Agriculture and Livelihood Researcher / National
Agriculture and Livelihood Researcher / National
Organization
iMMAP is an international nongovernmental organisation that provides information management services to humanitarian and development organizations. Through information management, we help our partners target assistance to the world’s most vulnerable populations. Our core philosophy is that better data leads to better decisions and that better decisions lead to better outcomes.IMMAP’s critical support to information value chains helps to solve operational and strategic challenges of our partners in both emergency and development contexts by enabling evidence-based decision-making for better outcomes.
Background
Under the guidance and supervision from the Food Security and Livelihood (FSL) Unit Lead for Jordan and the overall supervision of the iMMAP’s Country Representative, and in conjunction with the iMMAP’s Food Security and Livelihood (FSL) Unit. TheAgriculture and Livelihood Researcher will serve the iMMAP FSL Unit to produce study reports and research analysis outputs on Agriculture and Livelihood, Agriculture Value Chains and Market Systems related subjects for consumption by the various Livelihood & Food Security stakeholders iMMAP serves in region.
Description of Duties
The iMMAPAgriculture and Livelihood Researcher is responsible to support program planning and management; coordination of programmatic themes and will oversee the following:
· Provide technical input related to agriculture (crops and livestock), Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) and livelihood studies/assessments. · Lead agriculture and value chains assessments/supervise their implementation activities at field level, including capacity building of humanitarian partners.
· Ensure project documentation at field level related to the project implementation and reporting. · Monitor enumerator staff performance to ensure all milestones set in the annual work plan are met, develop mitigation plans to reduce risks and take corrective actions to remedy any deviation from the work plans.
· Guide knowledge development, documentation and communication and branding in close collaboration with the FSL Unit Lead, guided by donor and stakeholder expectations.
· Identify follow-up funding, partnership possibilities and lead on business development to substantially increase the funding portfolio of the FSL Unit · Manage change processes related to sustainable intensification, market/value chain development, funding, enabling environment and learning in the Livelihood & Food Security, Agriculture Value Chains and Market Systems sectors.
· As part of the iMMAP commitment to organizational learning, and in support of the understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities they serve, it is expected that position holder will commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit iMMAP, as well as individual professional development.
Specific Key Result Areas:
Project Management
– Provide programmatic leadership & team management in the development and implementation of the agricultural program studies.
– Support the FSL Unit lead in maintaining strong partnerships and diversifying partnerships by identifying new partners in support of the Country Business Development Plan.
– Plan the mobilization of resources for the implementation of program activities.
– Manage a comprehensive activity plan, including resource needs analysis, covering the time frame.
– Proactively inform iMMAP FSL Unit Lead of identified opportunities, risks and risk mitigation relevant to the program planning and implementation.
Technical guidance
– Lead on analytical and research work in the thematic areas of Agriculture based livelihood, Agriculture Value Chains and Market Systems Development, Sustainable land use, Climate Smart Agriculture, Agricultural Diversification and Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture.
– Work with Whole of Syria FSL Cluster partners, Jordan FSL partners and iMMAP to identify research needs and topics.
– Lead in developing Agriculture and livelihood related reports and ensure the quality production of the deliverables.
– Ensure the inclusion of cross-cutting issues (Protection, Age, Gender, Disaster Risk Reduction and Environment) in the sector’s response.
Program Supervision
– Ensure training needs of teams are identified in collaboration with the other Project Leads.
– Collaborate and encourage a continuous learning and capacity building activities in the FSL Unit.
– Builds solid relationships with key national partners including local authorities, Academia and others.
– Ensure that colleague staff receive appropriate and adequate training related to Agriculture by providing coaching.
Business Development
– Contributes to iMMAP’s business development activities, including developing project proposals, technical concept note, outreach activities, relevant consultations, and meetings.
– In consultation with the FSL Unit Lead and Operations teams, lead on the development of technical/sectoral components of new proposals in Agriculture based livelihood, Agriculture Value Chains and Market Systems, based on emerging new needs and donor interests.
– Provide input into budget of technical components within new proposals.
– Lead development of Technical approaches and technical programs in alignment with strategies of various sectors.
Identification of New Programmatic Areas
– Under the guidance of the FSL Unit Lead, participate in the update of the Syria, Jordan and Business Development Plan.
– In coordination with the FSLL Unit Lead, participate in new project proposals development and donors reporting in collaboration with other technical experts, project leads, Country Representative and iMMAP HQ.
– Capitalize on the good practices developed by the Global iMMAP mission and share it with the relevant stakeholders.
– Regularly assess and provide feedback and recommendations on the quality of the programs.
Learning and Research
– Participate in all FLS Units projects’ lessons learned events.
– Participate in design and roll out of new research proposals and initiatives of iMMAP as needed. – Conduct regular situational analysis of the sector and feed recommendations back to iMMAP for decision making on future priorities.
Financial Management
– Plan and construct the FSL program budget.
– Ensure that budgets are spent according to donor proposals and regulations.
Representation
• Upon delegation by the FSL Unit Lead, represent the iMMAP country office with national and international partners, donors, and media, and participate in local stakeholder engagement as appropriate.
• Maintain effective and positive internal contacts with iMMAP country and regional representatives, external contacts with national and local government officials, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and partner organizations;
• Follow iMMAP's branding regulations required for marketing or branding of all iMMAP products and correspondence.
Requirements
Education
– At least one or more of the following qualifications: BSc Agriculture, BSc Agribusiness, BSc Agricultural Economics and/or Postgraduate degree (MSc and/or Ph.D) in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Agronomy, Agriculture and Nutrition studies, or relevant field.
Experience
Minimum of 3 years’ experience in program management required in the thematic area of Agriculture, Agricultural economics, Agriculture Value Chains and Market Systems research and assessment in the humanitarian sector.
– Good understanding of project cycle management of Agriculture based livelihood programming and the sustainable livelihood framework.
– Experience in donors and partnership relationships, representation with a wide range of organizations and stakeholders.
Soft skills
– Strong analytical skills, and apt at turning abstract discussions into concrete ideas.
– Technical writing skills including developing proposals and reports.
– Ability to have a global overview of a program. – Reactivity, anticipation, adaptability, capacity to take initiatives.
– Ability to pro-actively build relations with other stakeholders.
– Ability to select, develop and lead teams.
– Sound knowledge of the existing emergency market system mapping and analysis tools (EMMA, PCMA), familiar with systemic analysis and the M4P approaches.
– Proven technical capacity and knowledge contribution through publication of research articles with impact factor.
– Ability to work based on objectives.
Guiding Principles: Personnel is expected to conduct itself in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and iMMAP’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all Countries. iMMAP has zero-tolerance for sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, human trafficking, child abuse and exploitation. Any violations of these principles and policies will be treated as serious misconduct. iMMAP is an Equal Opportunity Employer regardless of background.
DISCLAIMER: Note that due to the urgency of this position, the applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the position may be filled before the recruitment closing date.
