Economic Recovery and Market System Team Leader

Dansk Flygtningehjælp

Economic Recovery and Market System Team Leader

Position Title

Economic Recovery and Market System Team Leader (Maiduguri)

Supervised by
Economic Recovery Manager Borno State

Reporting to
Economic Recovery Manager Borno State

Duty Station
Monguno, Konduga, Mafa, Nganzai

Area of Operation
Borno State, Nigeria

Employment Period
6 months with possibility of extension

Type of Contract (Expat/National/Trainee)
National

Salary & Benefits
Management - G

Introduction
The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956 and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Based in Copenhagen (Denmark) and present in forty countries, the Danish Refugee Council is a non-profit-making, politically independent, non-governmental and non-denominational relief organization.

Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced. All our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

Background
Danish Refugee Council (DRC), and its Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding technical unit - the Danish Demining Group (DDG), has had an operational presence in Nigeria since 2015. DRC Nigeria is the largest DRC country mission in the West Africa region and one of the largest DRC country missions globally. Currently, DRC delivers life-saving assistance and protection to vulnerable, conflict-affected populations including internally displaced persons, returnees and host communities in the areas of humanitarian mine action, livelihoods, nutrition and food security, protection, shelter and non-food items (NFI) and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in 30+ Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states in northeast Nigeria.

Purpose
The DRC Nigeria is looking to recruit an experienced, highly- qualified and enthusiastic professional to join the Economic Recovery team in Nigeria. Coordinate with partners and other stakeholders in the implementation of food assistance , livelihood programming through supporting market systems development (MSD), improved production practices for farmers’ associations, cash transfer programming (CTP) and village savings and loans associations (VSLA) while developing the social cohesion between members of the target communities.

Duties and Responsibilities
Team Leadership

Produce work plans for the sector staff in accordance with annual planning cycle
Train staff and provide regular updates of work planning and reporting against SMART objectives.
Oversee the performance of the Economic Recovery team.
Provide field supervision to Economic Recovery and Market System Officers and Assistants, Agriculture Officers and Assistants
Represent the Economic Recovery team at base level and participate in facilitating and coordinating activities within the team and with other DRC’s departments

Implementation and Planning

Coordinate with the Finance, Procurement Officers and other sectors of DRC to ensure proper management of Economic Recovery sector planning and implementation.
Serve as the main contact for Economic Recovery and Market System activities in DRC Maiduguri operations, and work closely with State Government Technical Line Ministries and departments in ensuring high quality standards in DRC Economic Recovery sector operations.
Ensure team adoption of technical guidelines, SoPs, handbooks and other programme guidance provided by the Economic Recovery Manager and the Economic Recovery Coordinator
Ensure that Economic Recovery and Market System Officers and Assistants implement Economic Recovery and Market System project activities within the budget limits and in line with good budget management and accountability procedures in consultation with Economic Recovery Programme Manager
Support Economic Recovery and Market System Officers and Assistant in ensuring activities implementation is done in compliance with DRC/Donor quality procedures
Closely monitor the implementation of Economic Recovery and Market System activities to timely identify any problems that may affect the achievement of intended outputs and results; by pragmatically and constructively dealing with them early enough
In coordination with field staff, ensure that vulnerable groups (especially women and youths) are actively involved during group discussion and the decision making process;
Organize and manage workshops, trainings and meetings that are hosted by the sector with relevant partners—beneficiary households, line ministries and CBOs.
Provide agriculture livelihood guidance, on an individual, group or association basis, to increase beneficiaries’ awareness of different agricultural value chain options based on market assessment and beneficiary interests.
Provide information to beneficiaries about agricultural livelihoods and post-harvest value chain opportunities.
Organize agricultural training on micro gardening and small farming management activities with beneficiaries
Provide information to the beneficiaries on, market opportunities, and facilitate business linkage for improved agro-inputs vendors to increase ease of access and availability of inputs for smallholder farmers enterprise creation.
Train, coach and mentor farmers on improved agricultural (livestock and crop) production practices
Facilitate the implementation of Cash Transfer Programmes (CTP) at ward level, Conditional Cash Grants
Work with line manager to plan for agricultural inputs distributions using MSD approach and ensuring distributed inputs accountability.
Linking bulk agriculture produce buyers with farmers’ associations and input sellers with farmers.
Work closely with Ministry of Agriculture Extension workers in facilitating crop farming/poultry production trainings for beneficiaries.
Work with existing agricultural cooperatives or formation if not in the local government of implementation to easily access agricultural opportunities like lending and available information on learning good agronomic practices.

Sector Reporting & Documentation

Provide regular internal reports and other relevant information on general policy matters and programme activities to the sector staff and other relevant persons.
Ensure that a sound documentation procedure is adhered to, including relevant beneficiary database is developed, maintained and updated regularly.
Ensure update-to-date records (disaggregated by gender/age/diversity) are maintained for all beneficiaries of the Economic Recovery and Market System interventions.
Ensure the use of developed relevant manuals/tool kits and training curriculums that can be used in training beneficiaries
Ensure that a sound complaints handling and feedback mechanism is in place in the project area so that beneficiaries have easy access to DRC and that the Do-No-Harm principle to persons of concern/beneficiaries at the point of delivery is upheld.
Lead weekly, monthly and quarterly reporting processes of Economic Recovery activities in Maiduguri.
Actively contribute to project planning, development of proposals and documentation of lessons learned, best practices and success stories.
Lead the identification of beneficiaries needs using both technical skills and knowledge of the operational context
Engage and build strong and better relations with all community leaders, Local Government Council structures and State Government line ministries for the enhancement of DRC/ Donor overall program objectives.

Coordination

Represent the Economic Recovery sector during coordination meetings with stakeholders such as local communities, local government officials, Early Recovery and Livelihoods Sector Working Group, Food Security Sector Working Group, Cash Working Group and donors.
Be proactively seeking for new partnerships for SME, VST, Internship, and LH activities
Promote and ensure at all times a pragmatic and efficient dialogue as well as networking with Local Institution, Private Institutes, workshops, National and international NGOs and local authorities
Coordinate with the rest of the country team whenever needed
Liaise with relevant line ministries during project implementation i.e. Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Animal resources and Fisheries, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade etc.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Actively participate in monthly Budget Follow up review meetings and ensure all livelihood activities status are updated and submitted to Economic Recovery Programme Manager/ Economic Recovery Coordinator
Work with M&E to manage all Economic Recovery and Market System component data collection exercises including the conduction of assessment and surveys (e.g. baseline surveys, yield assessment, do-no-harm surveys etc.) in close coordination with the Country M&E unit to monitor and evaluate food security and Economic Recovery and Market System projects activities.
Work closely with M&E unit to identify, document and disseminate relevant project success, challenges and follow up on implementation of project’s action points
Support the undertaking of detailed situational analysis in collaboration with relevant stakeholder and propose appropriate project implementation approaches
Supervise the implementation of all participatory needs/vulnerability and capacity assessments of affected communities
Participate in project evaluations and assist in the analysis of results
Work with M&E to conduct post-distribution monitoring to ensure that beneficiary entitlements have been adequately accounted for and reconcile the results with those issued by the warehouse manager/cash distribution agent and line manager for the supply of goods, cash and vouchers.

Administration & logistics

Ensure compliance with donor requirements regarding programming implementation and asset management.
Support sector team with logistics arrangements to facilitate effective programming.
Provide timely expenditure planning & budget follow-ups with guidance from the Economic Recovery Programme Manager and the Economic Recovery Coordinator.
Ensure DRC financial procedures, guidelines and corruption control is maintained among the team.
Initiate procurements and ensuring adherence to correct procurement and logistical procedures and in coordination with the Logistics department. Support the timely procurement of project materials.

Personnel Management.

Directly responsible for supervising Economic Recovery Officers, Assistants and any casual workers hired to facilitate implementation of sectoral activities.
Responsible for contributing to recruitment planning, actual recruitment of required field staff in consultation with the Economic Recovery Coordinator, Economic Recovery Programme Manager, Area Manager and HR.

The responsibilities listed in the JD are not exhaustive and may be readjusted according to operational needs but will remain in line with the overall purpose of the role.

Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience)

Desirable:

Understanding of rights and protection issues of IDPs, children and women
Experience working with displaced populations.
Previous experience working on Market Systems Development approaches

Essential:

At least 3-4 years of relevant professional Economic Recovery and Market System components experience with a humanitarian aid organization
Understanding of Economic Recovery and Market System programming issues in the country and the North East Nigeria region
Experiencing of managing teams
Good computer skills (especially Ms. Office)

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or higher in agriculture, economics, business management, sociology, psychology, or other relevant field
Professional experience of at least two years, including one year working with a humanitarian organisation;
Proficient with standard software tools (Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power-Point);
Ability to work in a team, independently and under minimal supervision;
Good communication, analysis, and writing skills;
Excellent negotiation and diplomacy skills;
Ability to work in complex environments and under pressur

General Regulations

The employee shall follow DRC instructions on safety, confidentiality and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework
Employee should not engage in any other paid activity during the DRC contract period without prior authorization
Employee should not engage in any activity that could harm DRC or the implementation of any project during the DRC contract period
Employee should not give interviews to the media or publish project-related photos or other material without prior authorization
Employee shall return all borrowed equipment for the project to DRC after the end of the contract period or upon request

Application Process
Are you interested? Then apply for this position on line: www.drc.dk/about-drc/vacancies/current-vacancies. All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages). Both must be in English.
DRC provides equal opportunity in employment and prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

DRC encourages all applicants to apply and does not practice any discrimination in any recruitment process.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
Applications close on the 1st of October 2024 at midnight (GMT-time).Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.