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Technical Advisor, Livelihoods/Market Systems Development

New York City

  • Organization: IRC - International Rescue Committee
  • Location: New York City
  • Grade: Senior level - Senior
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Sustainable trade and development
    • Project and Programme Management
    • Food Security, Livestock and Livelihoods
  • Closing Date: Closed

The IRC is implementing high-impact, evidence-based, and cost-effective programs and uses its learning and experience to shape policy and practice. A key role in achieving these goals is played by the seven technical units (TUs) – Economic Recovery and Development (ERD), Education, Gender Equality, Governance, Health, Violence Prevention and Response, and Research Evaluation and Learning. The ERD TU’s three central objectives are:

1.Guide program design and implementation based on best available evidence and best practices

2.Build technical capacity of staff to implement, measure and improve programs

3.Influence the IRC, peer agencies and donors to use proven interventions and generate new evidence

For the ERD TU these objectives translate internally into supporting dynamic and innovative economic and livelihoods program implementation in emergency and recovery settings and that aligns with the IRC’s standards for climate-adaptation, nutrition and gender-sensitivity and inclusiveness. The IRC’s ERD programs implemented in over 30 countries range from humanitarian aid delivery through cash and voucher transfers and food security promotion, to climate-smart agro-pastoral production and value chain development, and from enterprise development and employment promotion to resilience strengthening. The TU’s technical assistance to this wide variety of programs ensures quality and use of evidence-based best practices, promotes innovation, and drives data-based management. Externally, they translate into growing and strengthening the ERD TU’s role as a leader in developing and promoting market-based responses to emergencies, women’s economic empowerment and climate and context-adapted resilience building.

Job Overview/Summary: The Technical Advisor (TA) Livelihoods - Market Systems Development will take a lead role supporting a number of IRC countries on designing and implementing evidence-based economic emergency and recovery programs to improve economic wellbeing outcomes for our clients. IRC’s ERD programs are very diverse and may include but are not limited to cash and voucher assistance (CVA), agro-pastoral production and natural resource management, climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction, market linkages/value chain development, financial inclusion, enterprise development and employment support as well as associated research and evidence-generation. A key area of focus of this position is the capacity building, technical assistance and strategic program approach development at TU and country level to foster IRC’s market systems strengthening work. A key element to shifting towards market system strengthening will include the promotion of local partnerships with both public and private sector entities. The TA is equally expected to be able to support standard programming in cash and voucher assistance, agriculture and rural livelihoods, and enterprise development and employment (EDE) promotion. Moreover, we expect all TAs to be well versed in do no harm and gender-sensitive programming, be able to support gender transformative approaches and consider key elements of climate change adaptation and risk mitigation. To this end, the TA will work closely with ERD TU team membersas well as staff from the health, education, protection and governance technical units. The successful candidate will work in a range of focal countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The country portfolio is subject to change if and when necessary.

The position requires a dynamic, self-motivating, driven and open-minded personality with experience in working remotely with a broad range of people from very different cultural backgrounds. The remote nature of this position with both the TU team and supported country teams means that TAs need to be excellent in pro-active communication and relationship building.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO COUNTRY PROGRAMS

•Assist in the design, quality implementation and M&E of economic emergency and recovery programs across all of ERD TU’s outcomes to on average 6-8 countries and in accordance with our Technical Assistance model, with a particular focus onmarket systems development both for rural and urban contexts.

•Provide expert advice to and build capacity of TU colleagues and country staff on market systems strengthening models in agriculture and enterprise development areas, with a strong component of promoting do no harm, gender equality, local partnership and inclusion

•Responsibilities include:

•regular communication with country staff through phone and email;

•remote support and regular field visits to monitor quality of programs, deliver technical support and trainings to field staff, provide resources, and recommend ways to strengthen programs as well as document and share learning

•support recruitment of key field positions (management/coordination level and consultants) assist with developing job descriptions, conduct technical interviews and provide feedback.

2. DRIVE TOOL DEVELOPMENT, INTEGRATED PROGRAMMING AND INNOVATION

•Research, adapt and write evidence-based best practice guides, manuals and other technical and training resources based on needs and strategic use to improve and innovatelivelihoods programs with a particular focus on remote delivery through the use of learning technology;

•Collaborate with other technical units to promote integrated programming, avoid redundancy and integrate gender equality, inclusion, context adaptability, client responsiveness, partnership and ICT

•Identify and lead growth and improvement opportunities for IRC’s economic development program using research/evidence expertise

•Participate in ERD TU strategic planning, special projects, meetings, communications material development, intra-net content development.

3.LOCAL PARTNERSHIP BUILDING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

•support countries and TU in pursuing emergency and long-term business development opportunities for agriculture and rural livelihoods, including

•donor and partner mapping as well as relationship building with a focus on local partners and private sector partnerships

•program design and narrative review for standard proposals

•program design, and technical proposal development lead of large RFAs, RFPs, IQCs

•M&E framework review and/or development promoting mobile monitoring, standard indicator use and data-use for management

•contribute grow the TU’s business especially in areas of long-term resilience building and value chain development, local, regional and international private and research partnerships to ensure country’s strategic pre-positioning, innovation, program growth and IRC’s thought leadership;

4.REPRESENTING AND COMMUNICATING INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY

•Engage in priority networks, working groups, panels and external fora on diverse livelihoods issues

•Regularly provide briefings on livelihoods programs, emerging issues and political developments to a range of audiences, including IRC, donors, the media, UN agencies, inter-agency networks, private sector partners and new recruits.

•Respond to requests for information about ERD programs from IRC colleagues from various departments and field programs;

The TA will undertake other special projects and tasks as needed within the realm of his/her expertise and within the TU’s function.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Senior Technical Advisor Livelihood Programs

Other Internal and/or external contacts: Close coordinate and collaborate with members from the ERD TU team and other TUs

Job Requirements:

Education: Master’s degree in economics, business management, food security and food systems, finance or related disciplines. A bachelor’s degree with 4 or more years of field and research experience may substitute

Work Experience:

•Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in international emergency and development field posts, related private sector entities and/or research entities

•Demonstrated success in managing or advising market systems strengtheningand development programs, including staff and budget management, preferably in conflict or disaster affected environments

•Proven technical expertise in one or more of the following areas: (i) food security & value chain systems(ii) enterprise and business development, (iii) private sector development (iv) climate and DRR technologies and innovations, (v) Innovative Finance;

•Demonstrated commitment to a Do No Harm approach, gender quality and inclusion

•Demonstrated success in large business development for economic programs and familiarity with key donors and their funding streams

•Experience in research and private sector partnerships is an asset

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

•Language: Demonstrated excellence in writing and editing in English and working proficiency in French highly desirable.

•Ability to work flexible hours, as appropriate to accommodate for different time zones

•Ability to travel 30% – 40% of the time to country programs, including countries of higher levels of insecurity

•Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to listen to, interact with, and communicate clearly with people from diverse nationalities and backgrounds, as well as with senior level internal and external stakeholders; with a high degree of professionalism and pro-activity

•Solid organizational skills: the ability to work independently and productively in a fast-paced environment and under remote team and management structures

•Proficiency with windows-based software, including internet, Microsoft Office Suite, knowledge management tools, remote training and engagement tools, and familiarity with mobile monitoring tools

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct.These are Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability.In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC et les employés de IRC doivent adhérer aux valeurs et principes contenus dans le IRC WAY (normes de conduite professionnelle). Ce sont l’Intégrité, Egalite, le Service, et la Responsabilité. En conformité avec ces valeurs, IRC opère et fait respecter les politiques sur la protection des bénéficiaires contre l’exploitation et les abus, la protection de l’enfant, le harcèlement sur les lieux de travail, l’intégrité financière, et les représailles.

This vacancy is now closed.
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