Program Manager I - Agriculture & Livelihoods at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Job Summary: 

• You will manage programming for agriculture and livelihood for the THRIVE consortium based in Maiduguri.
• You will directly supervise the CRS THRIVE agriculture and livelihood team.
• You will work collaboratively as a team member with the other CRS sector leads and MEAL in THRIVE, under the leadership of the Food Security and Livelihood Advisor THRIVE, to plan, sequence, and layer all sector interventions to achieve optimal integration and impact for the poor and vulnerable.
• You will also   oversee the planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, program quality and reporting for agriculture and livelihood activities.
• Your management skills and knowledge will ensure that THRIVE delivers high-quality, cost effective and locally appropriate programming, and continuously works towards improving the impact of its interventions. 

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Manage and implement all agriculture and livelihood activities, specifically vegetable and crop farming, poultry rearing, economic recovery and market systems-based activities on youth enterprise and savings and internal lending community activities throughout relevant project cycles - project design, start-up, implementation, and close-out - to ensure efficient and effective implementation in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices. Ensure project team and partner staff use the appropriate systems and tools.
• Ensure effective planning and integration of agriculture and livelihood interventions with THRIVE activities in nutrition and protection, food assistance, and shelter and settlement &WASH. 
• Represent THRIVE and CRS at all state level sector-based coordination mechanisms for agriculture and livelihoods.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise the THRIVE agriculture and livelihood team in CRS. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, contribute to the recruitment process of project staff, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Champion learning with project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following MEAL policy. Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation obstacles. 
• Act as a key resource person in project design and proposal development in respective programming area, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed.
• Coordinate the identification of staff capacity and technical assistance needs of partner organizations and capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation. 
• Help identify, assess, and strengthen partnerships relevant to nutrition and protection, applying appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools, and approaches.
• Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to project needs. Through planning and oversight ensure efficient use of project resources

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Project management experience in agriculture and livelihood is essential.
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Demonstrable capacities in team working and   cross-sectoral planning and implementation.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups 
• Experience in managing relationships and performance with partner organizations and representing programs to   local stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to write reports and make presentations.
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Project management experience in agriculture and livelihood is desirable.
• Program management experience in North- East Nigeria is desirable.
• Experience in implementing emergency agriculture and livelihood programming. 
• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
• MEAL skills and experience preferred. Experience using CommCare and Power BI is an advantage.
• Experience of using market-based mechanisms and CVA modalities, including the RedRose platform, for provision of agriculture and livelihood inputs to project participants is desirable.

Required Languages – English and Hausa are essential. Knowledge of one or more of the languages spoken in Maiduguri, such as Kanuri or Shuwa Arabic is an advantage. 

Travel – The post is based in Maiduguri and includes 40% travel to field locations in the Jere area of Maiduguri. 

Supervisory Responsibilities : Senior Program Officer – Youth entrepreneurship and economic strengthening, Project Officer-Agriculture, Project Officer Livestock.

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: COP, DCOP, Food assistance PM, other THRIVE sector leads, Head of Office, Heads of Administration, Supply Chain, and Finance, Security Coordinator, Admin and Operations staff in Maiduguri and Abuja. 

External – UN, coordination forums, INSO, THRIVE implementing partners.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic Qualifications

• Master's Degree in agriculture-based courses. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Minimum of two years of relevant field-based management experience in coordinating similar interventions in North- East Nigeria. 
• Two years’ experience in working in an integrated and multisectoral program. 
• Two years’ experience in supervisory role 
• Two years’ experience in budget management