Job Title : Project Officer – Food Security, Livelihood and Early Action
Reporting to : Project Manager- Focused based Financing
Duration : 12 months
Location : LRCS HQ
Job Summary
Lead the component of identification and selection of suitable early actions for LRCS within the Forecastbased Financing project in Lesotho, assuring that LRCS builds its organizational capacity to respond early based on critical impact thresholds as part of the Early Action Protocol (EAP) on drought risk. Create solid Theories of Change (ToC) for potential early actions, assuring that anticipatory action is effectively timed and targeted at reducing the humanitarian impact of droughts on the most vulnerable population groups. Operationalizing the defined early actions, making sure all stakeholders involved in the protocol are ready for activation and to act in an anticipatory manner.
Key Responsibilities Areas
➢ Data scoping and data collection on food security and livelihoods using existing analytical tools to carry out a livelihood analysis (incl. livelihood calendars) of Basotho livelihood groups as part of FbF-related risk assessments;
➢ Review of beneficiary registries of existing social protection schemes, mapping out the current social protection landscape and creating an overview of the vulnerability indicators used for beneficiary
identification in each of those schemes;
➢ Establish organizational readiness to implement cash-based early actions, ensuring a solid analysis of feasible transaction modalities, as well as coordination of transfer value with other stakeholders;
➢ Review and compile existing food security emergency and development response activities in Lesotho, creating an inventory of drought response interventions;
➢ Facilitating participatory stakeholder workshops at the central, district and community-level for joint identification, prioritization and selection of meaningful early actions for droughts to be carried out by LRCS;
➢ Development of strong Theories of Change (ToC) for shortlisted early actions for LRCS;
➢ Oversee establishment of community surveillance systems as community-based drought early warning systems (DEWS), engaging key actors of influence at the community-level (i.e. extensionists, RC volunteers, community leaders and community mobilizers) to complement
scientific impact-based forecasts;
➢ Ensure that traditional and ecological knowledge (TEK) is taken into consideration during risk assessments;
➢ Ensure that at all times contact with beneficiaries is conducted in a sensitive and respectful manner;
➢ Identify opportunities to collaborate and coordinate efforts with other organizations to ensure LRCS early actions address a niche for anticipatory humanitarian action and build on – rather than replicate – the work of other actors;
➢ Oversee pre-positioning of items related to the anticipatory humanitarian intervention of LRCS;
➢ Strengthen LRCS stock and warehouse management;
➢ Strengthening LRCS volunteer management;
➢ Liaise with key stakeholders in drought risk management on all levels of action, ranging from the central, district to community-level;
➢ Engage students and volunteers to support in data collection and analysis when project activities were identified which require additional external support, liasing with relevant tertiary institution.
➢ Liaise with counterparts in the other project implementing Red Cross-National Societies in the southern Africa region to exchange on the process of early action identification and selection.
Allocation of time: 40% Office work and 60% Community field work
Education/Qualification
▪ Advanced university degree in economics, statistics, relevant social or natural sciences, such as agronomy, agricultural development, natural resources management, veterinary science, rural development, anthropology, geography, or a similar discipline plus Minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience.
Experience, Competency and Skills
▪ Track record showing the capacity to use data to improve processes, operations, and decision-making.
▪ Familiarity of Theory of Change approaches and capacity to guide groups along the ToC creation and testing process;
▪ Proven experience in research and familiarity or training in the following assessments and tools: detailed/sector specific needs assessments (household food security/livelihood, livestock, seeds, fishery, forestry), market analysis, damage and loss assessments, livelihood recovery assessment;
▪ Experience with cash-based intervention a considerable asset;
▪ Experience in formulation, coordination, implementation, data analysis and interpretation, and reporting for assessment and analysis processes;
▪ Experience in using statistical software for data analysis such as Microsoft Excel, STATA and/or SPSS;
▪ Ability to inspire processes of innovation in key stakeholders.
▪ Demonstrable interest in humanitarian aid, with a motivation and commitment to humanitarian ideals;
▪ Experience in building and managing relationships with internal and external partners,
▪ Experience with food insecurity monitoring systems and in-depth understanding of the drought risk management landscape in Lesotho.
▪ Highly driven attitude with priorities set on assuring project implementation progress through efficient planning and organization, as well as efficient prioritization of tasks;
Closing date for all applications Friday 10th July 2020, 12:00 noon.
Interested candidates should hand deliver or send their applications, curriculum vitae and certified Tertiary certificates and transcripts to the Human Resources and Admin Manager, Lesotho Red Cross Society, Red Cross House, 23 Mabile Road, Private Bag A 205, Maseru 100. An email:
[email protected] or [email protected]
N.B. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.