Food, Markets and Cash advisor

Main duties &

Responsibilities:

Technical Support and Coordination:

• Engage with Project Managers and support them in implementation of high quality food security, livelihoods and cash assistance across Concern’s operational areas in Lebanon, and champion evidence based innovative adaptations as appropriate.
• Provide technical back-stopping for food security, livelihoods and cash based interventions, ensuring that the standards agreed at sector, national and global levels are adhered to in project design and implementation.
• Work with Technical Advisors in HQ the in adaptation of tools and materials for respective delivery modalities that are not only technically sound but suitable to the context as well, in the fields of food security, livelihoods and cash assistance.
• Lead the development and/or review and updating of tools and materials tailored to implementation of the food security, livelihoods and cash assistance projects and interventions of Concern in Lebanon, including monitoring and evaluation tools and databases.
• Ensure that market assessments and market systems analysis are routinely carried out using appropriate tools, and that the findings are used to inform programme development, adaptation and learning.
• Stay informed on all global, national and Concern’s developments in the field of food security, livelihoods and cash assistance, generate trend analyses and gap identification to inform programme development in terms of target groups, target geographic locations and key interventions and approaches.
• Provide technical support, advice and direction to Concern’s Lebanon programme and operations on food security, livelihoods and cash assistance, including reviewing relevant job descriptions, proposals, donor reports and communication materials, as you will be requested to do from time to time.
• Lead on the development, streamlining and monitoring of modalities and approaches for the different types of cash assistance used in Lebanon programmes such as emergency cash assistance, recurrent protection cash assistance, multi-purpose cash assistance, cash for rent.
• Support project teams in the development and roll out of vulnerability assessments for inclusion in food security, livelihoods and cash assistance projects, with a strong focus on not leaving anyone behind in the fight against extreme poverty in the Lebanon context.
• Work with the finance team in the liaison and coordination with financial service providers such as OMT, Red Rose, etc, for cash assistance transfers and beneficiary tracking management systems recommended by Concern globally, and in Lebanon.
• Represent Concern at food security, livelihoods and cash assistance fora at sector, national, regional and global level, as appropriate.

Programme Quality Support:

• Collaborate with the MEAL team to ensure that food security, livelihoods and cash assistance principles are taken into account during development of project logframes, and that the indicators are clear and SMART
• Lead on monitoring of the changing context in Lebanon and how Concern areas of operation are impacted, market trends and how agriculture and small and medium enterprises are coping, to inform food security, livelihoods and cash assistance programming
• Work with the MEAL team to capture and disseminate learning and best practices in food security, livelihoods and cash assistance internally and externally and with other Concern country programmes.

Capacity building and human resources development:

• Provide training, support supervision, mentorship and coaching to Concern and partner staff on food security, livelihoods and cash assistance principles and updates and trends.
• Liaise with HQ based Advisors on trends in food security, livelihoods and cash assistance in Concern and ensure awareness and adoption by the Lebanon country programme.

Other:

• Actively participate in preparation or updates of Preparing for Effective Emergency Response (PEER) plan, Security Management Plan (SMP) and other Concern initiatives. 
• Take active measures to address equality issues, particularly relating to gender, in programme as well as operational activities.
• Ensure the highest stands of accountability through ensuring good communication and information sharing within and outside the organisation.
• Be aware of, understand and comply with all of Concern’s policies and procedures (P4, finance, logistics, HR, security management etc).
• Actively participate in any emergency response if called upon to do so (within the existing programme area or in a new one).
• Undertake other related duties as may reasonably be assigned by the CD or PD.

Emergency response

Concern is committed to responding to emergencies efficiently and effectively in order to help affected people meet their basic needs, alleviate suffering and maintain their dignity. To this end, when emergencies strike and Lebanon Programme is to respond, all staff are required to actively participate in the response, regardless of location and contribute to the efforts aimed at achieving the humanitarian objective of the organization.

Person specification:

Essential

• Post Graduate Degree in Food Security, Economics or other Livelihoods related discipline
• At least eight years of relevant experience with an NGO, UN agency or donor
• At least two years in a senior food security, livelihoods or cash programming role with NGO
• Experience of food security and livelihoods programme design, planning, management and implementation, with participatory community level engagement
• Experience in design, implementation. monitoring and evaluation of cash based programming, including use of decision trees and other tools to determine appropriate assistance modality (cash, voucher, in-kind)
• Demonstrable understanding of value chains and market systems relevant to Concern’s target groups in Lebanon
• Experience leading market assessments and producing market assessment reports
• Experience of senior leadership or technical advisory positions with NGO
• Knowledge of humanitarian principles, standards and system (e.g. IHL, CHS, Sector System, etc)
• Experience of organisation representation, advocacy and coordination with NGOs/UN, donors

Desirable

• Experience of working in the North and Akkar is an advantage
• Certificate in Cash-Based Programming (e.g. CALP Core CVA Skills)
• Experience using technology for livelihoods and cash programming, e.g. beneficiary and transfer management systemInterest in market systems development approaches and identification of opportunities for partnership/engagement with private sector

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:

• Aptitude to inspire creative growth, innovation and learning.
• Strong human resource development skills including capacity building and mentoring.
• Ability and personal resilience to work in fast paced, dynamic and pressurised environment.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills in English.

Ability to work, live and thrive in a complex environment.

Concern Code of Conduct and its Associated Policies

Concern has an organisational Code of Conduct (CCoC) with three Associated Policies; the Programme Participant Protection Policy (P4), the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisation, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context, staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and Associated Policies as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Concern Code of Conduct, candidates acknowledge that they have understood the content of both the Concern Code of Conduct and the Associated Policies and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these policies.