Title:Agriculture and Markets Technical Integration Lead
Requisition Number:I1672
Area of Interest:Agriculture
Position Type:Full Time
Location:Malawi/Blantyre
Job Description:
Job Title: Program Manager II-Agriculture and Markets Technical Integration Lead – Development Food Assistance Program (DFAP)
Dept/Location: SARO/Blantyre, Malawi
Band: D
FLSA: Exempt
Reports To: Deputy Chief of Party
Note: This position is contingent upon grant approvals by the donor
About CRS:
Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.
Background:
CRS/Malawi established an in-country presence in Malawi in 1997 and administers a diverse portfolio of relief and development programs in partnership with the Episcopal Conference of Malawi and other national and international NGOs. Key program areas include livelihoods and agriculture, education, justice and peace, and health and nutrition. CRS/Malawi is seeking a qualified Agriculture and Markets Technical Integration Lead for an anticipated five-year Title II Development Food Assistance Program (DFAP) in Malawi. The Agriculture and Markets Technical Integration Lead will provide overall technical leadership for his/her sector within a consortium of NGOs and other development partners in managing and implementing this project, and in close collaboration with the Government of Malawi.
Primary Responsibilities:
Provide overall leadership and guidance to the implementation of Purposes One and Two, relating to agricultural production, and increasing market access, information, and orientation.
Program Quality:
- Support implementing staff and agencies to achieve program deliverables and targets on time and with good technical quality in the areas of: agricultural production, climate smart agriculture, irrigation and watershed management, livestock and fisheries, marketing and agribusiness, and financial service provision.
- Strengthen partner and staff capacities to improve efficiency and adaptability in the production, storage, processing and marketing of agricultural commodities to enhance the competitiveness of smallholder farmers
- Strengthen partner and staff capacities to enable farmers to link to markets and expand households' asset base including small-scale microfinance options
- Contribute to the development/ revision of best practice guides, manuals and other technical resources to improve the quality of agricultural livelihoods programs
- Ensure that approaches and interventions are closely coordinated with other technical areas and with the Government of Malawi policies and strategies, and that messages and implementation strategies maximize opportunities for integration across the program.
- Ensure that the activities within Purposes One and Two are implemented in a coordinated and sequenced way, and that they are integrated among each other
- Ensure integration in all project activities of the program's gender strategy, capacity-building efforts and governance support
- Ensure strong collaboration with external providers of technical assistance, including management of consultants, and maintaining strong relationships with those institutions
- Assess the technical capacity of consortium members' agriculture and marketing staff, and support Technical Assistants to undertake capacity building activities such as trainings and workshops, mentoring and accompaniment.
- Provide direction and support in the development, revision and utilization of standard operating guidelines and develop other guidance documents as necessary.
Financial Management and Administration:
- Manage program budgets, including tracking of financial and material resources and providing regular forecasts.
- Ensure accurate and timely reporting of program finances and progress status, review actual financial performance against the budget, and explain variances on a regular basis.
- Ensure staff compliance with all USG and CRS administrative and operational procedures and policies, as well as applicable donor regulations.
- Approve and manage financial transactions within the approved limit
Representation
- Build strategic partnerships at the national level with governmental and nongovernmental organizations as well as private sector to advance the project's strategic agenda to ensure sustainability of activities. This may include participation in national Technical Working Groups/ Technical Cluster meetings.
- Liaise with Private Sector companies
- Contribute to the coordination of donor visits
Human Resource Management
- Lead, coach, mentor and manage a diverse team of agriculture and marketing staff to meet program objectives.
- Conduct periodic reviews of staff performance in keeping with CRS' and staff's parent agency's performance management system and mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork.
Reporting
- Continuously update the DCOP on the operations of Purposes One and Two
- Provide timely and high quality contributions to donor reports as required (PREP, OP reports, quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports, etc).
Growth, Learning and Innovation
- Participate in and oversee relevant reflection and learning opportunities.
- In collaboration with program staff, ensure that lessons of sound practice are documented and disseminated.
- Contribute to program, agency, in-country and global learning through collaboration with consortium members' regional and HQ technical advisors, capturing lessons learned, collaborating in national and international coordination mechanisms, and keeping abreast of technical developments in his/her own field
- Facilitate the use of M&E data to improve program quality and facilitate learning to enhance skills and knowledge of team members and support scaling up best practices.
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: DCOP, senior DFAP staff
External: Consortium members, Ministry of Agriculture and other Government of Malawi officials, service providers, agro-processers, farmer organizations.
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
- Serves with Integrity
- Models Stewardship
- Cultivates Constructive Relationships
- Promotes Learning
Program Manager Competencies:
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
- Sets clear goals and manages toward them
- Collaborates effectively with staff and stakeholders
- Manages financial resources with integrity
- Applies program quality standards to project design and organizational learning
Qualifications and Skills:
- Minimum Master's Degree in agronomy, agricultural economics, marketing, or related field, or equivalent experience
- Minimum 6 years of progressively increasing management responsibility in small holder agriculture, water resource management, agricultural extension, micro-finance, agro-enterprise, agricultural marketing or agribusiness management
- Prior management of significant USAID funding highly desirable
- Proven leadership and inter-personal skills and ability to build and motivate diverse and talented teams. Demonstrated staff management experience.
- Demonstrated experience building linkages and alliances between small farmers and input providers and/or other services providers
- Experience with participatory methods and partnerships required.
- Proven ability to think strategically.
- Cultural sensitivity, patience and flexibility.
- Understanding of and experience with faith-based organizations, local church structures, and accompaniment and capacity-building principles in local partnerships desired.
- Willingness to travel and work in the field as required
- Excellent English oral and written communication skills required.
- Experience working in a variety of developing environments required.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel and Outlook required.
Disclaimer Clause: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
