Catholic Relief Services Technical Advisor Jobs in Kenya

Catholic Relief Services Technical Advisor Jobs in Kenya

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States.

CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.

CRS’s Agriculture and Livelihoods team supports farming communities using our Pathway to Prosperity approach, which enables rural families to increase their productivity within sustainable landscapes, achieve a living income and build more resilient communities.

Background:

CRS is implementing an award under USAID’s Supporting Seed Systems for Development (S34D). The goal of S34D is to enhance farmers’ access to a full range of seed choices and options to maximize their responsive decision making and planning for production.

The activity seeks to improve functioning of national seed sector in Feed the Future countries and in countries with resilience and emergency seed security programs.

By identifying and removing constraints and bottlenecks within the seed systems, the goal is to increase the number of smallholder farmers utilizing quality seeds, including high yielding and stress tolerant commercial and staple crop varieties, in countries with significant Feed the Future and/or emergency seed programming.

The intention is to address seed system constraints that limit the development and uptake of relevant agricultural technologies within and beyond Feed the Future Zones of Influence, by creating self-sustaining, functional seed systems and delivery channels, using market-based approaches, as appropriate to the crop and context.

The activity will generate tools and approaches to ensure relevant information to guide interventions that reach both the target beneficiaries and smallholder farmers more broadly, and will effectively respond to emerging conditions, especially drought, and mitigate its impacts through planning and smart investments before, during, and after a shock.

Job Summary:

The S34D Policy Coordinator will support coordination and facilitation of relevant policy dialogues under S34D.

S/he will report to S34D MELPAS (M&E, Learning, Policy, Advocacy, and Strategy) Senior Technical Advisor.

Seed systems play a pivotal role in agricultural development, being one of the key input systems to increase agricultural productivity, food security, nutrition, and income for smallholder famers.

This position will play an important role in informing, and therefore, shaping strategic decision makings over the course of program implementation by working closely with a range of international stakeholders and national seed policy partners.

Job Responsibilities:

  • Supervise Consultants on literature review of seed policies – both at a global level and for S34D geographies. Focus on specific policies such as:
  • Liberalizing seed quality options;
  • Expanding market frontier for seed sales (by actors and venues);
  • Free seed distribution policies, and;
  • Extent of seed counterfeiting.
  • Conduct institutional landscapes to understand different seed initiatives active in a country / region and help identify points for coordination, collaboration, and colocation;
  • Identify data needs and develop options to generate and cultivate an evidence-base necessary to make informed decision-makings;
  • Coordinate among S34D partners to ensure policy is integrated within their portfolios;
  • Facilitate policy dialogues and discussions with S34D consortium partners, national partners, regional, and international partners;
  • Work with consultants to supervise and develop seed policy road maps for S34D focus geographies;
  • Lead facilitation process with S34D partners by informing them about findings from the seed policy road maps;
  • Inform on-the-ground programmatic implementation through use of the information generated from seed policy road maps, ongoing policy dialogues, and stakeholder workshops;
  • Co-lead with data management and analyses necessary for creating and managing the evidence-base;
  • Coordinate with S34D
    Data Analyst in maintaining and updating the policy evidence-base
  • Play a lead role in maintaining repository of knowledge base for anecdotal and qualitative evidence and stories that inform policy formulation and implementation;
  • Provide technical assistance to S34D partners related to policy matters;
  • Lead development of policy briefings and infographics for USAID and various stakeholders;
  • Support implementation S34D Policy Learning Agenda and aide study designs;
  • Together with the MELPAS Advisor, serve as the public face for S34D in policy-related fora;
  • Liaise with national-based S34D policy central links to stimulate coordinated policy think-networks;
  • Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

    Education and Experience
  • Master’s degree in International development, Public economics, Agricultural Economics,
  • Regulatory economics or any other related field
  • At least five years of demonstrated experience in managing seed system programs – especially in seed policy domain. Program management experience will be a plus.
  • Subject matter knowledge of informal and formal seed systems in developing nations preferred.
  • At least three years demonstrated expertise in facilitation and coordination with an array of stakeholders is required
  • Excellent communication skills – both verbal and written – are required.
  • Knowledge of data management and data visualization tools skills are preferred.

    Personal Skills
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills in English required; proficiency in French or other languages desired
  • Perform with good humor and patience
  • Navigate uncertainties and challenges with an open and optimistic mind
  • Demonstrated ability to work in physically and mentally challenging conditions
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment in collaboration with multi-cultural, widely dispersed teams
  • Independent thinking, and ensuring deliverables are met in a timely manner are necessary for the success of this program

    Travel Required
  • Ability and willingness to travel regionally and internationally (25%)
  • Internal – CRS Monitoring Evaluation and Learning team, S34D leadership team, Ag Livelihood Program team, Program Impact Quality Assurance team; Global Knowledge Information Management team
  • External – S34D Partners, Donor partners, other relevant stakeholders
  • These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
  • Integrity
  • Accountability & Stewardship
  • Builds Relationships
  • Develops Talent
  • Continuous Improvement & Innovation
  • Strategic Mindset

    Competencies Relevant for the Specific Position:

  • Ensures principled compliance with national seed policies and procedures;
  • Proactively manages risks and uncertainties.
  • Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

    How to Apply:
  • Written applications indicating the reference number of the position applied for and CV including day-time contact phone numbers, as well as names and contact information of three references should reach the below-mentioned by Close of Business Friday, 17th May 2019.
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Catholic Relief Services – Kenya/Somalia Program
  • E-mail :Crskenya-hr@crs.org
  • Note: Catholic Relief Services (CRS) does not charge any fees from applicants for any recruitment.
  • Further, CRS has not retained any agent in connection with this recruitment
  • CRS’ recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation


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