Program Manager I - Agriculture & Livelihoods at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Job Summary

You will manage programming for agriculture and livelihoods for the DRIVE Program based in CRS Maiduguri. You will directly supervise the CRS DRIVE agriculture and livelihood teams. You will work collaboratively as a team member with the other DRIVE sector leads and MEAL in DRIVE. Under the leadership of the Program Directo you will support the JDPC agriculture and livelihoods team for DRIVE to o plan, sequence, and layer all sector interventions to achieve optimal integration and impact for the poor and vulnerable. You will also   oversee the planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, program quality and reporting for agriculture and livelihood activities by JDPC on DRIVE. Your management and facilitation skills and knowledge will ensure that DRIVE delivers high-quality, cost effective and locally appropriate programming, and continuously works towards improving the impact of its interventions. This position is contingent upon the award of the grant.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Manage JDPC in the implementation of all agriculture and livelihood activities from project design, start-up, implementation, and close-out. These activities include vegetable and crop farming, poultry rearing, youth vocational training and enterprise and savings and internal lending community (SILC) activities. Support JDPC to use the appropriate CRS systems and tools.
• Mentor and support the JDPC livelihoods team in the correct use of the appropriate CRS program planning, implementation, and reporting tools.
• Ensure effective planning and integration of agriculture and livelihood interventions with DRIVE activities in ERMS and DRR sectors. 
• Represent DRIVE and CRS at all state level sector-based coordination mechanisms for agriculture and livelihoods.
• Facilitate and support JDPC’s engagement with key BSG ministries for technical support to DRIVE sector implementation and monitoring, including Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Poverty Alleviation. 
• Support and oversee the JDPC team in the planning and implementation of all market-based input activities, including participant identification, validation, training, mobilization, distribution, follow up and utilization. 
• Effectively manage talent and supervise the DRIVE agriculture and livelihood team in CRS. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, contribute to the recruitment process of project staff, and complete performance management for direct reports.
• Champion learning with project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following MEAL policy. Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation obstacles. 
• Act as a key resource person in project design and proposal development in respective programming area, gap-filling and taking on growth responsibilities, as needed.
• Coordinate the identification of staff capacity and technical assistance needs of JDPC and lead capacity strengthening and required interventions to support quality project implementation for agriculture and livelihoods. 
• Help identify, assess, and strengthen partnerships relevant to economic recovery and market systems.
• Coordinate and monitor financial and material resources relevant to project needs. Through planning and oversight ensure efficient use of project resources

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Project design, planning and management experience in agriculture and livelihood is essential.
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Demonstrable capacities in team working and   cross-sectoral planning and implementation.
•  Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups.
• Experience in managing relationships and performance in a consortium with local partners. 
• Strong representational capacities and skills in collaborating with government stakeholders.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills. 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to author reports and make presentations.
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.
• Strong capacities in MEAL and reporting, including capturing learning and adapting interventions based on implementation and feedback.
•  Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
•  Experience using CommCare and Power BI is an advantage.
• Experience of using market-based mechanisms and CVA modalities, including the RedRose platform, for provision of agriculture and livelihood inputs to project participants is desirable.

Required Languages - English and Hausa are essential. Knowledge of one or more of the languages spoken in Maiduguri, such as Kanuri or Shuwa Arabic is an advantage. 

Travel - The post is based in Maiduguri and includes 40% travel to field locations in MMC/Jere. 

Supervisory Responsibilities: Three Senior Program Officers, Agriculture and Livelihoods (Youth entrepreneurship and economic strengthening, Project Officer-Agriculture, Project Officer Livestock

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Program Director, MEAL Manager, DRR Manager, other DRIVE sector leads, Senior Admin and Security Officer staff in Maiduguri  

External – UN, coordination forums, JDPC Agriculture and MEAL teams, Ministry of Agriculture, LCRI, AEWs.

Basic Qualifications

• BSc Agriculture. Additional experience may substitute for some education.
• Two years’ experience in Northeast Nigeria in the implementation of similar projects.
• One year’s experience supporting farming interventions in peri-urban locations with settled IDPs, host communities and returnees..

Safeguarding

CRS is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all people who interact with our work. We uphold the highest standards of safeguarding and expect all staff and partners to respect and protect the dignity and rights of everyone from any form of harm, abuse, harassment, or exploitation. All staff are required to follow CRS’s safeguarding policies and procedures and to complete mandatory safeguarding e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results. 

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity - Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust - Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Con