Consultant – Food and Nutrition Resilience

Organizational Context

Following the high-level Food Security and Nutrition Conference, organized in October 2022 by the African Union (AU) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the AU and IFRC have committed to pursuing a joint pan-African initiative to strengthen food and nutrition resilience. The initiative is aimed at assisting up to 60 million people in Africa who are affected by food insecurity and supporting them in leading safe, healthy, and dignified lives, free of hunger and poverty and with opportunities to thrive, by 2030.
Subsequently, four member states of the Horn of Africa—Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, and South Sudan—requested the support of the AU and IFRC to solidify both urgent joint humanitarian action and long-term resilience-based programming to curtail the growing food insecurity. To this effect, the AU and IFRC developed the Horn of Africa Food and Nutrition Resilience Programme (FNRP). Under the framework of the regional initiative, four distinct country programmes have been developed jointly by the respective government agencies and their Red Cross/Red Crescent National Societies, with support from IFRC and the AU Secretariat.
As at March 2024, the four programme proposals are in the final stages of development and government endorsements. The next steps involve development of:
– proposed joint implementation models (country and regional level);
– suggested financing mechanisms (country level);
– coordination and oversight structure (all levels);
– stakeholder and donor engagement (all levels).

Job Purpose

The Program Coordinator will be the IFRC focal point responsible for supporting the effective and timely implementation of all tasks related to the development of the regional initiative. This will include overall quality assurance of all program documents, management of relationships and engagement with stakeholders, coordination, communication, mobilization of technical support, SPRM engagement, and any other support to senior leadership in key internal or external dialogues on the initiative.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the review of country proposal packages and ensure they are complete and of a required quality, in cooperation with technical and country teams;
• Prepare related program summaries and other documents for internal and external audiences, as per the need, and with support of relevant teams (technical, communications, etc.);
• Design and lead implementation of the internal stakeholders’ engagement and coordination mechanisms – plan and convene regular review meetings and ensure clear and inclusive information sharing among all stakeholders;
• Consolidate, communicate and follow up on the tasks of all work streams, thereby ensuring accountability, transparency and timely implementation;
• In consultation with the senior leadership, plan, organize and take part in consultations with relevant external stakeholders (the NS, government representatives, the AU, external partners, donors);

• Ensure sensitive and tactful management of the complex political dimension of the initiative both internally (secretariat and its membership) and externally (AU, government agencies).

• Monitor progress and performance towards deliverables, identify risks and inform senior management of actions to be taken to mitigate risks.
• Lead the preparations in terms of content and organization, and provide necessary support to the relevant governance bodies, by organizing and attending relevant meetings and overall enabling the group to take strategic decisions.
• Ensure the IFRC leadership is kept abreast of the programme developments and milestones, enabling them to steer the overall direction of the programme and to provide critical decision making.
• Ensure connection and cross-learning with other global or major initiatives within the IFRC network.
• Undertake research and analysis as needed, to inform relevant decisions.
• Systematically document progress of the initiative for continuity and future learning.
• Carry out any other related task assigned by the senior management.

Education

• Degree in International Development, International Relations, or other relevant fields. Required.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience in engaging in multilateral partnerships and resource development functions at a global level for a national/international organization. Required.
• Experience in partnering with development banks (World Bank and regional ones), specialized funds, UN agencies, and large government donor agencies. Required.
• Experience managing partner and resource development relations in a context of
• humanitarian and/or development programmes. Required.

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Advanced knowledge of multilateral landscapes, priorities, policies, and financing instruments supporting development programmes and the attainment of the SDGs.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate funding agreements, and to navigate complex funding mechanisms.
• Experience in communicating with high level partners and successfully navigating multilateral partner decision-making processes, funding instruments and requirements.
• Outstanding networking, representational, communication and negotiation skills contributing to a client-focused culture.
• Ability to be proactive and persuasive.
• Ability to identify and articulate strategic issues, risks and priorities that need to be brought to the attention of senior management.
• Proven ability to translate strategy into action.
• Results-oriented and demand-driven individual; strategic thinker; entrepreneurial and hands on.
• Track record in producing high quality work within short deadlines and ability to make effective, timely decisions.
• Ability to work within a multi-cultural, multilingual, multidisciplinary environment.

Competencies, Values and Comments

• Core Competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust.
• Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability.