Sr. Technical Advisor, Food Security

Project Concern International (PCI) has emerged as a dynamic, leading organization in the areas of food and livelihood security, improved child nutrition, social and economic empowerment of women, and strengthened community resilience through its commitment to local capacity strengthening, program quality, and rigorous measurement of sustainable impact. As an experienced implementer of large-scale, multi-sectoral food and livelihood programs, PCI is currently seeking a Senior Technical Advisor for Food Security for the USAID Implementer-led Design, Evidence, Analysis and Learning (IDEAL) program, a global Leader with Associates (LWA) cooperative agreement to be funded by USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (FFP). The goal of the program is to enhance the food and nutrition security of vulnerable populations through improving the design, implementation and overall effectiveness of development and emergency food security activities funded by FFP. The Food Security Technical Advisor will provide technical leadership in food security and emergency programming and will be responsible for strengthening the capacity of the implementing community as a whole through the promotion of best practices and supporting the application of evidence and learning through knowledge sharing and peer learning efforts.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Help ensure an increase in the technical and operational capacity of FFP implementers by working across geographical and organizational boundaries to improve collective understanding of what is working and what is not in food security and emergency programming and elevate key findings as part of a critical feedback cycle for improved design and implementation
• Establish continued access to experienced technical staff including long- and short-term technical assistance to meet needs and address opportunities in emerging focus areas or geographic locations
• Establish IDEAL’s “implementer-led” focus by bringing to bear the needs, opportunities and perspectives of FFP implementers on project design, implementation and measurement.
• Ensure technical and programmatic integration and cohesion across sectors, including cross cutting areas such as gender and capacity strengthening, and across levels, from global to local.
• In collaboration with the IDEAL team, ensure that project efforts lead to the actual application of the knowledge and skills needed to foster transformative, systemic and sustainable change in communities and institutions.
• Coordinate with IDEAL team to establish and manage systems to ensure rigorous, high quality technical outputs within each IDEAL content focus area, particularly around areas such as strengthening resilience capacity, improving targeting, integrated programming and striving for more sustainable change
• Work with IDEAL team to ensure collaboration and communication across technical content focus areas and amongst technical specialists, both internal and external to the IDEAL team.
• Ensure compliance with Food for Peace requirements and make recommendations for improving the overall effectiveness of the program.

• Ensure the highest quality of programmatic and financial reporting to donors.

• Ensure that USAID policies and strategies and other emerging global trends in food security and emergency programming are integrated into IDEAL program activities

• Lead in continuous improvement of quality and in establishing an adaptive and results-driven management system and synergy across technical sectors with appropriate tools and systems

• Actively participate in global food security networks and knowledge management platforms and leverage these relationships and platforms to enhance IDEAL program activities

• Contribute to the successful start-up, implementation and close-out of all project activities

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with donors, partners and local stakeholders

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 10 years of progressively increasing management responsibility in international development, including experience in a similar role and significant experience managing multi-sectoral food security and emergency projects.
• An advanced post-graduate degree (PhD or Master’s) in development studies, international relations, agriculture, nutrition, public health, or a related field
• Minimum of 7 years experience managing or implementing Food for Peace and Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) programs, including Development Food Security Activities (DFSA), Development Food Assistance Projects (DFAP), Emergency Food Security Programs (EFSP), or programs of equal size, scope and complexity in a similar context
• Established food security network and demonstrated ability to create and maintain effective working relationships with local partners, NGO partners, international agencies, and U.S. government agencies
• Excellent understanding and familiarity with US Government donor regulations, ideally USAID Food for Peace experience
• Demonstrated abilities in NGO reporting, budgeting, procurement, and project management
• Demonstrated experience and familiarity with non-USG global food security networks and resources (e.g. WFP, FAO, IFPRI)
• Project performance management, including monitoring and evaluation
• Proven leadership skills and demonstrated experience recruiting, developing, and managing staff.
• Development philosophy in keeping with PCI’s mission, vision, core values and approach to integrated, community-driven programming
• Excellent analytical and self-motivation skills; excellent advocacy and persuasion skills; able to think critically
• Excellent capacity building, team building/management, and coordination skills
• Excellent facilitation, analytical and organizational skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
• Strong financial management abilities Job Location Washington, District of Columbia, United States Position Type Full-Time/Regular

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