Program Manger II WALA Livestock Technical and Quality Coordinator (TQC), Blantyre, Malawi

Job Title: Program Manger II – WALA Livestock Technical and Quality Coordinator (TQC) Location: Blantyre, Malawi Req. #: I501
Job Summary: The position of WALA livestock Technical and Quality Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring that the WALA consortium achieves set objectives for livestock management. WALA is a multi-year assistance program (MYAP) supported by USAID Food For Peace and implemented by a consortium of eight international and national development organizations including World Vision. CRS is the lead agency for the consortium and the program is managed by a Consortium Administration and Technical Coordination Hub (CATCH) located in Blantyre. The goal of the WALA program is to increase food security among vulnerable households and communities in rural Malawi. This position will oversee the WALA consortium livestock activities, providing programming and technical oversight and coordinating all livestock related activities to enhance the quality of the project livestock deliverables.
Key Responsibilities:

• Manage the WALA consortium livestock activities to ensure the realization of WALA consortium livestock objectives. These include:
• Building the capacity of WALA consortium field staff and targeted households in sound animal husbandry practices for small animals and ruminants (rabbits, goats etc), swine, poultry and fish farming to enhance livestock management
• Developing and strengthening profitable small agro enterprises to diversify households' income using sound livestock practices linking livestock to Agri-business.
• Identify and adapt a livestock management standard operations guideline for poultry, fish farming, small animals and other livestock.
• Ensure sustained linkages between livestock activities and other project interventions e.g. Health/nutrition, Village Savings & Loans, Ag Business, irrigation and field crop production.
• Ensure effective collaboration and linkage between WALA consortium and relevant government ministries i.e. Ministry of Agriculture.
• Facilitate collaboration between the WALA consortium partners and other stakeholders.
• Manage provision of Livestock Technical Assistance by consultants.
• Produce high quality and timely progress reports.
  
  Specific Responsibilities: Provide leadership and effectively and efficiently manage the livestock activities to achieve WALA consortium objectives in a timely and quality manner. This will involve:
  Program Management:
  
• Coordinate and monitor partner NGOs to guarantee timely implementation of program activities and quality delivery of outputs.
• Manage livestock consultants to ensure well coordinated and timely provision of quality technical assistance and delivery of outputs.
• Establish and facilitate implementation of an effective strategy to ensure sustained linkages between livestock and other WALA activities.
• Collaborate with WALA monitoring and evaluation unit to ensure the existence of an effective M&E system for livestock activities.
• Collaborate with partner NGOs to ensure effective capacity building of targeted households for sustainable management of the livestock interventions developed.
• Ensure the timely submission of quality program progress reports.
• Monitor program budget with the respective financial personnel at the CATCH and CRS.
• Ensure accountability to donor, partners and other stakeholders.
• Ensure timely identification of challenges and appropriate strategies to overcome them.
• Promote learning and best practices within and outside the WALA consortium.
  
  Innovation:
  
• Identify innovation in the respective technical area that is taking place around the world and facilitate its application in the consortium
• Constantly review the MYAP strategy to achieve program impact and suggest alternative strategies and changes to the Technical Working Group (TWG) and to the Grant Holder and the Advisory Board.
• Promote through facilitation the capacity and motivation of implementing staff to become innovative and support each consortium member to promote at least one innovation every two years
• Actively seek to understand the main interventions being promoted by the other technical sectors, and collaborate with other TQCs to develop innovations that will strengthen the synergies between the sectors.
  
  Learning:
  
• Lead in developing a "learning approach" for the technical area and coordinate the implementation across consortium.
• Develop a checklist of major learning from I-LIFE (former/previous MYAP) to influence performance in WALA.
• Coordinate learning within consortium through cross visits, exchange of staff, TWG meeting forums and other means.
• Record lessons learnt in the consortium and facilitate its effective use to improve program quality in coordination with the Knowledge Management Officer.
• Facilitate development of 'learning communities" (a model community which the technical lead may visit often with the consortium team and facilitate learning through experiences with the community).
• Contribute to the dissemination of consortium's successes to various stakeholders.
  
  Program Development:
  
• Design and develop project proposals, and follow –through to ensure funding.
• Undertake program modifications based on recommendations from midterm review and annual surveys.
  
  Representation:
  
• Establish strong working relationships with WALA partners and other stakeholders.
• Participate in WALA technical working groups and general meetings.
• Represent the program at various levels as delegated by supervisors.
  
  Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff): These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.
  
• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning
  
  Key Working Relationships: Internal (WALA):Deputy Chief of Party - Programming; Agriculture Technical and Quality (TQC) Lead, Program Officers; the Director and Deputy Director, Head of Administration and Finance, Commodity and Logistics Managers, Health & Nutrition TQC, Agribusiness TQC, VSL TQC, and M&E TQC.
  External: WALA Partner PVOS, Livestock Consultants, non-consortium NGOs' UN Agencies, USAID / OFDA, and government ministries and agencies as appropriate.
  Qualifications:
  
• Advanced university degree (Masters or PhD) in Livestock preferred.
• Knowledge of USAID funded programs (Title II etc).
• Five to ten years progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels in livestock program planning, management, monitoring and evaluation.
• Current knowledge of the latest developments and technology, in the field.
• Proven ability to conceptualize, develop, plan and manage programs, as well as to impart knowledge and teach skills.
• Leadership and teamwork abilities.
• Ability to work with minimum supervision.
• Good analytical, negotiating, communication and advocacy skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organization.
• Computer skills such as internet navigation and various office applications
• Fluency in English. Knowledge of the local language is an asset. Travel: The position requires travel to program areas (more than 60% of time) to provide consortium member-specific technical support.
  
  Disclaimer Clause: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position
  To apply, visit www.crs.org/about/careers
  EOE/M/F/D/V