Oxfam Novib Emergency Food Security / Vulnerable Livelihoods Specialist

Around the world people are fighting for their right to a decent livelihood. Oxfam Novib supports them in this. We support projects, strengthen local organisations and campaign for just policies. We do so locally and internationally because poverty and injustice are global problems and are related to unjust economic and political relationships. That is why we work together with Oxfam International.

As part of its newly established Rapid Deployment Team, Oxfam Novib is looking for aTechnical Advisor who, together with us and many others, wants to work towards creating a just world without poverty.

 Emergency Food Security / Vulnerable Livelihoods Specialist

 Job Profile

Oxfam Novib works with other Oxfams and with local partner organisations to be better prepared for emergency situations and to provide an appropriate (partner-led) response to those situations where needed. To support Oxfam country staff and partners to enable its humanitarian ambition, Oxfam Novib has established a Rapid Deployment Team (RDT), whose members will be deployed in countries where Oxfam is working. Deployments are based on identified needs for support to the country teams and partners in the area of EFS-VL expertise. Apart from enhancing Oxfam’s preparedness and response work, the RDT will contribute to organisation-wide capacity, fundraising and profile development. As a technical advisor you will be one of the RDT members (Humanitarian Support Personnel). The RDT reports to the Manager of the Humanitarian Unit at Oxfam Novib’s head office in The Hague, but during deployment in the field to the country based line manager.

You will work abroad most of the year and have to be willing to travel and/or move on short (48 hours) notice as required. This is an unaccompanied position.

Key Responsibilities

Emergency response delivery

• Lead and carry out assessments on Emergency Food Security and/or Vulnerable Livelihoods, in close cooperation with the Oxfam country team (programme, advocacy and e.g. logistics staff) and partner organisations;
• Provide senior support to the Oxfam team and partners in situation analysis and in (integrated) response strategy development; programme design, baselines, implementation plans, accurate and timely reporting and Monitoring & Evaluation strategies and systems that are compliant with donor requirements;
• Support  programme management, to ensure quality, timeliness and scale of overall Oxfam humanitarian programme delivery;
• Help country teams to identify donors and prepare quality proposals and reporting. Where applicable represent Oxfam in clusters, donors other stakeholders active in the response.

In-country preparedness and capacity building

• Contribute to the development and implementation of the Oxfam humanitarian preparedness strategy and investment plan in-country. This includes preparedness and contingency planning at Oxfam as well as partner level;
• Assessment of Oxfam and partners’ capacity to respond, followed by development of local partner capacity. This can include design and implementation of capacity building activities on Emergency Food Security and/or Vulnerable Livelihoods  It may happen that this capacity building has to take place during the response (e.g. rapid capacity assessments; on the job training, mentoring, etc.);
• Contribute to organisation-wide development of expertise, fundraising and profile related to EFS-VL.

 We ask

• Postgraduate degree in a relevant field (undergraduate degree plus relevant overseas experience may substitute, but qualification will not substitute for experience);
• At least 5 years experience in implementing and coordinating emergency response delivery and preparedness work in EFS/VL, in more than one country (preferably countries where Oxfam Novib works), with a mature understanding of context, dilemmas, challenges and ways of working;
• Knowledge and practical experience of key EFS/VL subjects, methodologies and guidelines. Familiar with a.o. market analysis methods, response analysis (food/cash distribution, agriculture, market support, urban response), Household Economy Analysis and Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. Furthermore, knowledge and practical experience of general humanitarian standards and principles such as Sphere Standards, HAP and the Red Cross Code of Conduct;
• An understanding of gender and diversity, and proven commitment to incorporating these concepts in your work;
• Representational skills and the proven ability to influence others, and negotiate with others, within Oxfam and the wider humanitarian sector, including institutional donors;
• Experience with donors and donor compliance;
• Experience in external fundraising and a fair picture of the main institutional donors and their funding strategies on Emergency Food Security and/or Vulnerable Livelihoods;
• Ability to effectively support and empower Oxfam Novib field staff and partners in a wide variety of cultural contexts using methods such as mentoring, coaching, accompaniment, training and advice;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal and team working skills, both written and spoken;
• Fluency in English and  either French or Portuguese.

Location:

Most time of the year, you will be deployed in countries where Oxfam Novib is involved in humanitarian programming or preparations. Your residence (in between deployments) can be in any of the countries/cities where Oxfam Novib has an office and where an international airport is nearby and where working permits can be obtained (at the moment: The Hague, Nairobi, Islamabad, Phnom Pen, Abuja, Kampala, Maputo, Niamey, Hanoi, Jerusalem, Dhaka, Tunis and Bujumbura

Salary

The position is graded in scale 9 (between € 2.896,- and € 4.456,- gross monthly based on 40 hours workweek).
We offer additional benefits to compensate for the costs while travelling to the Country Offices.

Application Procedure

Are you interested? Send your application before December 20, 2012 in writing including a motivation and curriculum vitae and mentioning reference number 5-6217 tojobs@oxfamnovib.nl, addressed to Mrs. Stijn Sas, International HR Consultant.