ROLE PURPOSE:  The Agriculture/Livelihood Advisor will provide overall technical direction for the agriculture, livelihood, and resiliency building interventions under the Growth through Nutrition Activity. Project OverviewGrowth through Nutrition (GROWTH THROUGH NUTRITION) – is five year multi-sector nutrition project in Ethiopia (2016-2021). It is a follow-on Activity to USAID’s flagship multi-sector nutrition project—Empowering New Generations to Improve Nutrition and Economic opportunities (ENGINE). Save the Children in partnership with its Government partners (MoH, MOA, MOE, SHE, MOWIE and their decentralized structures), International NGOs and local NGOs (drives the implementation of Growth through Nutrition using a powerful, multi-sector platform comprised of evidence-based nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions.

The purpose of the USAID Growth through Nutrition  activity is to improve the nutritional status of women and young children in the four productive regions with a focus on the first 1,000 days from pregnancy to a child’s second birthday—the critical window of opportunity for a child’s growth and development. The development hypothesis for this Activity is: if sustained access to diverse, safe, and quality foods is achieved and optimal nutrition, WASH, and agriculture behaviours are adopted and quality nutrition services are utilized and access to WASH products and services is improved and multi-sector coordination and GOE capacity to implement effective nutrition and WASH programs is strengthened, then the nutritional status of women and young children will be improved. Growth through Nutrition has four essential cross-cutting elements:  Gender equality and women’s empowerment, a rigorous learning agenda, sustainable approaches, and convergence/overlay of multi-sector nutrition interventions (e.g. agriculture, livelihoods, education, health, humanitarian assistance) and WASH activities in the same geographic areas.

USAID Growth through Nutrition will build on ENGINE’s investments in 83 Agricultural Growth Program (AGP) (food secure) and 17-non AGP (food insecure) and will target at least 80 food secure woredas and 20 food insecure woredas (PSNP and emergency hot spot woredas) in the in USAID/Ethiopia’s Feed the Future Zone of Influence of Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, and Tigray.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

The Advisor will play a pivotal role in guiding the implementation of technically sound and innovative approaches, in close collaboration with GOE and Feed the Future partners, to increase household production of nutritious and diverse foods; increase availability and affordability of nutritious foods in the markets; improve technologies for food storage, preservation, and processing; develop SBCC approaches to influence household production and consumption practices, and increase assets and steady income for

vulnerable households. He/she coordinates with Growth through Nutrition advisors to ensure that nutrition sensitive approaches are state of the art and integrated with other project components. He/she provides technical leadership to livelihood and agriculture staff at regional and zonal levels.  He/she Represents Growth through Nutrition with Government of Ethiopia, particularly MoA, to support on NSA policy development and program implementation and participates in Government of Ethiopia technical working groups on NSA and livelihoods. He/she provides technical oversight of the work of on NSA and livelihoods implemented through sub-prime partner, Land O’Lakes.

He/she  aligns the projects  annual work plan with  government priorities,  updating  project performance challenges and lessons learned  in agriculture sectors, and coordinating and conducting joint field monitoring and review meetings with the government  and partners using  existing government and partner platforms.   He/she will ensure close coordination with other USAID and other donor funded nutrition projects and the delivery of joint work plans with partners. He/she is expected to play key role in integration of gender equality and women’s empowerment, a rigorous learning agenda, sustainable approaches, and convergence/overlay of multi-sector nutrition interventions (e.g. agriculture, livelihoods, education, health, humanitarian assistance) in the same geographic areas. He/she is responsible to build capacities of regional team to support re-establishment and strengthening of nutrition multisectoral coordination (coordination body and technical committee) at regional and woreda levels.  He/she is responsible for routine reporting on agriculture and livelihoods activities, and writing technical briefs and reports as needed and engaging in operations research related to livelihoods and agriculture. He/she is also responsible in review of partner work plans, monitor implementation, ensuring quality and timely submission of monthly, quarterly and annual reports and other deliverables to Country office.

Reports to: DCOP Programs

Staff Directly Reporting to this Post:

• Sr. Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture Advisor Seconded to MOA
  
• Sr. Economic Strengthening Advisor, Partner (Land O’Lakes International Development)

Other Functional relationship:  Regional Agriculture / Livelihood ManagersJob Specific Roles and responsibilities
Technical Leadership and External Representation

Provides technical direction and oversight to the various agriculture and livelihoods components of the program including increase household production of nutritious and diverse foods; increase availability and affordability of nutritious foods and agricultural inputs in the markets; improve technologies for food storage, preservation, and processing; develop SBCC approaches to influence household production and consumption practices, and increase assets and steady income for vulnerable households.

• Coordinates with Growth through Nutrition advisors to ensure that nutrition sensitive approaches are state of the art and integrated.
• Ensure close coordination with other USAID and other donor funded nutrition projects and the delivery of joint work plans with partners.
• Play key role in integration of gender equality and women’s empowerment, a rigorous learning agenda, sustainable approaches, and most importantly convergence/overlay of multi-sector nutrition interventions (e.g. agriculture, livelihoods, education, health, humanitarian assistance) in the same geographic areas.
• Lead integration of relevant agriculture related activities with other project thematic areas including health, social behaviour change communications, WaSH interventions and pre-service education
• Providing livelihood / agriculture technical advice for the development and implementation of BCC tools, materials, and media tools.
• Establish partnerships with agricultural research centers and private sector suppliers to ensure adequate supply of livestock and inputs to deliver on the project’s workplan.
• Develop/adapt Ag/Livelihoods training materials and provide Trainers of Trainers training to regional staffs and government counterparts. Provide technical assistance to Ministry of MoA for guideline, policy and material review on NSA.
• Represents growth through Growth through Nutrition with Government of Ethiopia, particularly MoA to support on priority activities and participate in technical working groups.
• Aligns the projects  annual work plan with  government priorities,
• Provide technical support in generation, documentation and dissemination of project learnings within and outside the project
• Updates GoE on project performance, challenges and lessons learned  in agriculture sector
• Coordinating and conducting joint field monitoring and review meetings with the government and partners using existing government and partner platforms.

Staff Capacity and Management

• Provides technical leadership to agriculture/livelihood staff at regional and zonal levels, including through regular supportive field based technical assistance.
• Build capacities of regional team to support re-establishment and strengthening of nutrition multisectoral coordination (coordination body and technical committee) at regional and woreda levels.
• Provides technical oversight of the work of on NSA and livelihoods by sub-prime organization, Land O’Lakes. Ensure LOL staff provide technical support to regional teams per their work plan.
• Work with SCI PDQ team to plan technical support needs for GTN livelihood activities on an ongoing basis.
• Sets standard and agreed performance objectives for all direct reports
• Conducts  at least 6 One-to-ones on monitoring meeting in a year and have documents as evidence
• Conducts midterm performance review at midyear for direct reports

Planning and Reporting

• Ensuring quality and timely submission of monthly, quarterly and annual nutrition reports and other deliverables to Country office related to IR1 and IR 5(MOA support).
• Responsible for budget utilization for the national level ag/livelihoods activities, including ensuring realistic plans are included in DIP and POP.
• Ensure sub-prime (LOL) delivers activities per their work plan, monitor activities in the field, and ensure sub-prime reports are submitted and reviewed on time.
• Working with the monitoring & evaluation advisor to ensure progress is being achieved towards ag/livelihoods targets in line with quality benchmarks.
• Actively participate in livelihood/ag focused regular assessments and ensure key findings are  integrated into programmatic approaches.
• Support regional nutrition mangers and zonal coordinators in identification and reporting of success stories, lessons learning in nutrition programing.
• Ensuring that all project national level ag/livelihoods documents, data, and other information required for program strategic planning and reporting are prepared and submitted on time and in compliance with the requirements of USAID
• Regularly utilize and engage on project learning platforms including Yammer to share best practices and discuss relevant programmatic issues.

Perform any other activities based on line manager’s assignmentSKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

 Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds suppliers accountable to deliver on their responsibilities

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and takes responsibility for their own personal development

• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others

• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale

Collaboration:

• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters

• Values diversity and different people’s perspectives, able to work cross-culturally.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions

• Cuts away bureaucracy and encourages an entrepreneurial approach

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency, builds trust and confidence

• Displays consistent excellent judgement

MINIMUM QUALFICATION, EXPEREINCE, COMPETENCIES

QUALIFICATION

• At least 1st degree in a related field of study such as agriculture, food security, food science, and/or food technology.

EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of twelve years’ experience in developing and managing agriculture and livelihood programs in rural settings, preferably with nutrition component.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITY

• In-depth understanding of agriculture value chains (including livestock) as well as food storage, preservation, processing, safety and the role of agriculture sector in improving nutrition.

• Significant expertise in providing technical assistance to project/host country government staff working on agriculture, livelihood, and/or food processing activities.

• Knowledge and understanding of resiliency building approaches targeting food insecure and nutritional-at risk households.

• Experience in dairy and/or poultry, fruit, legume, vegetable and tree crop production and processing, and/or food microbiology is a plus.

• Familiarity with GoE Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture approaches and priorities and experience working with GoE system preferred.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

COMPETENCIES

SC Values are: Accountability, Ambition, Collaboration, Creativity and Integrity. To meet the value system the post holder is expected to demonstrate the following Competencies on ongoing bases (this varies according to the position please consider the below as example).Leading (align with Ambition, Integrity collaboration and creativity)

Leading and Inspiring Others: Demonstrate leadership in all our work, role models our values and articulates a compiling vision to inspire to achieve our goals for children

Developing Self and Others: Invest time and energy to actively develop self and others to help realise their full potential and to build the organization capability for the further.

Thinking (align with Ambition, creativity, Collaboration and Creativity)

Innovating and Adapting: Develop and implement innovative solutions to adapt and succeed in an ever-changing uncertain work and global environment.

Engaging ( align with Collaboration, Creativity,  Networking: Builds and use sustainable relationship to support the work of save the children