Resilience & Livelihoods Technical Advisor (RLTA), Somalia Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) at World Vision Kenya

Position purpose

World Vision seeks a Resilience & Livelihoods Technical Advisor (RLTA), for the proposed USAID-funded Somalia Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA). The goal of the Activity is to improve and maintain the food security of extremely poor, socially marginalized populations in IDP settlements and surrounding host communities despite shocks and stresses. This activity is a 5-year program worth approximately $72 million.

World Vision has been consistently present in Somalia since 1993 and is a highly respected, locally focused, broad-based organization that has earned the trust not only of the local population and government but also of donors such as USAID. In Somalia, it designed and leads the Somali Resilience Building Program (SomREP), an integrated resilience-focused program with a total budget of over $134 million for more than 10 years from seven donors, as well as the Building Pathway Out of Poverty for Ultra-poor IDPs and Vulnerable Host Communities program, an Ultra-Poor Graduation program, among others. This program implementation knowledge and experience, combined with World Vision Somalia's strong relationships across Somalia, make it a unique employer with which to work in Somalia.  

The RLTA will contribute to World Vision's important work in Somalia by providing technical support to the livelihood’s skill-building and asset transfer components of the graduation approach.  S/he will work with the Graduation Approach (GA) Lead to ensure cohesion across all components of the graduation approach and that interventions are sequenced, layered and integrated appropriately at all levels of implementation within the RFSA activity.

The RLTA will report directly to the COP and will work directly with the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Lead and Strategic Learning Advisor (SLA) to ensure that M&E and learning feedback loops are properly fed into and utilized by the technical field staff. 

The RLTA position is contingent upon funding and donor approval and will be based Nairobi, Kenya with 50% of the time spent in Somalia. 

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Activity: Support the Graduation Approach implementation.

• Provide technical support regarding the livelihood’s skill-building and asset transfer components of the graduation approach. 
• Collaborate with the Graduation Approach Lead to ensure cohesion and integration across all components of the graduation approach within the RFSA activity.   35%

End Results

• Livelihood’s skill-building and asset transfer components of the graduation approach is implemented well. 
• All components of the Graduation Approach are implemented with considering social cohesion and integration.   

 Activity: Livelihood resilience and diversification

• Develop and implement strategies for livelihood resilience and diversification.
• Establish strong market linkages and engage effectively with the private sector.
• Apply experience in value addition, market systems, and addressing environmental and cultural constraints to livelihoods.
• Develop and enhance sustainable livelihood skill-building programs encompassing on-farm, off-farm, and non-farm livelihoods  35%

End Results: Well-implemented livelihood components.  

Activity: Integration, layering, and sequencing

• Ensure technical interventions are integrated, layered, and sequenced appropriately within the activity and with external stakeholders including USAID, the private sector, other donors, and Federal Government of Somalia. 15%

End Results: Effective Integration of program with other WV Somalia programmes

Activity: Staff Management

• Supervise staff that report directly to this position. 
• Conduct regular coaching and implement the Performance Development Management system. 10%

End Results: All required staff positions are filled as per the organogram of the RFSA. 

• Staff are motivated and well equipped to accomplish their tasks.

Activity: Perform other duties as required 5% 

End Results: Smooth running of the program activities.

KNOWLEDGE/QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE ROLE
Required Professional Experience  

• Six years of relevant experience at the community level in the Horn of Africa is required, with preference for experience working with Somali communities.
• Have a broad range of technical experience including urban/rural livelihoods, climate change adaptation, gender, and social inclusion. Specific experience on graduation programming is preferred. 
• Must have an in-depth understanding of all components of livelihood development including selection, planning, and management of small businesses; livelihood resilience and diversification strategies; establishment of market linkages; and engagement with the private sector.
• Have experience with value addition, market systems, and environmental and cultural constraints to livelihoods. 
• Demonstrate experience with the development and enhancement of sustainable livelihood skill-building programs including on-farm, off-farm, and/or non-farm livelihoods, from self-employment to small business creation.
• Have demonstrated experience in resilience programming in dynamic and uncertain contexts characterized by drought, displacement, and insecurity. 
• Previous experience in working in a large USAID grant including Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA), Development Food Security Activity (DFSA), Development Food Assistance Programs (DFAP)s, Multi Year Assistance Programs (MYAP)s and/or Development Assistance Programs (DAP)s. 

Required Education, training, license, registration, and certification  

• A master’s degree in agriculture, economic, food security, international development or non-profit management or related a concentration from an accredited U.S. college or university, or international equivalent.
• Strong management and interpersonal skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and other language(s)
• Mentoring and facilitation skills, 
• The ability to network and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders, 
• Field experience in low-resource environments. 
• Demonstrated communication, creative problem solving, and management skills.  
• Professional licenses, as required in the field and by the donor.

Preferred Knowledge and Qualifications  

• Experience on graduation programming. 
• Experience working with Somali communities.
• Experience in managing inter-agency consortiums is preferred.  
• Conversational Somali and/or Arabic is preferred.

Travel and/or Work Environment Requirement  

• Mandatory travels to implementation sites and regional, global meetings as required.
• Travel to the United States WVUS Washington, DC Office to meet with donors and other stakeholders.  

Language Requirements  

• Fluency in English.  Fluency in conversational Somali and/or Arabic will be an added advantage.