Position Title: Regional Farm Systems and Sustainability Coordinator

July 22, 2021

Job Purpose
To help deliver SAC 10 year vision through sustainable farming appropriate climate responses. The Regional Farm System and Sustainability Coordinator will ensure that country teams have the capacity, confidence and tools to design effective food security programs and respond to the climate change crisis. The role champions SAC agro ecological climate positive approaches developed through 30 years of learning with smallholder farmers in East Africa. The role provides direct support to country teams (including relevant partners/local organizations). The role directly supports SAC countries and works directly with country staff responsible for farm systems and
climate sustainability.

The role ensures that our sustainable farm systems interventions follows SAC guidelines and best practice. The role also provides direct support in the design of projects, donor proposals and technical review of SAC interventions.

Scope of the Job

Leading Send a Cow Sustainable Farming and Climate Response (SFCR)
Building capacity and quality of SAC country and partners programs/projects
Coordinates SAC SFCR community of practice and oversees the Training of Trainer programs
Supports fundraising efforts
Advises Country Directors strategically
Works closely with SAC country teams as well as Regional Gender and Social Inclusion Coordinator and Regional Enterprise Development and Innovation Coordinator

Duties

Strategy and leadership

Leads and coordinates SAC Farm System and Climate work
Champions SAC strategic objective 1 (food security) and strategic objective 3 (climate change response)
Supports country directors outwork the food security and climate response part of country strategies
Coordinates technical support on farm systems and climate response to all country teams
Builds and coordinates SFCR community of practitioners across our country teams
Supports and coordinates four Farm Systems Officers. Regional Farm System and Sustainability Coordinator will have a dotted line management relationship with the country Farm Systems Officers
Develops, and updates thematic support plan
Coordinates external technical support within and outside Africa
Develops an Africa Farm Systems and climate change strategic plan in keeping with SAC 10 year strategy

Thematic capacity building, quality standards and learning

Ensures that SAC country programs have the training materials, tools and resources to design and implement effective food security programs
Supports country teams to strengthen Farm Systems and Climate Response capacity
Develops and implements a farm systems Trainer of Trainers program for country field teams
Contributes to the development, documentation and roll out of relevant farm systems training materials
Ensures learning and constant improvement across SAC country teams, and organizes learning events
Provides clear and documented quality standards for country teams
Conducts periodic technical best practice reviews of a sample of our countries and programs
Ensures that relevant and up to date materials continue to be easily accessible to country teams including field staff
Organizes technical best practice reviews in line with other Regional Thematic Coordinators
Facilitates the development of country and SAC position and best practice papers

Supports fundraising efforts

Reviews and inputs into design of SAC programs and donor proposals
Actively supports fundraising on Farm Systems and develops funding proposals.
Responds to technical requests from SAC group
Supports networking with relevant agencies, authorities, research institutes, partner organizations, NGOs, government bodies

Influencing and networking

Networks with relevant state and non-state actors on FS and Climate change.
Keeps abreast and shares relevant policies and best practices across SAC country programs
Helps develop and update SAC policy positions papers

Person Specification
Essential Education:

Advanced level Degree in Food Security, Agriculture, Livelihoods, Climate Adaptation or another technical relevant technical discipline

Experience

Strong experience in promoting Agro ecology, permaculture, or organic farming systems to smallholder farmers
Strong experience in integrated community development.
Strong experience in climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction
Experience of delivering participatory training methodologies, and development of community of practitioners.
Experience in natural resource management
Experience working with and supporting local organizations and partners in Africa
Strong understanding of project design, proposal development and project review
Experience in multi-disciplinary projects demonstrating integration of farm systems with GSI and Enterprise components
Experience donor proposal and reporting
Demonstrable experience working in East Africa
Good understanding of food security quality standards
Good grasp of food security/agriculture policy in East Africa
Strong experience working with local organizations

Skills

Food security/farm systems skills
Excellent capacity building and training skills of staff and farmers (ability to effectively operate with groups of different levels of technical skill)
Strong skills in participatory methodologies
Able to manage and motivate staff
Strong report writing skills
Remote management
Proficient in English

Personal Attributes