Food Security and Livelihoods Officer

Job Posting Organization:
Action Against Hunger-Horn and Eastern Africa is part of the Action Against Hunger International network, which is dedicated to providing humanitarian relief in over 40 countries worldwide. The organization focuses on critical sectors such as nutrition, health, water/sanitation, and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security and livelihoods. Established with the mission to combat hunger and malnutrition, Action Against Hunger operates independently in various regions, including Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Uganda. The organization is committed to improving the lives of vulnerable populations through effective programs and community engagement, employing a diverse workforce that is passionate about humanitarian work.

Job Overview:
The Food Security and Livelihoods Officer position is based in Beletweyne and reports directly to the Senior FSL Program Manager. This role is crucial for the successful implementation of the Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) project in the Beletweyne District. The officer will be responsible for facilitating community mobilization efforts to support beneficiary targeting and registration. The position requires the officer to work closely with beneficiaries who will receive agricultural inputs, cash support, and animal health interventions. The officer will lead field implementation of FSL activities in accordance with Action Against Hunger standards, ensuring that program objectives are met through active community engagement, follow-up, and documentation of impacts and success stories. The role also involves collaboration with various stakeholders to promote inclusion and strengthen partnerships within the community.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Food Security and Livelihoods Officer will have a comprehensive set of duties and responsibilities, including but not limited to: actively participating in the communication of ACF project activities to relevant stakeholders and target communities; leading the identification and registration of households and groups that will benefit from project activities; ensuring equal participation from all community segments, considering gender, age, and disabilities; implementing agriculture support by identifying project beneficiaries, leading distributions, and conducting regular field visits to monitor crop performance and utilization of agricultural inputs; implementing animal health support by identifying community animal health workers, leading distributions, and monitoring their performance; conducting community awareness sessions on various issues as required; providing timely inputs, feedback, updates, and weekly reports to the FSL Head of Department and Senior FSL Program Manager; maintaining a clear database of all potential program participants and providing regular updates to the coordinator" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">MEAL Coordinator; collaborating with the FSL Program Manager and MEAL team to carry out routine project monitoring; compiling monthly reports on the performance of agriculture inputs and animal health interventions; actively contributing to FSL programming in Beletweyne District; attending relevant coordination forums at the district and regional levels; and performing any other duties assigned by the line manager.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires a Bachelor’s degree in fields related to food security and livelihoods, such as Agricultural Sciences, Agronomy, Animal Health, Crop Science, or Development Studies. Additionally, candidates must possess a minimum of 3 years of experience in the direct implementation of agriculture extension programs and working with subsistence farmers. Experience in vulnerability-based targeting and resilience design in agriculture is essential, along with at least 3 years of experience in animal health programming. Candidates should demonstrate extensive experience in community participation and consultative implementation methods, flexibility to adapt to new practices, and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Educational Background:
Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields such as food security, agriculture, agronomy, animal health, crop science, or development studies. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of food security and livelihoods programming and for effectively implementing the necessary interventions in the field.

Experience:
The role requires a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in agriculture extension and working with subsistence farmers, as well as 3 years of experience in animal health programming. Candidates should have a proven track record of implementing projects in these areas and demonstrate the ability to engage effectively with communities and stakeholders.

Languages:
Proficiency in written and spoken English is mandatory, and a good understanding of the Somali language is highly desirable. This linguistic capability is essential for effective communication with beneficiaries and stakeholders in the region.

Additional Notes:
The position is full-time and requires regular attendance of at least five days per week. The officer must be available to work outside normal office hours or on weekends as needed and should be willing to travel extensively throughout the project area. The working environment may involve exposure to precarious settings with high security risks and challenging weather conditions. Action Against Hunger-USA offers an attractive salary and benefits package, ensuring equal employment opportunities for all employees and qualified applicants without discrimination.