Food Security Coordinator (Program Manager) at Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (Caritas Nigeria)

The Food Security Coordinator position is responsible for carrying out all aspects of program delivery on the ECHO SaHARA Project with respect to food security/cash response programming in the project locations. Food Security programs through multipurpose cash transfer response, is designed to respond to conflict affected communities in the region, providing the much needed assistance mostly through cash transfer programming for food and basic needs for the affected households, in a manner that upholds human dignity.

S/he will be responsible for: 

• Designing, developing and implementing innovative program activities and initiatives that uplift the vulnerable persons through cash programming as delineated in the Program documents
• Ensuring the identification, selection, sensitization, monthly distribution of cash and accompaniment of project beneficiaries throughout the duration of the project with preferential option for the most vulnerable
• Contribute to and form part of the FSL and CWG emergency response mechanisms, providing timely reports and data trends reflective of the socio-cultural context in the field
• Establishing relationships with community, local implementing partners, local government and leaders, supervising field-level operations, such as the delivery of materials/inputs, registration of complaints, and payment to beneficiaries.

Roles and Responsibilities

The key responsibilities include

• Provide support to the implementation of operational elements of Food Security and Cash transfer programming, working closely with the Senior Programme Manager and team.
• Leads the process of identifying beneficiary communities/targeting based on robust and participatory criteria, assist other Food Security and CTP staffs, if any and implement cash transfer project at grass root level following Caritas Nigeria SOP for cash.
• Maintain master beneficiaries list/data base of with indicator tools used 
• Establishing and supervising cash delivery mechanisms for Caritas Nigeria in designated project area.
• Works closely with Food Security Sector sharing reports and getting updates on tools and relevant information to improve program delivery
• S/he will be working closely with financial service delivery (FSP) and Mobile Network Operators. 
• Ensure that narratives and financial reporting is delivered in accordance with Caritas Nigeria as well as donor contractual requirements, and within the agreed timescale and budget.
• To ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Charter, CHS and Red Cross Code of Conduct.

Project Implementation 

• Lead community based targeting and verification of the beneficiaries’ program participants 
• Maintains and adapts as required a Master database for all beneficiaries of the programs in project location.
• Prepare Purchase Requests for program supplies/activities and liaison with field Supply Chain and finance team to undertake field procurement as designated and authorized. 
• Maintains individual databases for individual transfer programs including Issues verification and payment lists.
• Maintains records of payments and follow-up for all beneficiary lists but also for individual beneficiaries. 
• Develop cash distribution plan, supervise and evaluate the on spot cash distribution process 
• Set up and strengthen beneficiaries’ compliant feedback mechanisms with relevant internal partners. 
• Provide cash transfer sensitization sessions for targeted households and other partners 
• Manage Program Officers and field level staff Assist project partners implement activities as indicated in monthly and quarterly work plan
• Support project partners to develop detailed monthly and quarterly technical work plan
• Oversee Post-distribution Monitoring activities as required
• Prepare/review of all field level programmatic reports.
• Perform other duties as may be assigned by the (Senior) Program Manager and other principals. 

External Coordination 

• Participate actively in Food Security Sector and cash Working Group meetings at subnational level
• Lead program coordination and other humanitarian coordination platform at field level 
• Work with Safety and Security colleagues to develop and implement effective safety and security procedures for specific cash transfer programming activities, ensuring that these are updated and revised at regular intervals and that new programs are built around security considerations. 
• Work with and provide timely technical support to the Caritas Nigeria’s implementing partners; maintain respectful and constructive relations with partner staff.
• Comply with Caritas Nigeria’s policies such as, Whistle blowing, Fraud, and Safety and other relevant policies. 
• In information exchange with the field teams, s/he guides the team with regard to data collection and analysis. 
• Represents Caritas Nigeria on Cash coordination meetings at different level like subnational, and national level. 
• Identify and work very closely with Financial Service Providers (FSP).

Internal Coordination 

• Maintains adequate communication and coordination within team (protection and other team members) and with other programme areas (WASH, NFI, nutrition), as well as the Protection team when required, when planning data collection activities. 
• Chips in to the set-up and conduct of needs assessments involving/focusing on data collection for cash transfer programs in project location.
• Updates his/her direct superior on data collection activities in relation to planned and ongoing cash activities of other humanitarian actors in Nigeria.
• Ensure and put in place the vital compliant management and response mechanisms in collaboration with MEAL staff.

Project Monitoring and Reporting

• Assist in the collection of data, conduct of assessments (needs, market, risks and security) and provide input for concept note/ proposal development for cash transfer project in collaboration with the local community structures and community members. 
• Supervise progress against grant work plan; promptly identifying any current or potential delays. 
• Assist his/her supervisors to ensure all monitoring activities are fully documented, including detailed and timely data collection as required under the grant and for Caritas Nigeria M&E purposes.

Capacity Building and Coaching

• Sensitize the communities, government partners and local stakeholders to consider cash response as one modality at appropriate situation.
• Capacitate the community facilitators, staffs under his/her supervisee, and others (if any) on cash Transfer Programming (CTP).
• Support and mentor the FSP to meet the humanitarian principles during Cash Response program/facilitating the payment to the beneficiaries

Job Requirement 

• Minimum of Bachelor degree in Agriculture, Social science or related field.  
• Minimum 5 years’ experience working on Food Security/Cash Assistance programming in a humanitarian or development context 
• Proven abilities on cash based program (specific abilities or skills required)

Personal qualities:

• Works well in and promotes collaboration, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to work under pressure well. 
• Good communication and interpersonal skills. 
• Fluency in English, and also other local languages preferred.