COOPI is looking for a Regional Program Coordinator (SomReP) in Somalia

Purpose of the position

Background

The Somalia Resilience Program (SomReP) is a multi-year effort by seven leading NGOs to tackle the challenge of recurrent droughts—and the chronic vulnerability that results—among pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, and peri-urban households across Somalia. This is designed to address communities’ unique needs toward building resilient livelihoods. The Livestock Technical Advisor will support SomRep Consortium efforts to ensure enhanced food security and resilience among pastoral and fisheries’ households/communities by promoting sustainable livelihoods strategies and practices. To achieve this, the TA will guide the sectoral assessment to define needs/opportunities to guide interventions in different locations. To make sure the consortium members have common approach, he/she will have to develop/consolidate harmonised technical approaches in livestock production and marketing, fisheries, and Natural resource management for use by the consortium members. This means he/she will be responsible for technical support to consortium including doing research, documentation of lessons and supporting the M/E function. In addition, the TA will facilitate the development of partnerships with private sector to lower barriers for entry into markets and promote business growth in pastoral and fisheries value chains while enhancing collaboration among private, public and community level actors. Underlying this will also be the need to work with and support government in developing/strengthening policies and regulatory framework to support and guide the livestock, fisheries and Natural resources sectors.

Goal

To provide technical support and guidance in livestock production that includes Natural Resource Management (NRM) and fisheries production in order to successfully support Somalia Resilience Program (SomReP) consortium promote resilient households and communities in Somalia.

Major Responsibilities

Livestock production and marketing as well as Fisheries and Natural Resource Management (NRM) technical approaches are developed and agencies, government and other stakeholders are trained (30%)

• Standardized technical approaches and curriculum are developed in the following areas:
• Animal health services
• Live animal and Livestock products marketing
• Fisheries
• Natural Resources Management
• Conduct training for SomReP partner staff, relevant government ministry staff and other stakeholders in developed technical approaches
• Train agency and government staff in Farmer/Pastoralist Managed Natural Regeneration (F/PMNR)
• Ensure developed/Harmonized technical approaches are being used by consortium partners in implementing interventions
• Provide follow up to agencies for technical back stopping and on job mentorship
• Closely work with the IBLI focal person at MoLFR federal in supporting the IBLI Task Force to: (i) define objective and scope; (ii) design institutional framework; and (iii) determine appropriate distribution channels for IBLI in Somalia
• Provide technical and professional support to the federal and state level focal persons in supporting the formation, strengthening of, linkages to private sector and certification/formalization for producer groups/associations and supporting Community based Animal Health initiatives

Support/Facilitate Improved Implementation of Livestock production, Fisheries, NRM and related marketing components (40%)

• Provide technical leadership in development of detailed implementation plans in livestock production, fisheries, NRM and marketing functions in collaboration with SomReP partners and government
• Develop activity packages with minimum operational guidelines and budgeting conversion to guide proposal design
• Community rangeland & water management processes developed and implemented and linked to formal regulation
• Provide guidance for developing and implementing of Natural resource management plans
• Ensure Environment and Social Impact Assessment (EIAs) is done before starting infrastructure related interventions
• Support members to develop linkages with private sector who provide inputs, business services and market structures to livestock, fisheries and natural resources sectors development
• Support members in formation Livestock marketing associations and linking them to local and international markets
• Sustainable community-based animal health services established and recognized by certifying authorities.
• Pastoralists trained on fodder production & storage and provided access to storage facilities
• Document existing traditional and formal community-based natural resource management strategies by groups and institutions, including regulation, procedures for seasonal access to critical resources and their timing & effectiveness in promoting eco-system health among different groups
• Draft sector graduation pathway strategies for women milk sellers, fresh meat aggregators and marketers, fodder producers/feed processors, anima drug market (CAWHs and agro vets)

Knowledge and learning Lead in the identification of best-practice and challenges, develop knowledge products, research and disseminate findings to various stakeholders (20%)

• Support the development of Term of References (ToR), participation in vetting process and support technical consultants to deliver task;
• Support the design of research topics in the areas of FMNR and livestock issues.
• Support in the preparation of study findings, communication materials and uploading of content;
• Preposition relationship with livestock and NRM training public and private institutions and co-create ideas to enhance technical approaches
• Develop strategic partnership with target line ministries to transfer skills and knowledge to government on best practices
• Ensure that key learning from partners NRM work is documented to build up an evidence base of effective/less effective approaches for improving NRM modules
• Support innovation and learning between members by organizing exchange visits, joint learning events, technical briefs, and sharing of training materials
• Effective and efficient technical approaches developed and monitored for the consortium

Project Design, Monitoring, Implementation and Evaluation support (10%)

• Provide technical support in developing program designs and proposals
• Supporting SomReP partners in collaboration with M&E in developing monitoring tools
• Ensure evaluation results activities are effectively used for project redesign
• Ensure quality control in the Detailed Implementation Plans for the activities in SomReP projects
• Build the capacity of government staff to monitor activities
• Support development of technical papers and or policy breifs on key issues for external engagement with decision makers
• Provide guidance on gender mainstreaming into the sector activities

Develop strategic partnerships with donors, SomReP internal stakeholders, and coordination mechanisms to raise the profile of SomReP resilience programming for marketing, sustainability, and fundraising purposes (10%)

• Promote Public and Private Partnership (PPP) for developing and maintenance of water points
• Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders including government (National/Regional/District), UN, learning institutions and private sector in Somalia and in East Africa Region
• Preposition relationship with livestock training institutions, public and private institutions and co-create ideas to enhance technical approaches
• Link with member, regional and global gender, advocacy and safeguarding specialists to mobilize technical best-practice to mainstream through the consortium
• Represent SomRep in strategic Livestock/NRM coordination forums at the national and international level
• Ensure Livestock/NRM activities are linked to other sectoral interventions under SomRep to foster synergies

Other Competencies / Attributes

• Must have outstanding oral and written communications and relationship skills and;
• Must be willing to perform other duties as required.

Qualifications: Education/Knowledge/Technical Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree in Livestock/Pastoralism and Natural Resource Management, Development studies or any equivalent.
• A minimum of five years of technical experience in a senior program capacity working on Livestock/Natural Resource management programming in the Horn of Africa; preferably with Somalia experience.
• Experience of working in a consortium, coalition or partnership settings is highly desirable.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and demonstrated ability to working with multiple stakeholders.
• Strong focus on innovation and learning, and proven ability to facilitate learning amongst a varied group of actors.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English and Somali is desired.
• Strong proven experience and technical capacity in monitoring, evaluation and measuring of impact of livelihood and/or resilience programming in Somalia context.

Working Environment / Conditions

• Somalia-based environment with frequent travel to other Locations and Nairobi (Roving)
• Travel required: up to 50% within Somalia and occasional international travel;
• Available to represent SomReP at critical external meetings as required
• Available to lead or serve in interagency working groups as required.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the application closing date, once a sufficient number of applications have been received.
Please note that only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Interviews will be conducted on rolling basis and the vacancy will be closed when filled, thanks for understanding.

Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI) is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. For more than 50 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economical Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.