Strengthen PSNP Institutions and Resilience II (SPIR II) is a 5-year USAID/BHA funded Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) led by World Vision and including consortium partners CARE, ORDA and IFPRI. World Vision and its partners will create a strong, shock responsive ecosystem of public, private, and community level actors to support PSNP households to graduate from poverty and sustain income and food security gains in 17 targeted woredas in Amhara and Oromia regions. Building from key formative and research studies during an initial refinement period, SPIR II will use continuous learning to drive program level reflection, analysis, and adaptation.

Purpose of the position:

The PSNP5 Strategic Engagement Advisor will be the team leader for Purpose 3: PSNP Systems Deliver Accountable, Effective, and Shock-Responsive Services. In this role, s/he will engage key actors and platforms necessary to effectively support and improve PSNP services, including strategic engagement with the Woreda, Kebele, and Community Watershed Teams, Woreda and Kebele Food Security Task Force, Woreda Agriculture and Natural Resources Office, Woreda Office of Labor and Social Affairs, Office of Women, Children and Youth, and Kebele Appeals Committee. They will also coordinate and guide the integration of other purpose and thematic areas (Ag and Livelihood, Health and Nutrition, Livelihood, gender and youth) in accordance with PSNP5 operations manuals and SPIR II design modalities. The PSNP5 Strategic Engagement advisor will lead training and capacity-building approaches for PSNP 5 partners with a special focus on building the capacity and improved functionality of frontline government staff, such as Health Extension Workers and Development Agents, in their support of critical services for PSNP clients.

Major Responsibilities:

• Lead SPIR II engagement with PSNP5 stakeholders, starting at the Federal level and through SPIR II implementing partner staff at Regional, Zonal and Woreda levels.
• Develop or revise and adapt training curricula and strategies related to PSNP5 institutional capacity building, in coordination with government and other PSNP5 stakeholders.
• Provide targeted capacity building support that addresses identified gaps and areas that especially pertain to SPIR II goals and objectives with PSNP5 institutions and related government offices.
• Engage SPIR II technical teams across sectors to ensure an integrated and strategic approach to supporting and working with PSNP5 institutions and offices.
• Provide direct technical support to Institutional Strengthening and Social Accountability partner staff with SPIR II implementing partners at the regional and zonal level.
• Provide guidance to SPIR II partners where lessons are of strategic importance e.g. for program effectiveness, scale up, new adaptation or updating technical guidance.
• Promote best practices and generate learning, produce publications and disseminate success stories and support documentations to foster organizational learning
• Support strong SPIR II representation in key forums such as the JRIS and SPIR II learning events during the refinement year in particular
• Create conducive environment and opportunities for collaboration, partnerships to realize institutionalization of SA tools
• Leads collaboration within SPIR II team to define fine-tune long term program objectives as needed
• Identifies opportunities for collaboration with like-minded programs across geographic locations
• Represents SPIR II before WVE National Office in strategic planning
• Creates solution for problems clients are facing in PW registration and food/cash collection
• Works with SPIR II MEAL and Food Assistance team to ensure technologically updated tools are in place to enhance program excellence and client satisfaction
• Actively lead annual planning and budget development of SPIR II P3 activities and adaptations
• Regular monitor and develop and employ quality assurance monitoring processes and tools to identify areas of underperformance or capacity gaps, and target support or specific methods for improving staff understanding or capacity.
• Accurate reporting of quarterly and annual achievements including progress against targets as initially set in the annual work plan

Qualifications:  Education/Knowledge/Technical Skills and Experience

Required Professional Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years working experience working with the PSNP program at both an implementation level and with at least three at a supervisory or technical advisor level (experience in USAID DFAP or DFSA programing desired).
• In-depth understanding of food security, poverty and institutional as well as social economic factors in the proposed areas
• PSNP-related work experience, preferably with a USAID or other donor-supported program.

• Experience in, social accountability, community empowerment, advocacy and National and grass root level systems strengthening preferred
• Proven experience in multi-sectoral programs (Ag/Nutrition) with strong capacity building programming preferred
• Experience as a trainer and demonstrated success in knowledge transfer

Qualification required:

BA/sc or MA/Sc degree in Agriculture, Social Sciences, Community Development, Strategic Leadership and other relevant field

Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Demonstrated analytic capacity and ability to write high quality reports
• Demonstrated capacity to lead the collection, analysis and utilization of information from a broad range of sources in order to ensure effective integration of gender and youth concerns throughout the project’s duration
• Excellent partnership, communication and advocacy skills and the ability to interact effectively with donors, collaborating agencies, local and government partners
• Ability to foster commitment and build capacity among project staff and stakeholders actors to gender integration and empowerment
• Excellent organization and planning skills and ability to resolve problems constructively
• Understanding of current best practices and innovations in PSNP5 programming
• Computer literate, with strong knowledge of MS Office applications,
• Flexibility, persistence, and ability to work well in a multi-sectoral team
• Knowledge of USAID and USG grant regulations and procedures strongly preferred
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in in English and Amharic required

Working Environment / Conditions:

• Travel up to 25% of time to SPIR II operation areas