learn and contribute
- Ability to capitalize on past experience and information available within the organization in order to become self-sufficient and autonomous quickly
- Ability to take initiative where appropriate to deal with difficulties encountered in daily work
- Strong planning and implementation capacity
- Confident and capable negotiator, communicator and networker
- Able to take initiative and work independently
- Computer skills including database management, Microsoft Word and Excel
- Degree in Agricultural Sciences/Development Studies or equivalent

Desirable

- Experience in DRR
- Experience in cash transfers, awareness of the M+E associated with cash in terms of market price monitoring etc
- Experience in food production and agriculture initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Finance for the poor/Cash Transfer training/Management Training
- Interest in applied research
- Strong interest in the application of Information and Communication Technology in Development
- Emergency nutrition/food security programming in francophone Africa
- Knowledge and familiarity with Concern Worldwide HR, Logistics, Transport, Purchasing and IT policies, procedures and standards