Director, Food Assistance Operations at World Vision Kenya

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

The Director, Food Assistance position provides the leadership, management and vision necessary to ensure that the Food Assistance programs have the proper operational systems/controls, reporting procedures and people to effectively support food assistance programming growth and implementation in National Offices and ensure operating efficiency.
The position oversees the performance of the Field Operations and Global Field teams for a coordinated delivery of technical assistance and capacity building to the National Offices. The position accomplishes this through a respectful, constructive and energetic style, guided by the organization’s core values and mission statement.
The Director, Food Assistance is a key position in the team reporting to the Senior Director- Technical Resources for Disaster Management Team and supports the positioning of World Vision as a partner of choice for food assistance response to global needs.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Leadership and Strategy Execution:
  
  • Responsible for leading operational excellence in Food assistance programming for all WV food assistance programs worldwide. This is aimed at ensuring that food programs are implemented in compliance with WV Partnership and donor standards.
  • Leads in the identification, recruitment and day to day supervision of 4 Senior Advisor Food Assistance.
  • Identify key and emerging trends in the food assistance management and lead the development of appropriate systems and process changes to ensure World Vision responds effectively and in a timely manner to those changes in order to maintain and strengthen its reputation as an industry leader and position World Vision to be the partner of choice for all major food assistance related donors.
  • Provide support and leadership to the development of innovative and replicable project models for food assistance along with execution guidance for this models that support long term food and nutrition security.
• Manage, coach and develop a team of staff to meet the requirements of their current responsibilities and likely future challenges within the Food Assistance industry.
• Coordination and Representation:
  
  • Represent World Vision in external coordination and strategic meetings and specifically with donors (WFP, USAID etc.) to profile the organisation and ensure that we are well represented in these forums where issues of Food Assistance are being discussed.
  • Maintain strategic engagements with senior leaders at the Regional/National level and specifically the Senior Director of Operations, Regional Humanitarian Affairs Directors, Resource and
  • Acquisition, National Directors to profile food assistance programs and issues for effective program implementation and portfolio growth.
  • Provide guidance and leadership to the Food Assistance Operations on the management of financial aspects for food assistance programs including capacity building on LTSH and Support Office match management, following up on WFP reimbursements and the Commodity Shipment Summaries.
  • Oversee the development of effective working relationship between the DMT team and the WVUS FSL unit in managing US government funded grants (USDA, DFAPs, EFSPs) etc. by holding quarterly meeting for an effective implementation of these grants.
  • Participate in senior management meetings and activities including regular meetings, training activities, devotions and other activities as requested.
• Strategic Initiatives:
  
  • Oversee and help operationalize important Food Assistance Initiatives including managing evolving priorities as the programs grow and the landscapes shifts working closely with the Senior Director.
• Global Field Finance and FPMG Team Finance:
  
  • Develop and maintain good professional networks and relationships with key Global Grants and Programs Team, FRSC, GAM, Regional Finance Directors, NO Finance Directors and SO Finance teams with an aim of ensuring that finance issues in food assistance are addressed in compliance with the GC Financial systems and process. This will include participating and making presentation at various Regional Finance Directors forums.
  • Provide leadership and guidance needed by National Offices and Support Offices in the close-out processes for food assistance projects within the stipulated 90 days.
  • Accountable for the management of the budget within the approved limits. This includes: developing the annual team budgets, reviewing the financial reports on a monthly basis, monitoring field travel accounts and managing both internal and external audit processes to ensure consistent clean audit opinions.
• Risk Oversight and Management:
  
  • Provide oversight and guidance to WV offices to ensure appropriate capability to effectively secure food assistance grants/resources and to successfully implement high quality programmes which meet programme objectives with fiscal accountability.
  • Ensure that all food assistance programmes comply with Partnership food assistance standards and procedures.
  • Manage by providing a balanced approach (responsive and proactive) to meeting client (NOs, SOs and Regions) needs through supporting the senior technical advisors and the information management team achieve their objectives.
  • Establish high standards of performance and demonstrate a commitment to excellence for Operations staff by developing and ensuring adherence to standard operating procedures.
  • Maintain a close link with the Global Centre Audit team and ensure that all food assistance programs undergo regular reviews, audits and evaluations.
  • Provide leadership to the development and implementation of food assistance tools designed to improve quality programming including updating the manual, tools and delivery systems/processes.
  • Provide support to the implementation of talent management system that will enable the deployment and recruitment of food assistance staff with speed while maintaining integrity.

KNOWLEDGE,SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Required:

• Bachelors degree in International Development, Social Sciences, or a related field or equivalent experience required.
• Direct experience in- and thorough working knowledge of- food assistance legislation and regulations of major donors including the United States, Canada, the European Union and Australia.
• A minimum of 10 years working experience in a high level management position in program development, donor relations or related field.
• Track record of strong and positive relationships with significant food assistance stakeholders (i.e. WFP, UN agencies, NGOs and major donors).
• Professional maturity translating into the ability to provide counsel and expertise to senior professionals.
• Minimum of 10 years work experience in senior management leading to a high degree of expertise and knowledge of food assistance management and risk management.
• Good spoken and written English communication skills.
• Knowledge of an additional international language (French, Spanish and/or Portuguese) highly preferred.
• Effective in written and verbal communication in English.

Preferred:

• Formal Tarining in Food Assistance management and logistic preferred.
• MiniFamiliarrity with Cash based programming and markets.
• Expereince in Capacity building, team bulding and leadership is necessary.
• A minimum of 15 years working experience in a high level management position in program development, donor relations or related field.
• A Minimum of 10 years senior management experience.

Work Environment:

The position requires ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 30% of the time.