Project Background
The five-year (2019 – 2024) USAID-funded Feed the Future Policy Leadership, Interactions, Networks and Knowledge (Policy LINK) project implemented by DAI Global LLC will strengthen the capacity of local actors and institutions to lead and manage the agricultural transformation process and contribute effectively and collectively to improved, broad-based food security policy outcomes.
Specifically, the program aims to strengthen food security policy systems by investing in and reinforcing productive human and social capital and developing strategic partnerships that help bring these innovations and capacity investments to scale in order to achieve a critical mass of local actors with the ability and opportunity to effect positive policy change through collective action.
Policy LINK in South Sudan
The LINK project will open an office in Juba, South Sudan in order to provide backbone support to the Partnership for Recovery and Resilience (PfRR). PfRR is an unprecedented cross-sector, multi-donor, multi-agency platform and collective of partners established to increase the agency of local populations in select geographic areas to identify and respond to their priority needs for building resilience and reducing vulnerability. With this approach, the community, local governments, and donor agencies are improving their use of evidence to inform joint decision making at local, national, regional and global levels; however, the central focus is to strengthen the community’s ability to withstand and respond to shocks, including environmental, economic, political and those related to local conflicts.
The PfRR is grounded in the concepts of collective impact and collaborative governance. It intends to reduce the humanitarian burden in the targeted communities and make the use of donor resources more effectively by promoting greater self-reliance, reinforced by external assistance.
LINK will provide backbone support to PfRR partners in Juba and in select regions to enhance coordination and effectiveness towards the realization of resilience objectives. This includes support to PfRR structures and working groups with the establishment of core monitoring and evaluation frameworks and internal knowledge management practices, and establishment of partnership framework building blocks.
Position Objectives
The Program Coordinator will be responsible for providing overall coordination and support towards the development, implementation, and monitoring of LINK’s program activities in South Sudan, including coordination, administrative, logistical, and technical support to and within Activity Teams. The coordinator will oversee and support various aspects of the design, execution, and monitoring of Policy LINK program activities including scope and work plan, supporting activity teams, documentation and reporting and ensuring compliance and quality assurance. The position will also contribute significantly to Policy LINK’s monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) activities.
S/he will continually reinforce Policy LINK’s agreed-upon core purpose and principles, and ensure all decision-making is rooted in the purpose and principles. S/he will contribute to a learning environment in which personal and team growth is supported, with a shared understanding that the “team” always comes before the “individual.”
Responsibilities
The Program Coordinator will be responsible for the following:
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
● Coordinate closely with the MEL Manager to support development and maintenance of the program’s MEL system, including development of tracking tools and methodologies to assemble data required on a recurring basis;
● Work with the MEL Manager to support integration of MEL into ongoing programming efforts, coordinating closely with the Area Program Managers;
○ Ensure proper documentation of relevant program activities, operations, data and records, including accurate compilation of activity descriptions, work plans, tools, minutes, conference reports, M&E reports, and other activity records and materials required for MEL, financial and program compliance;
○ Work with team members to design and conduct in-person interviews or follow-up meetings to assess key project outcomes (using the survey tools and instruments provided by the LINK MEL team);
○ Support data collection and reporting to USAID’s TraiNet database as appropriate; and
○ Coordinate and support the development and review of monthly, quarterly and annual project reports and other MEL products including case studies and lessons learned.
Program Support and Activity Teams Coordination
● Support planning, execution, and follow up of program activities to ensure tasks and deliverables are accomplished per the activity description, work plan, budget, and program policies.
○ As part of activity teams, support the overall conceptualization, development and smooth implementation of LINK’s program activities, including management of a comprehensive South Sudan activity implementation tracker.
■ Elements include the activity matrix and budget, activity deliverables, general implementation tracker, and consultant tracker.
○ Coordinate regular program and team meetings and debriefs to set targets, review progress, coordinate teams and draw lessons for successful implementation of program activities.
○ Support the overall coordination towards preparation and facilitation of project trainings, meetings, workshops, seminars, conferences and events.
■ Coordinate with finance, procurement, and technical staff to ensure necessary activity preparations, logistics, and payments are made.
■ Undertake regular checks, reconnaissance, and field visits to activity sites and venues as required, to ensure adequate preparations and provide support as needed.
○ Support the preparation or review of draft documents (e.g., technical and workshop reports) to ensure quality and conformity with agreed templates, consistent with client and stakeholder requirements.
○ Support and maintain good communication and relationships with program partners, consultants and participants on matters regarding program activity, expectations, logistics, deliverables, timelines, and compliance requirements.
○ Represent Policy LINK in meetings and processes as required and appropriate, including scheduling, documenting, and following up on meetings with partners and USAID.
Reporting
The Program Coordinator will report to the South Sudan Country Lead. S/he will work closely with all members of the Policy LINK South Sudan team, particularly the MEL Manager, and liaise periodically with the Kenya office as well as other remotely based members of the Policy LINK team.
Supervisory Responsibilities
The Program Coordinator may supervise short-term consultants hired to perform cross-cutting functions for the Policy LINK South Sudan team.
Qualifications
Education
· At minimum, a university degree in a relevant subject area, such as business administration or the social sciences.
Work Experience
· Minimum of three but preference for five or more years of experience providing program management and monitoring, evaluation, and learning support to a donor-funded project; preference for experience supporting a USAID-funded project;
· Experience working with programs focused on the core concepts of resilience, livelihoods, and food security;
· Knowledge of the South Sudan Partnership for Recovery and Resilience (PfRR); preference for direct experience supporting PfRR activities; and
· Previous experience working at the community level in regions of South Sudan outside Juba.
Skills
· Good understanding of USAID policies and procedures;
· Good understanding of standard Microsoft Office programs such as Word, Excel, and Outlook;
· Ability to communicate/collaborate effectively across cultures, including with team members based in other countries;
· Strong organizational and coordination skills, with an ability to “manage up” and integrate necessary inputs from senior staff and stakeholders;
· Critical thinker and self-starter, able to work with minimal supervision and within established deadlines;
· Flexible, willing to perform assigned and additional duties and work under unpredictable conditions;
· Strong partnership and people management skills; and
· Professional fluency in English with a preference for Juba Arabic language skills.
How to apply:
Please submit applications electronically via this website: https://fs9.formsite.com/daisuppliers/fn7h026brt/index.html
Candidates will be required to answer certain qualifying questions before uploading their CVs and cover letters to the application form for consideration. Applications submitted between June 10 – July 1, 2020 will be considered in the order received; this submission window may later be extended. Only candidates who are shortlisted for interviews will be contacted. No email inquiries please.