Economic Recovery (Livelihoods) Team Leader

DRC is recruiting for a highly qualified Economic Recovery (Livelihoods)Team Leader to support DRC’s economic recovery and livelihoods activities across the large and diverse humanitarian operation in South Sudan.

Background

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is operational in South Sudan since 2005, working with the overall aim of achieving durable solutions for displaced populations. The Humanitarian and Disarmament activities started in 2006.

Danish Refugee Council main programme objectives (2020-2025) in South Sudan are:

1. To save lives and alleviate suffering among displaced people and their hosts
2. To reduce displacement related risks and support and facilitate solutions
3. To promote peaceful, inclusive and resilient societies and address root causes to displacement

DRC primarily operates across Upper Nile and Unity states and other parts of the country, both of which are heavily affected by conflict and experience high numbers of internally displaced populations as well as refugees in need of humanitarian assistance. DRC has operational bases in Maban, Malakal, Kodok and Aburoc in Upper Nile, in Bentiu, Mayom, Kodok, Central Equatoria (Magwi and Ngulere), Ajuong Thok in Unity state, and the Mobile Response Team and all are supported by a country-office in Juba.

DRC recently developed important multi-sectorial mobile response teams based in Juba able to rapidly respond to new and urgent humanitarian situations countrywide at short notice to conduct assessments and responses

Overall Purpose of the role

The Economic Recovery Team Leader will be responsible for day to day management of the Economic recovery staff in Unity Sate of South Sudan facilitating the implementation of Economic recovery interventions according to the organization and donor standards. The Economic Recovery Team Leader will be responsible for ensuring Food For Peace (Economic Recovery) team leadership, Project management, quality implementation and coordination in relevant sector groups/ clusters in Unity State. S/He will facilitate the conduction of community needs assessment, community managed disaster risks reduction, farmer field schools training, establishment of demonstration sites, seed multiplication, vocational skills trainings, income generation including crop production, cash distributions and resilience building in the areas of operation. The TL will work with both internal and external stakeholders including consortium partners to ensure safe, coordinated and integrated programming approach. This position will consist of 60% of the time travelling to remote and insecure area to monitor the quality of the project activities. The TL being supported by the Program Manager, Area Manager, and the Economic Recovery Technical Coordinator will monitor the project implementation of USAID Funded Food for Peace (FFP) CARB consortium focusing the Resilience building, manage budgets using the project management tools. S/he will ensure confidentiality and strict adherence to the DRC Code of Conduct throughout his/her work.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and support Economic Recovery team in the implementation of project activities.
• Provide on the job training to ensure capacity building to the team on CMDRR, farmer field schools, sustainable agricultural practices, income generation, vocational skills business and value chain development including market based approaches.
• Directly responsible for the Implementation of resilience economic recovery interventions, as per agreed strategy, operational plan, budgets in accordance with DRC and donor regulations. These activities include sustainable agricultural practices, integrated disaster risk reduction, income generation, market based approaches, community needs assessments and other activities under the FFP project. S/he will collaborate and coordinate with partners and stakeholders implementing similar interventions.
• Contribute and support effective monitoring, evaluation and learning processes and initiatives, and ensure effective data management and contribute to regular reporting on economic recovery interventions (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual, as required).
• Monitor food security and nutrition, market trends and hazard mapping so as to respond appropriately to the affected population.
• Contribute to the development of Economic Recovery country and area based strategies that will guide in the implementation of the activities. S/He will also contribute to the development of proposal, budgets and lessons learnt.
• Facilitate and support the designing of training modules and tools relevant to the economic Recovery (Food Security and Livelihoods) interventions.
• Prepare project procurement plans and raise materials/services requisitions and follow up with the respective support service departments
• Compile the MEAL plan and collaborate with MEAL department for effective monitoring and evaluation of Economic Recovery projects including setting up of the complaint response mechanism.
• Prepare quality reports; weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual as per DRC and donor standards,
• Prepare all necessary documentation for each activity (including weekly vehicle movement plans, order requests, payment requests, completion certificate and ensure means of verification are in place.
• Work with the Program Manager and the team to develop work plans and schedule team’s weekly and monthly program activities.
• Liaise and build partnerships with Ministry of Agriculture, community leaders, project management committees, DRR committees, Nutrition Mother to Mother care groups, partners and other relevant actors to encourage participation, buy in and ensure sustainability of program activities.
• Participate in FSL cluster meeting, CARB consortium coordination meetings as per schedule and upon request by Program Manager.
• Any other tasks as required by the Program Manager relevant to the implementation of economic recovery objectives and activities.

Experience and technical competencies:

• University degree relevant to the food security and livelihoods, (Agriculture, development studies, Agribusiness, Economics)
• At least 3 years’ experience in implementing and managing Economic recovery and Cash projects in fragile environments.
• Proven technical knowledge in food security and livelihood projects, with knowledge in FFP/ development of food security Activities programming being an advantage
• Experience in community based participatory approaches, CMDRR, sustainable agriculture practices, cash based programming, market and value chain development and other cross cutting themes (Age, Gender and Diversity) and Environment
• Experience in Sustainable and resilience Livelihoods approaches, Community managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDR), Regenerative agriculture (Permaculture and Resilience design for small holder farming systems) , Farmer field schools, Village Savings and Loans, cash and nutrition programming , will be highly preferred
• Experience in area based integrated programming approach.
• Expertise in delivering market systems based interventions.
• Experience in proposal and budget development and project implementation including budget management.
• Understanding of and experience in engaging the cluster system in humanitarian settings;
• Strong communication, analytical and writing skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills, cross-cultural communication and ease in managing a multi-ethnic team;
• Strong team leadership and conflict resolution skills, adaptability and interest in capacity building;
• Good computer skills as well as good understand
• Ability and willingness to work in remote and isolated location with ever changing security scenarios

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate each of DRC’ five core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results through the Regional team both to position DRC and ensure excellence in all deliverable.
• Collaborating: You lead regional initiatives and processes by involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: You listen to other stakeholders and staff; and you communicate concisely and persuasively.
• Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with DRC’s vision and values.

Desirable qualifications

• An understanding of the South Sudan context.
• Self-motivated and able to work with a minimum of guidance and supervision;
• Experience working in security-sensitive environments and enforcement of team security protocols is an asset.

Conditions

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to www.drc.dk under Vacancies. This position will be placed at Employment Band – G1 (Management).