Program / Department Summary
With funding from USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), Mercy Corps’ Nawiri Program is leading a consortium of Kenyan and international partners on a 8 year journey to sustainably reduce persistent acute malnutrition in Turkana & Samburu Counties of Kenya. Through a phased approach that emphasizes evidence gap analysis, as well as partnership, learning, and co-creation, the program takes a robust county-centered design with government leadership, active engagement from communities, the private sector, and civil society. Mercy Corps’ consortium brings together the global leadership, research capacity, technical expertise, and implementation experience necessary to partner with local institutions to test, adapt, and scale evidence-based solutions. Together we will sustainably reduce persistent acute malnutrition for vulnerable populations in Samburu & Turkana counties.
General Position Summary
The Livelihoods and Food Security officer will be a member of the USAID Nawiri Resilient Livelihoods Team supporting program implementation at sub-office level. They will lead work plan implementation of livelihood interventions as appropriate to context, for sustained vulnerable households’ access to nutrient-dense foods and overall food security despite exposure to shocks and stresses. They are directly responsible for all USAID Nawiri Livestock and Agriculture (crop) program activities primarily; and also support financial inclusion, market systems to last mile communities targeting poor and the most vulnerable household to strengthen household economies. Works alongside other officers in layering interventions for collective impact at household and community level. The officer is able to translate how the interconnected actions at household and community level contribute to sustainable household food security and therefore motivate community-driven leadership of actions at local level.
They drive implementation of innovative climate smart agriculture approaches for crop and fodder production including market system development approach for sustained production systems.
They support the County Resilience Livelihoods coordinator and the RL team to map and strengthen capacity of local stakeholders (groups, households, individuals) and is directly responsible for implementing nutrition-sensitive resilient livelihood interventions at sub-county (all wards, village, household) level. S/he supports community own resource persons and works alongside community influencers -includes lead farmers / champions, facilitators, mentors, and community health volunteers (CHVs) etc- in layering interventions for collective impact at household and community level. The officer supports learning and adaptations aimed at strengthening program impact.
The position is based at the USAID Nawiri sub-county (Maralal sub-office) office level supporting interventions within the sub-county and prioritized wards -that continuously experience high rates of acute malnutrition. they will work closely with relevant sub-county, ward officials, village level officials, CSOs and private sector players involved in livelihoods and food security & nutrition within their areas of operation. They are excellent community mobilizer with strong facilitation skills in local language/dialects.
Success factors for this role include: A technical person who understands the tightly interconnected relationship between natural resources management, agriculture-based (crops & livestock) livelihoods, seasonality, risk and resilience in the arid and semi-arid lands. A community mobilizer with local context with openness to learning and demonstrable willingness to challenge self and navigate social norms change that affect nutrition outcomes.
ACCOUNTABILITY
- Reports Directly To: County Resilient Livelihoods Coordinator
- Works Directly With: Climate Smart Advisor, Alternative Livelihoods and Inclusive Markets Advisor, R4N coordinator and field officers, Health and Nutrition officers, Structural and Social Behavior Change officers, Citizen Engagement and Social Accountability Officers, Household Economic Strengthening Technical Advisors, Gender and Social Inclusion Coordinator among others.
KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND COMPETENCIES REQUIRED.
- Degree in agricultural related field (Horticulture, Agronomy, Agricultural extension, Agribusiness, Agricultural economics, Livestock production / Health)
- A minimum of 3 years’ experience directly implementing agriculture (crop and livestock) interventions at the field level in Kenya ASALs. Learning and experience in agronomy will be an advantage.
- Demonstrable familiarity with Kenya’s ASAL, agriculture crop and livestock and natural resources sectors.
- Proficient analytical skills that demonstrate an understanding of the current concepts, priorities, and issues in program monitoring, data collection, and evaluation.
- Team player who takes initiative and is a problem-solver.
- Effective verbal and written communication, multitasking and organizational s
- Ability to manage priorities independently.
- Excellent attention to detail and ability to complete tasks in a timely manner.
- Excellent teamwork abilities and interpersonal skills.
- Familiarity with M&E, information, communications, and knowledge sharing technologies and use of innovative approaches on digital financial services.
- Demonstrated computer competency of Microsoft Excel/Word and knowledge of data management software.
- Strong analytical and quantitative skills
- Demonstrated flexibility, creativity, and enthusiasm as well as a willingness to learn and to be continually adaptive within a dynamic and often self-directed working environment.
- Ability to focus on day-to-day tasks at hand while also working towards longer-term objectives with an understanding that these will change continuously.
- Ability to work without constant supervision and as part of a diverse team.
- Good reporting, communication, and representation skills.
- Good problem solving, written and oral communication skills.
- Confident, sound training facilitation and representation/relationship skills.
- Strong written and spoken English and Kiswahili
- Local language skills required especially Samburu and Turkana Languages.
