Job Description
Action Against Hunger-USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network, which provides humanitarian relief in more than 50 countries worldwide in the sectors of nutrition, health, water, hygiene and sanitation, food security, and livelihoods. Action Against Hunger-USA, an independent NGO, currently manages programs in 7 countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Haiti. Action Against Hunger-USA invests more than $60 million in programs annually with approximately 1,500 permanent employees based in New York City, Washington D.C, HEARO (Nairobi), and country offices. Action Against Hunger – US anticipates expanding to more countries.
In Kenya, Action Against Hunger has been present since 2001 and is a transformative leader in food and nutrition security for improved quality of life among vulnerable communities. Action Against Hunger aims to contribute to the optimal functional performance of National, County, and Community systems through strategic partnerships for innovative nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions. The organization recognizes gender equality as central to its core strategy toward the realization of effective and sustainable outcomes on nutrition, WASH, food security, and livelihoods as well as health and nutrition surveillance interventions. Action Against Hunger is currently implementing integrated activities in West Pokot, Mandera, and Isiolo, counties.
I. Summary of position
The Deputy Field Coordinator - Programs shall lead and monitor the implementation of programs at the field level, with the support and collaboration with the MEAL focal person, technical leads at National level and Program Managers at field level, and under the supervision of the Field Coordinator, Monitor potential program delays or hindrances and timely report to Field Coordinator, suggesting corrective measures considering Programme team inputs and BFU recommendations. The Deputy Filed Coordinator will collaborate with the Field Coordinator, technical Head of Departments, and M&E to design new proposals; also ensuring that field inputs from Program teams are timely received by the field coordinator and technical coordination team. Also, ensuring the implementation of technical recommendations from internal audit, experts, consultancies, and Head of Departments. The Deputy Field Coordinator-Programs will represent Action Against Hunger at various coordination platforms in the county in the absence or with the delegation of Field Coordinator.
Purpose:
The deputy field coordinator programs shall oversee all the aspects of program management cycles from identification of the needs, business development, project planning and implementation and evaluation to determine success in achieving project goals. To achieve this, the DFC programs will manage program team at the base level to ensure quality project implementation. The DFC programs will forge for an integrated programing in all sectors in bid to address the nutrition issues in the areas of operation. He/she will also ensure coherence of approaches between the different programs for better outcomes. The deputy field coordinator participates in external sector meetings and supervises the budget follow-up of activities
Engagement:
The Deputy Field Coordinator Programs will manage Program staff at the field level, and closely work with the Field Coordinator, and technical teams at the coordination level to support in design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluating of programs while ensuring proper implementation of the field activities. In the absence of the FC, he/she will closely work with the County government while ensuring strategic representation at the county level.
Delivery:
The Deputy Field Coordinator – Programs will be responsible for direct supervision and monitoring of all the program functions at the field level and ensure strict compliance with all Action Against Hunger operational procedures/policies.
- Essential job functions
1: Program Coordination and Management
- In coordination with the Field Coordinator, ensure that all programs are implemented in compliance with the Action Against Hunger technical standards, country, international and donor guidelines.
- Ensuring the timely and proper provision to the FC of all relevant internal program-related reporting documents requested from the Field Office.
- Providing regular updates to the Field Coordinator and technical HoDs on program implementations
- Monitoring the implementation of the Action Against Hunger Charter and prevention of frauds or abuses of power and informing the Field Coordinator when needed
- Providing capacity building and coaching to Program staff on project management best practices
- Lead in ensuring quality and timely implementation of projects at field level. Identify new program opportunities in collaboration with the field team, field coordinator, and capital program staff.
- Support the integration of program activities to create coherent, quality, and complimentary programming focusing on the integration of projects/program
- Ensure the follow up and support to integrated programming approaches internally to Action Against Hunger sectors and within the consortium and with other partners working together in our operation areas
- Ensure the follow up and support to integrated programming approaches internally to Action Against Hunger sectors and within the consortium and with other partners working together in our operation areas
- Ensure adherence or alignment of all Action Against Hunger activities to County, National, and international guidelines
- Ensure integration of MIYCN activities to the component of the programs.
- Support the Field coordinator in conducting monthly meetings with the staff at the field to review implementation progress.
- Ensurefrequent and regular visiting the field to monitor activities, supplies, and general running of the program
- Ensure that quality criteria and indicators are monitored and lead to decision-making
- In collaboration with the Field Coordinator, Propose and initiate improvements according to the analysis and findings of sporadic assessments that will contribute to ACF strategy reviews and advocacy.
- In collaboration with the field coordinator advise the projects on any changes in the context;
- Overallreview of program performance as per stipulated standards and development of strategic action points thereafter
- Under the guidance of the Field Coordinator develop collaboration with local partners, follow-up and coordinate their capacity building under multi-sectoral programs
2: Representation and communication
- Represent Action Against Hunger in external engagements with GOK, other implementing partners, and key community stakeholders when assigned or in the absence of the field coordinator.
- Support field coordinator in updating the partner mapping tool on regular basis, and help identify potential agencies for partnerships Coordinateproject technical work to ensure Action Against Hunger representation at sector-specific coordination fora
3: Design, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting
- Lead in the writing of the weekly, monthly, Quarterly semi-annual, and annual internal and donor reports. According to the organizational and donor guidelines.
- Work with FC and MEAL manager to develop a monitoring and evaluation plan as per Action Against Hunger guidelines and follow up on its implementation.Ensure appropriate MEAL activities are carried out regularly by program staff in all sectors (data collection & analysis, monitoring of project progress against established work plans, monitoring of established indicators, and utilization of results to inform program design).
- Review activity reports of staff and provide necessary feedback to the staff
- Contribute to designing technical strategy and country strategy.
- Work closely with the field team and the Nairobi to include advocacy in the documentation of key activities, development of lesson-learned documents, and other related advocacy issues
- With technical support from the MEAL manager, ensure accurate and quality MEAL tools including M&E plans, Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP), and Indicator tracking matrix for the program in place and utilized
- Work closely with the Field Coordinator and MEAL manager to effectively support the program to carry out all assessments – baselines, assessments, designs, monitoring, and evaluations – in accordance with donor requirements and GOK and ACF established standards, policies, and procedures.
4: Finance and logistics management
In the absence of field, the coordinator supports the team-
- Work with program officers to develop project budgets, and spending plans based on the activity plan
Closely with the program teams to monitor project expenditure against stipulated deliverables and budget agreements/donor guidelines.
- Coordinate monthly review meetings based on budget follow-up from finance departments and advise where necessary
- Closely liaise with the base admin and finance and logistics department to follow up on expenses
- Oversee the financial management of field office operations by the finance staff, including cash management, issuing and tracking advances, ensuring compliance with Action Against Hunger finance policies and regulations
- Conduct and monitor risk analysis, including the development of security planning.
- Ensure field weekly movement plans are in place and coordinate with the logistics and finance department on purchase orders, cash forecast, and BFU/PFU on a monthly basis.
- Works closely with logistics and administration to ensure timely delivery of supplies.
- With the Action Against Hunger logistics and security focal persons and relevant government departments at the field level lead in the implementation of security procedures to ensure the safety of beneficiaries at the project sites, AAH staff at the field and those visiting the base.
5: Human Resource and Administration management
- Provide technical guidance to Field Coordinator for effective day-to-day program implementation
- Staff management of program field staff including identification of staff training needs, staff supervision, capacity building, and follow-up.
III. Supervisory Responsibilities
- Supervise the program field staff
- Supervise support staff in the absence of the field coordinator
- Physical Demands
- This is a field-level-based position and may require one to stay in the community with access to modest basic amenities
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to travel long distances in the community, therefore, requiring the officer to be flexible, be able to work under pressure and work beyond working hours.
- Working Conditions, Travel, and Environment
- The duties of the job require regular job attendance for five days per week with eight hours per day however, due to the nature of the program, may be required to work longer hours and over the weekends.
- Travel to national office and field visits on regular basis. While visiting the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high-security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases. Staff must therefore adhere to measures put in place to reduce these risks including COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures
- Gender Equality Commitments & Zero Tolerance to Abuse
- Foster an environment that reinforces values of the women and men, and equal access to information.
- Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
- Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all stakeholders, particularly for children, beneficiaries, and members of staff.
- Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.
- Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, and children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
- Value and respect all cultures.
Required Qualifications and Professional Experience
- Bachelor of Science (Foods, Nutrition, and Dietetics), or Public health, Project Management or any other related degree. A master’s level will be an added advantage.
- A minimum of 5 years of field experience in humanitarian relief and/or development programs and 2 in management level.
- Previous experience in coordination and representation, working in ASAL, challenging, insecure areas is desirable. Experience managing Nutrition, Health, RRM, and FSL, WASH will be desirable too.
- Excellent communication skills in both written and verbal English
- Good computer skills (Excel, Word, Google Earth)
- A good listener with very well-developed diplomatic skills
- Flexible and resourceful
- Solution-oriented management
Required Skills & Competencies
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Good analytical and report-writing skills
- Extensive ICT proficiency with knowledge of basic computer applications - Excellent influencing and negotiation skills
- Demonstrated capacity to provide technical leadership
- Ability to train, mentor, and coach a team – a team player
- Knowledge delivering capacity building for field technical teams
- A good listener with very well-developed diplomatic skills
- Flexible and resourceful
- Solution-oriented management
- Familiarity with Action Against Hunger and Action Against Hunger ‘s principles an advantage
- Competitive salary
- Medical cover
- Pension