PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:

The purpose of this position is to provide strategic leadership and technical support to WVUS funded programmes aimed at building improved and resilient livelihoods for smallholder farmers in a targeted National Offices (called THRIVE). The anticipated resourcing for these programmes of $175 million over 7 years is derived from a WVUS major donor marketing campaign.

This position will also provide leadership in helping to establish the evidence base for THRIVE and promote alignment with the WV Global Livelihoods Strategy in collaboration with key National Offices, Vision Fund International and the GC Resilience & Livelihoods Team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic & Technical Support to participating National Offices:

• Provide technical support to National Offices implementing WVUS THRIVE funded programmes – Assisting them to both develop and understand the programme models and key quality measures.
• To spend time with participating National Offices in understanding and establishing which evidence based packages of interventions help smallholder farmers provide sustainably for their children.
• Establish with National Offices the desired approach and capabilities required to implement programmes to an agreed level of quality at scale.
• Ensure programme quality and timely reporting with participating National Offices consistent with WVUS donor expectations and requirements.

Alignment and Collaboration with WV Global Livelihoods Strategy:

• Actively work to both influence and align with the Global Livelihoods strategy, primarily Intervention Package B (Building Secure Livelihoods) and ensure a common approach is being applied.
• Work in close collaboration with VFI R&L GC Team and ROs to build hard evidence of impact in all THRIVE programmes.
• Work with GC R&L Team to establish common graduation criteria and target metrics for success in all THRIVE funded programmes.

Programme Innovation, Adaptation & Learning:

• Actively promote lessons from practice in key National Offices implementing THRIVE with other National Offices implementing or planning to implement THRIVE.
• Actively promote lessons from practice in key National Offices implementing THRIVE through R&L Community of Practice for wider impact, learning and influence across the organisation.
• Actively promote action learning partnerships with local and global academic institutions.

Collaboration with key stakeholders:

• Provide support to National Office leadership in developing collaborative programme partnerships between WV and VFI and other potential external market stakeholders.
• Build on existing global relationships / MOUs for strategic partnerships (e.g. IFPRI, WMO etc.)
• Interacts with WVUS major donors as required.
• Work with regional teams in program monitoring and evaluation as part of technical program implementation in selected ADPs.

• Able and willing to speak and teach about the Biblical concepts and principles of economic empowerment.
• Any other reasonable duties as requested.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Master Degree in at least one of agriculture, business/commerce, or development studies.
• 15 years work experience in economic empowerment, with a strong focus on agricultural development issues.
• Experience in designing, implementing, and managing small-holder farmer economic empowerment programming.
• Demonstrated ability to support, engage and nurture performance with program managers remotely without any line of authority relationship.
• Demonstrated experience of working from the foundation of a faith perspective.
• Knowledge of programme quality measures and processes.
• Experience in building collaborative partnerships for increased field level impact.

Familiarity and/or experience with the key components of the core operating mechanisms in the WVUS THRIVE model:

• Savings group development and management.
• Agricultural value chain analysis.
• Farmer group formation.
• Improving agricultural practice.
• Microfinance loans for agriculture.
• Improved access to markets.
• Income diversification.
• On-farm natural resource management.
• Off-farm natural resource management.
• Early warning for early action and farmer information systems.

Effective in written and verbal communication in English.

Preferred:

• MBA would be a desirable qualification.
• Experience of Market systems analysis and social impact investment.
• Experience of corporate social responsibility issues and drivers.

Work Environment/Travel:

• The position requires ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 60% of the time.
• Position expected to be based in East Africa with good air links to Arusha, Kigali, Lusaka, Bamako, Lilongwe.