FOOD SECURITY & RELIEF COORDINATOR
Reports to: ACD Programme Directly supervises: Project Managers; with close working relationship with Logistics Coordinator Based in Country Office: Harare, with regular travel to field sites
Background CARE International in Zimbabwe is one of the leading INGO’s implementing programmes targeted at communities who suffer from food insecurity, lack opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and are at risk for drought and other environmental and health hazards including cholera.
Zimbabwe has faced numerous sustained humanitarian crises over the past decade, mainly exhibited by large scale food insecurity. Despite marked improvements in the food security situation in Zimbabwe following the height of the hyperinflationary crisis in 2008, there remain pockets of severe and chronic food insecurity. These are primarily found in the drier, drought-prone, natural regions IV and V that suffer from mid-season dry spells and the effects of a changing climate. CARE’s programming is designed to address immediate food needs with a view to supporting long-term approaches that ensure access, availability and utilization of nutritious foods in sustainable ways. CARE’s programming centers around the creation of sustainable productive assets that support agriculture and livestock production, links to markets and income sources for food and other household needs, and equity in access and availability of food for women and other vulnerable populations.
Most of the rural population in the ten districts where CARE has programming focused on food security live on less than $1 a day. Their asset-bases and savings were depleted during the economic crisis of the last decade and they remain exceedingly vulnerable. The 2011 ZimVAC still estimates that 1 million Zimbabwean’s will need food assistance for the 2011/12 hungry season.
Similarly, Zimbabwe faced a devastating cholera outbreak that infected more than 98,000 Zimbabwean’s at its height in 2008/09. While significant efforts have been taken to address declining WASH infrastructure and to improve hygiene behaviour at the household level, risk of future outbreaks remains in the absence of long-term solutions to these infrastructure and capacity issues.
It is in this context, that CARE is looking for a highly experienced Food Security & Relief Coordinator to lead a variety of programmes including those funded under USAID’s Food for Peace (FFP), World Food Programme (WFP), USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and other as directed by the Assistant Country Director - Programmes.
Position summary:
The Food Security and Relief Coordinator directly leads the teams responsible for the final stages of the implementation of the FFP PRIZE program, an OFDA disaster risk reduction project and WFP programs along with other humanitarian response teams as necessary. The position is responsible for the entire spectrum of activities from development, implementation, compliance, budgeting and reporting on humanitarian and food security activities in strict accordance with USAID FFP regulations, WFP & other donor regulations and procedures and CARE Food Security Policies and Strategies.
The Coordinator is the key person responsible for liaising with in-country USAID – FFP, WFP, and other donors and stakeholders, including the government. S/he will also collaborate closely with lead consortium management unit and logistics department and CARE’s logistics co-ordinator. S/he will be responsible for oversight, management, planning, compliance and reporting for all food and non-food items within his/her program portfolio, in concert with the logistic co-ordinator and in keeping with all country office and donor policies/regulations.
S/he will coordinate and cooperate with all other Sector Coordinators and CARE administrative and financial departments at the sub-offices and country office to ensure established CARE procedures and polices are followed and to maximize support for project activities.
Responsibilities and tasks:
The Food Security & Relief Coordinator will be directly responsible for supervision of the Project Managers in this sector, and work in close coordination with the Logistics Coordinator, ACD Programme and ACD Finance and Administration to ensure full compliance with donor rules and regulations and the achievement of program objectives and goals, including:
• conducting regular field visits and coordinating with donors/suppliers to ensure effective implementation of activities • monitoring performance of project managers & ensuring high quality programming in keeping with contractual commitments and CARE programming standards • leading on the design of food security initiatives for the country office • building capacity of team in overall design and quality of food security and relief interventions • encouraging, training and disciplining all/any staff in effective management of the project cycle at all stages • coordinating activities to ensure effective use of time and resources, • supervising the implementation of contracts and project activities to meet timelines and budget limits, • attending coordination meetings, providing regular reports • providing guidance and technical information on donor rules and regulations • monitoring project deliverables and the changing humanitarian context in country to ensure effective, quality project deliverables and early response/advocacy to any changes in context that put lives or livelihoods at risk • with ACD-P liaising with the relevant CARE International emergency response and coordination structures as relevant/needed
Authority:
Reporting directly to the Assistant Country Director, Programmes and working with Sector Coordinators, and the Logistics Coordinator, the Food Security & Relief Coordinator will be responsible for supervision of up to 150 national staff and resources.
The Relief Coordinator will request appropriate approval and provide advice to ACD, and CD, Regional Offices, CARE Canada, CARE USA, and/or the donor concerning changes to program objectives/activities/deadlines, staff discipline, unplanned or out-of-budget expenditures, agreements with local officials, safety and security incidents.
Internal/External Relations:
The Coordinator will be responsible for maintaining a professional image for CARE, and continuing good relations with local government authorities. S/he must maintain effective working relations and realize agreements with consortium partners, government officials, community-based groups, contractors, and national and international NGOs. The Food Security & Relief Coordinator must facilitate timely reporting and maintain professional, supportive relations with donor representatives and CARE personnel.
Qualifications/Skills:
Required qualifications/skills:
Education: University degree in International Development/relief related subject (Master degree is considered an asset)
Years of experience: 1. Minimum 5-7 years experience in a leadership role 2. Minimum 5 years experience in successful project design and delivery.
Technical skills: • Proven experience of food security strategies and USAID FFP Title II Food Aid Programming • Thorough knowledge of the regulations, detailed and specific terms and conditions governing the use of PL 480 Title II commodities in emergency relief and non-emergency programs, and regulations governing the use of Section 202(e) grants. • Proven knowledge of the obligations of CARE as a cooperating sponsor of USAID FFP including: • reporting requirements, forms, timelines • AERs and pipeline analysis, • commodity status reports (CSR), CSR4, • operational plans and regulations for deviation from operational plans, • commodity monitoring systems and commodity tracking requirements, • rules for organization, implementation, control, and evaluation of programs involving distribution of commodities • rules concerning selection, eligibility, identification of beneficiaries, • specific provisions and regulations regarding uses of monetized proceeds, • regulations concerning frequency and types of warehouse inspections, • regulations for frequency physical inventories, • end-use checks of food distributions and monetization proceeds • Commodity audits and financial audits • Rules covering exchanges of commodities with WFP • Regulations governing destruction of commodities • Liabilities for losses, damages of commodities, or unauthorized use of commodities and monetized proceeds • Regulations about suspension, termination, and expiration of activities • Rules regarding amendments to program • Procurement regulations and waivers
• Proven capacity to manage personnel and project budgets • Knowledge of WFP and other major donor regulations.
• Proven capacity to accept responsibility, able to work without close supervision, take decisions, to implement decisions made by others • Proven leadership ability • Demonstrated capacity to work as a team member, • Cultural sensitivity, and proven capacity to adapt to new cultures and difficult living/working conditions • Proven capability to write clear, logical, informative reports in English • Good interpersonal skills • Proven ability to produce report with computer software (MS Word, Excel) • Drivers license
Desired qualifications/skills: • knowledge of CARE procurement, financial procedures • knowledge of CARE food security strategies, capacities, including food/cash for assets approaches • basic public health, WASH knowledge • knowledge of Southern Africa region, Zimbabwe preferred
Key Personal Attributes: • Demonstrates organisational values of professionalism, probity, integrity, commitment to mission goals • Displays a positive attitude • Acts as a role model for staff • Accepts responsibility for achievement of project goals • Delegates effectively, gives clear directions, considers others workloads in planning • Works to established deadlines
Contact information: Please apply online at www.careersunited.org .You will need to register before submitting your resume.
We thank all candidates for the responses to this advertisement. However, we regret that we will be able to contact only short listed candidates.
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