GRADUATION APPROACH ADVISOR, NIGER

CARE is seeking a Graduation Approach (GA) Advisor for the anticipated five-year USAID-funded Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) in Niger. This Activity aims to improve and sustain the food and nutrition security of vulnerable populations by addressing the underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition. The Activity will work at the individual, household, community, and institutional levels to address the underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition and strengthen transformative opportunities. It is intended to strengthen resilience in populations vulnerable to acute, chronic hunger, and malnutrition; recurrent shocks, stresses, and crises; and to reduce the need for ongoing or future emergency food assistance.

The GA Advisor will ensure that the activity design aligns with the principles of the Graduation Approach, and in maintaining the technical quality and integrity of the project. The GA Advisor will play a critical role in integrating social dimensions, particularly focusing on social inclusion and the resilience of marginalized populations, into food security and community resilience activities.

This activity is expected to be a five-year program in the $50-$100 million range.

This is a Key Personnel position, subject to USAID approval. It is also subject to project award and funding. This position will be based in Niamey.

Responsibilities:

• Provide technical leadership in the development and implementation of the Activity’s graduation approach, ensuring adherence to the project’s framework and goals. Ensure that transfers are timed effectively and appropriately targeted. Also, ensure that livelihood options for participants are those that will increase their incomes to meet project defined goals most effectively. Finally, ensure that coaching methodologies and training curricula are robust and will meet income goals for participants.
• Apply an in-depth understanding of gender, age, and socio-cultural factors in participant targeting and program design.
• Ensure social dimensions of food security and community resilience are addressed effectively across all components of the activity throughout the award period.
• Focus on social inclusion, particularly on marginalized populations, gender, and youth integration, to achieve intended outcomes.
• Collaborate with M&E Lead, Strategic Learning Advisor and Resilience and Livelihoods Technical Advisor for the collection, analysis, and utilization of information from diverse sources.
• Ensure that all components of the graduation approach are integrated and create multiplier effects across and between components
• Maintain consistent, high-quality technical implementation among sub-awardees and implementation locations.
• Promote gender equality and social inclusion in the design and implementation of program activities.
• Ensure technical interventions are integrated, layered, and sequenced appropriately within the activity and with external stakeholders including USAID, the private sector, other donors, and the Government of Niger.
• Ensure that all activities are implemented in a way that will maximize return on investment to participants and the donor.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in development studies, Social Sciences, Public Health, Agriculture, Economics, or a related discipline. An advanced degree is preferred.
• 5 years of related experience in implementing the graduation approach is required.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing the five components of the graduation approach and have an in-depth understanding of how gender, age, and other locally relevant socio-cultural factors may play a role in targeting participants.
• Demonstrated capacity to lead the collection, analysis, and utilization of information from a broad range of sources in collaboration with the M&E Lead, Strategic Learning Advisor, and Resilience and Livelihoods Technical Advisor.
• Excellent management, interpersonal, facilitation, monitoring skills, and the ability to network and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders and field experience in low-resource environments.
• Demonstrated commitment to principles of Gender Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, as evidenced in previous management positions and programming.
• Demonstrated commitment to Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Harassment (PSEAH).
• Ability to travel within Niger as required.