Programme Assistant, Food Security at Christian Aid (CA) Full Time

Christian Aid (CA) is a UK-based international NGO, partnering with others to end poverty in Africa. At the heart of this vision is the transformation of the lives of people who live in poverty, empowering them to have a brighter future. Christian Aid works in more than 30 countries and has been operating in Nigeria since 2003. The Nigeria Country programme focuses on Community Health and HIV, Accountable Governance including humanitarian response and Gender.

We are seeking competent, self motivated, hardworking and result driven professional to fill the position below:

Job Title: Programme Assistant, Food Security

Location: Mafa, Borno
Department: International
Report to: Programme Officer – Food Security
Type of Contract: Fixed Term
Contracted hours: 35
Contract length: 6 months

Role Purpose

• The overall aim of the position is to assist the programme officer – food security to coordinate and manage a timely and effective food security assistance project in line with proposals, strategies and WFP requirements.

Key Outcomes
Under the direct supervision of the programme officer and in collaboration with other team members of the project and of the base, the programme assistant – food security will:

• Assist in all the beneficiary identification, registration, verification and distribution of food commodities on a monthly basis.
• Supervise and manage the engagement of casual labourers.
• Conduct training and sensitisation activities related to food distributions.
• Assist in Planning, supervising and monitoring training, awareness and sensitisation activities, including maintenance and verification of all supporting documentation and activities (e.g. preand post-tests).
• Assist in maintaining records of all activities, in order to complete timely reports for CAID and for external actors, including donors.
• Promote the rights of displaced people and affected populations, explore and assess new and better ways to provide timely, effective and appropriate assistance.
• Assist in gap analysis, needs assessment, conducting registration, receiving commodities and distributing to beneficiaries in locations adversely affected by the conflict.
• Other responsibilities as required of the position.

Role Agility

• Expected travel per annum: Up to 30 days
• On call/unsocial hours: Yes, in event of Christian Aid response to humanitarian emergency.

Surge Capacity for Emergency Responses:

• Yes – could be required to to travel for more than 75 days p.a. and for a period of up to 3 months but for no more than 6 months p.a. with no less than one month’s interval between postings unless in extreme circumstances.
• In order to respond to ever changing demands within the environment, Christian Aid operates within an agile framework (both in workforce and operational) that requires from all employees, a high level of responsiveness and adaptiveness to processes and structures making flexibility and a project based working approach the norm.
• To sustain this system, managers may/will agree further details of specific tasks and duties as part of the performance agreement.
• Any reasonable duty may be assigned that is consistent with the nature of the job and its level of responsibility, and employees may be required to change the focus of their role from time to time.

Role Context:

• To support the implementation of WFP Food security project by supporting the programme officer in undertaking programme activities (community mobilization, verification, registration, distribution, monitoring and evaluation).
• The role also includes assisting the programme officer in planning and coordination of distribution activities, food distribution planning and reporting.
• There is the need to have staff who is dedicated in practical application of targeting, registration, verification, and distribution according to WFP standard

Role Requirements
Relationships:

• External: Build strong relationships with partners, networks, donors, stakeholders and community beneficiaries.
• Internal: Build strong relationship with program departments, FSL/WASH Staff, MEAL officers, program managers, M&E units and all in-country and global staff.

Decision Making:

• Make decisions to manage team effectively, from recruitment of volunteers and to day to day management of food security activities and provide technical input and overall support to the programme officer. Day to day decision making in adherence to donor guidelines in food distributions while mainstreaming gender and protection.
• Makes decisions around project proposals, ensuring they are prepared and comply with reporting requirements.
• Make policy decisions that support standing and emergency issues.
• Contribute to shaping and implementing food security intervention and making sound decisions to support this

Budgetary/savings Responsibility:

• Outline the amount of budgetary/savings responsibility this role is accountable for.

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• Outline the level of authority and accountability in decision making, what resources is the post holder responsibility for? Frequency of decision making?

Analytical Skills:

• Works on complex specialist/ technical issues. Problems and issue, risks and benefits may have implications across several departments. Required to develop new ways of doing things to better meet program goals requiring substantial creative or analytical ability.

Developing Self and Others

• Has direct responsibility for developing, coaching and motivating a team or teams of colleagues and volunteers.
• Focus will be on advising and guiding programme officer – Food security on policy issues/high level procedures and direct line management responsibility may be limited.

Role Related Checks:

• Child protection clearance Standard Counter terrorism screening Required

Person Specification
Applied skills/knowledge and expertise:

• Proven experience in registration, verification and distribution in emergency relief operations is a strong advantage.
• Computer skills (primarily MS Office applications), especially Microsoft Excel.
• Knowledge of the context in rural Nigeria.
• Experience in complex emergencies and the ability to live and work in a very remote environment.
• Ability to work under pressure and without daily supervision
• Fluency in English, both written and verbal. Fluency in Hausa. Competency in Kanuri and/or other local languages appropriate to the target population is an added advantage

Essential:

• Relevant higher education at college level in Agriculture / Nutrition and/or Health.
• Strong understanding of protection principles and likely protection concerns arising in the Nigerian context as well as conflict sensitivity.

Desirable:

• Familiarity with FSL context in North – Eastern Nigeria.
• Ability to communicate fluently in beneficiaries local language (Kanuri / Shuwa /Hausa) and English language.
• A female candidate is preferred for the role

Digital / IT Competencies:

• Word, Excel, PowerPoint: Intermediate
• Web content design & development – N/A
• Internet based collaboration tools and video calling – Intermediate
• Social Media – Intermediate
• Data Visualisation – Intermediate

Application Closing Date
29th May, 2021.