Bangladesh: Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Technical Lead

Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Technical Lead

Bangladesh FTF Nutrition Activity

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Background:

Land O’Lakes International Development is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose vision is to be a global leader in transforming lives by engaging in agriculture and enterprise partnerships that replace poverty with prosperity, and dependency with self-reliance. We leverage Land O’Lakes, Inc.’s near-century of history by engaging in international agriculture and economic development programs, implementing more than 280 programs in 80 countries since 1981.

Project Description:

Land O’Lakes International Development is currently seeking a Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture Technical Lead for a USAID-funded Feed-the-Future Nutrition Activity in Bangladesh. The project will improve the nutritional and health status of women, adolescents and children under 5 in the Feed the Future Zone of Influence by focusing on (1) increased consumption of nutritious, diverse, and safe diets by rural households; (2) increased social and economic empowerment of women and adolescents; and, (3) improved access to and adoption of improved water, sanitation and hygiene practices.

Position Summary and Primary Responsibilities:

The Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Technical Lead will work as part of an interdisciplinary team, reporting to the Chief of Party. S/he will be based in Dhaka and will be responsible for leading the design and implementation of the Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture (NSA) program, managing NSA staff, and coordinating with other technical teams. S/he will be responsible for ensuring high quality project implementation, monitoring and reporting of all project activities.

The Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture Technical Lead will be responsible for the overarching technical approach for agriculture-focused nutrition activities. This position will oversee activities related to the nutrition-sensitive homestead food production sector, including work in improving homestead food production, dietary diversity and diet quality with a focus on the first 1,000 days. This position will oversee a small team to implement an integrated multi-sectoral approach. This individual will coordinate with partners on WASH, BCC and other project activities. In addition, this individual will coordinate with the project senior management to integrate and coordinate activities between livestock and vegetable production, and its link to markets, employment, nutritious food production, and WASH components.

Specific duties and areas of responsibility include:

1.Technical

1. Lead the start-up, implementation, monitoring and adaptation of nutrition-sensitive agriculture activities to improve access to and use of nutritious food through behavior change and the diversification of food production.
2. Manage and oversee training in nutrition-sensitive agriculture for various stakeholders;
3. Train and oversee partners, agricultural extension officers and community volunteers who deliver household outreach and group training.
4. Regularly travel to field site locations in to lead the start-up, manage implementation, and in coordination with M&E staff, the monitoring of project activities.
5. Build staff capacity for nutrition-sensitive agriculture activity design, implementation and monitoring.
6. Oversee and contribute to the design of assessments in order to guide program design, implementation, monitoring and adaptation.
7. Develop technical materials, in collaboration with technical advisors and possibly outside consultants, to further project activities, objectives and results.

2.Operational

1. Provide timely and accurate written and verbal reporting.
2. Contribute to project strategic planning and to well-written, focused project reports, annual implementation plans, success stories and other written products.
3. Ensure high quality project implementation, monitoring and reporting.
4. Make regular field visits to monitor project quality and collect data.
5. Collaborate with M&E staff to ensure that collection and analysis of data is accurate, rigorous and incorporated into project implementation.
6. Coordinate with other Nutrition and Agriculture Project Officers in work planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and adaptation.

3.Representation and Coordination

1. Participate in technical working groups and liaise with other project implementing organizations.
2. Serve as a focal point on NSA with local and international partners, government representatives, donors and other organizational stakeholders.

Reporting & Supervision:

The Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture Technical Lead will report to the Chief of Party.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

· MSc in agriculture, small livestock and aquaculture production with 5+ years of related experience.

· Minimum of 7 years of relevant field experience with an international organization in agriculture programming.

· Strong technical grasp of agriculture, crop diversification, climate change adaptation (CCA), environmental safeguards strategies, and natural resource management.

· Experience, knowledge and skills in improved agriculture production, agricultural extension systems and tools post-harvest handling and storage practices and food safety/preservation.

· Professional experience managing or implementing nutrition-sensitive techniques and concepts.

· Experience in nutritious crop diversification.

· Experience in agribusiness development preferred.

· Demonstrated experience in project and time management.

· Demonstrated experience in working effectively with CSOs and community-level actors, stakeholders and beneficiaries.

· Experience applying and knowledge of the design, implementation and best practices for promoting behavior change and adoption of improved practices and technologies in agriculture programming, including training of trainer activities and development of training materials.

· Significant knowledge of agriculture, food security, nutrition and gender issues in Bangladesh, particularly the FTF zone of influence including Dhaka, Barisal and Khulna divisions.

· Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations and independently.

· Familiarity and understanding of donor policies and procedures is a plus.

· Local candidates are encouraged to apply.

· Excellent writing and oral communication skills in English required.

Please note only finalists will be contacted. No phone calls please.

We are an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. Land O'Lakes enforces a policy of maintaining a drug-free workforce.

If you are interested for the position please apply through the following e mail address.

recruit.bangladesh@idd.landolakes.com

Closing Date: 09 March 2017

https://lol.avature.net/Careers/JobDetail/Bangladesh-Nutrition-Sensitive-Agriculture-Technical-Lead/1066