Food Assistance Manager

Purpose of Position:

The Food Assistance Manager (FAM) will sit within the Programmes team and closely liaise with the other technical managers (Food Security & Livelihoods, Health & Nutrition, Education, MEAL etc.) and the support functions (Grants & Finance, HR and Operations). The FAM’s primary responsibility is to ensure that JAM South Sudan’s food assistance and related interventions are designed and delivered in a manner that meets professional standards and achieve impact for children and their families. S/he will be expected to provide high quality technical support to field teams, including development and application of tools/ resources, ensuring sound accountability, promoting organizational learning through documentation of best practices. The FAM will support and develop relationships internally across JAM’s various departments and with external agencies, including technical working groups and represent JAM in sub-national and national fora as required. Liaison with donor representatives at sub-national and national levels is a key responsibility for the FAM.

Key Responsibilities: **

1. Designing quality and innovative projects: Lead the development of food/cash assistance project designs and proposals in timely manner, and in line with JAM programming framework and specific donor guidelines. This includes carrying out pre-proposal assessments/research and contributing to writing of the technical approach and budgeting;

2. Programme execution: Provide overall oversight for the implementation of projects by ensuring that activities outlined in donor contracts are implemented in a timely manner, meeting set targets within the proposed budgets, and in accordance with contractual obligations. Support field managers in all aspects of finance, administrative, human resource and logistics management, ensuring knowledge of and adherence to applicable policies and procedures;

3. Food commodities management: Ensure the food commodities accounting systems are run professionally, requisite capacity built, losses mitigated and risks are managed. All warehousing stock, food movement and distribution must be properly accounted for at all times and in real time;

4. Financial/budget management: Provide sound stewardship over financial resource of the programme. Oversee project expenditure and hold budget management responsibility for food assistance programme, including routine monitoring of budget vs. expenditure.

5. Internal and donor reporting: Maintain an effective system to ensure timely reporting internally and to donors, support other programme staff in understanding reporting requirements and ensure reports are in the correct format, and edit sections of reports as needed.

6. Information and communications management: Contribute to the development of information and communication collateral such as: stories, photos, videos, newsletters, brochures, fact sheets, donor reports and annual reports.

7. Human resources management: Determine personnel needs for food assistance operations, develop/review job descriptions and in coordination with HR, assist in recruitment and on-boarding of new staff. Provide day-to-day leadership and management of direct reports, creating and nurturing an environment that supports high performance, learning and teamwork. Support and encourage appropriate personal and professional development of staff (e.g. through on-job and on-line learning). Work closely with HR to promptly manage staff end of contracts in accordance with policy.

8. Coordination and liaison with partners and stakeholders: Act as JAM’s Food Assistance representative to coordinate all activities at field-level with relevant Local Government leaders, INGOs and CBOs, and community stakeholders. Maintain constant coordination with Area Managers and Food Assistance Coordinators to ensure project implementation is adequately supported logistically and managerially.

9. Humanitarian accountability commitments: Lead the teams in integration of core humanitarian principles and cross-cutting themes in design and implementation of projects – AAP, PSEA, SPHERE, Do no Harm, Inclusion, Protection, Environment etc. Provide needed capacity building and monitor, report adherence as per JAM internal policies and humanitarian principles

Qualifications and Requirements

1. A university degree in a relevant field (Business Administration, Economics, Social Sciences, Logistics Management, or one of JAM’s programming areas – Food Security & Livelihoods, Nutrition, WASH, Education);

2. Proven experience and strong knowledge (breadth and depth) in humanitarian emergency response, food aid logistics and cash-based programming. Demonstrated project management experience, with strong understanding of food commodities supply chain management – food ration calculations, budgeting, contracting, warehousing, transportation, distribution, accounting, CTS and invoicing;

3. Highly developed interpersonal and external communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching, partner focus, cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

4. Previous experience working on food and/or cash programmes in partnership with WFP and UN agencies is required. Ability to engage and maintain relationship with donors and other stakeholders and to relate well in a multi-functional internal team is required.

5. Capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult, and sometimes insecure, working circumstances plus ability to work under pressure and flexible to work late hours to meet deadlines.

6. Fluency in English, both verbal and written is essential. Working knowledge of Arabic is an advantage;

7. Commitment to JAM’s ethos and values.