Job Profile Requirements
This call for interest is advertised as a temporary assignment with a duration of 11 months.
Organizational Setting
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution, and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.
The Department for Country Operations (DCO) oversees the origination, design and management of IFAD investments, including sovereign and non-sovereign operations, as well as the design and implementation of non-lending activities within country programmes, including policy engagement and SSTC. DCO is the department that primarily interfaces with governments, the private sector and other stakeholders to deliver IFAD’s programme of work and to provide oversight to ensure quality of the portfolio.
DCO is led by an Associate Vice-President and is composed of five (5) regional divisions: Asia and the Pacific Division (APR), East and Southern Africa Division (ESA), Latin America and Caribbean Division (LAC) , Near East, North Africa and Europe Division (NEN) and West and Central Africa Division (WCA), the Private Sector Operations Division (PSD), and two (2) units:- the South-South and Triangular Cooperation Unit (SSTC) and the fragility unit (FRU).
The GCF AICRM Regional Programme
The GCF portfolio in the West and Central Africa Division includes the regional Program Integrated Climate Risk Management Programme in the seven Sahelian Countries (in Burkina, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, The Gambia) of the Great Green Wall (AICRM). This programme was approved during the 28th meeting of the GCF Board US$ 143 million, of which US$ 82.8 million of grant resources from the GCF. The African Development Bank, Africa Risk Capacity and IFAD co-finance the program. AICRM is one element of IFAD’s One Sahel Initiative which ensures complementarity amongst all IFAD programmes in the regions and provides parallel co-financing to the IFAD Joint Programme for the Sahel in Response to the Challenges of COVID-19, Conflict and Climate Change (SD3C) covering 6 Sahel Countries namely, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal, approved by IFAD board in December 2020.
The GCF AICRM Regional programme’s main overall objective is to increase resilience and enhance the livelihoods and food and water security of smallholder farmers and rural communities through integrated climate risk management of natural resources (water, soil, ecosystems) in seven countries of the Green Great Wall (GGW). It also seeks to enable these countries to adopt low emission, climate resilient pathways for agricultural development by promoting, upgrading and scaling up risk management measures in agriculture while delivering various adaptation and mitigation co-benefits, including the avoidance of 21.5 million tCO2q GHG emissions. To achieve the expected outcome, the programme is divided into three mutually reinforcing and interlinked components that contribute to the following three outcomes: component 1 (risk preparedness); component 2 (risk reduction); component 3 (risk transfer).
The programme will directly benefit 800,000 households and indirectly over 5.3 million beneficiaries of which 50 percent will be women. The programme will be implemented at the country level and at regional level through a Regional Coordination Unit (RCU). The Regional Coordination Unit (RCU) will be in charge of the overall coordination performance and monitoring of the programme, reporting of results and impacts, knowledge management with the Great Green Wall, south-south exchanges between the seven countries.
The Senior Program Coordinator, AICRM will work under the general supervision of the Program Manager (SD3C & 1Sahel Coordinator)and in coordination with the Lead Regional Environment and Climate Specialist and Sahel MCO Head, with the expert advice of the Director of ECG and the Director, WCA.
Key Responsibilities and duties
The Senior Programme Coordinator, AICRM coordinates the Integrated Climate Risk Management Programme in the seven Sahelian Countries (in Burkina, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and The Gambia) of the Great Green Wall. The incumbent works within the regional coordination unit (RCU) based in IFAD Multi-Country Office for Sahel located in Dakar (Senegal).
The Senior Programme Coordinator, AICRM will be in charge of day-to-day programme management, coordination with country project teams and all participating agencies. In addition, the incumbent works directly with and engages division staff to engage the MCO teams and heads, Country Directors and IFAD country teams in each of the targeted countries, country PMUs, The SD3C regional programme and baseline investments.
The incumbent and team build coordination and synergies with the key partners of this program, the Africa Risk Capacity (ARC) and the World Food Programme (WFP), who are each implementing specific activities.
The incumbent and staff establish and maintain strong relationships within the IFAD ECG staff and other Departments/Divisions (DCO, PMI, FOD, OLG) as appropriate, and outside IFAD, with each of the selected government officials, civil society leaders and technical experts, for example, to facilitate the proper implementation of the programme.
The incumbent and RCU staff also work together through IFAD’s processes to meet all the requirements for GCF Sahel regional programme implementation. In this context, the Senior Programme Coordinator duties/responsibilities will include the following:
Leadership with in regional coordination unit: The Senior Programme Coordinator, AICRM leads and manages activities, staff, and resources related to AICRM under the regional coordination unit (RCU) and ensures that the team is highly performing, motivated and committed to the Programme’s success. The incumbent ensures the strategic direction of the programme, planning, organizing, managing and supervision of the programmes and each country project, annual programme of work and budget in line with the programme and country financing agreements.
Quality control and monitoring: The Senior Programme Coordinator, AICRM provides quality control of the implementation of each country project and technical guidance to countries and partners (b)monitors the programme delivery and ensure that participating countries and PMUs, conveying any problems to relevant partners and managers and act proactively to prevent country problem projects under this programme. (c) identifies potential synergies with any other relevant programs and propose opportunities to reduce transaction costs and for increasing the impact of the programme coordination with other partners, support the development of common M&E indicators and systems to enable the monitoring of project outputs and programme outcomes. Also, prepares terms of reference for any required studies and evaluations and (i) ensures timely and accurate production of progress reports both financial and narrative, and of the programme annual and quarterly work plans. (ii) ensures regular and timely monitoring reports on all country individual projects. (iii) ensures that the performance of each country dashboard is in line with the programme objectives.
Partnership building and representation: The Senior Programme Coordinator facilitates the dissemination of information and reports to all stakeholders and liaises with all relevant IFAD Departments/Divisions (DCO, PMI, FOD, OLG), ECG GCF focal point, lead technical specialist, country directors and regional teams for all issues concerning the programme delivery and reporting. Also, in coordination with the M&E and KM specialist, compile lessons learned and good practices and facilitate the exchange of experiences.
Managerial functions: The Senior Programme Coordinator is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the management of IFAD resources. This includes People Management through technical leadership/capacity development, Resource Management by providing strategic and technical advice for operational development, and Knowledge and Content Management by ensuring (1) knowledge content within specialty/thematic area is continuously updated and available through the intranet (2) best practices are continuously identified, documented and made available to clients and peers through the inter-/intra-net and (3) appropriate and up-to-date information and learning tools are available.
In particular, the incumbent fosters an environment that stimulates and rewards performance, initiative and innovation, and encourages continuous learning, frank communication and teamwork.
The Senior Programme Coordinator will perform any other duties as required.
Qualification Requirements
Organizational Competencies – Level 2:
Strategic thinking and organizational development: Strategic leadership
Demonstrating Leadership: Leads by example; initiates and supports change
Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating: Challenges, innovates and contributes to a learning culture
Focusing on clients: Contributes to a client-focused culture
Problem solving and decision making: Solves complex problems and makes decisions that have wider corporate impact
Managing time, resources and information: Coordinates wider use of time, information and/or resources
Team Work: Fosters a cohesive team environment
Communicating and negotiating: Acquires and uses a wide range of communication styles and skills
Building relationships and partnerships: Builds and maintains strategic partnerships internally and externally
Managing performance and developing staff: Manages staff and teams effectively
Education
Education includes Advanced university degree from an accredited institution listed on https://whed.net/home.php in Risk Management, Sustainable Development, Climate Change, Environmental Economics, Finance, Insurance, Agriculture, Business or related field is required. Note: For internal candidates, this requirement will be assessed in line with the provisions set forth in IFAD’s Human Resources Implementing Procedures.
Work experience
At least 8 years overall relevant experience.
Three (3) years in a multi-cultural organization or national organization providing support on a global scope.
Position-specific experience: Experience and knowledge in climate resilience and climate risk management
Experience in climate adaptation, resilience and climate impacts on livelihoods, especially agriculture, fishing, and small businesses, as well as financing of government programs in developing countries and with social and environment safeguards. Experience in preparing feasibility studies, particularly in relation to insurance schemes.
Experience in working with international institutions (UN agencies or other), International donors (AfDB, WB, GCF) and government institutions is an asset.
Experience in organizing and facilitating stakeholder consultations and/or events. Developing country experience is an asset. Experience working in the Sahel Region is an asset.
Languages and other skills
Excellent English and French is required.
Other information
IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD. In accordance with IFAD’s Human Resources Policy, the President can decide to assign them to any of the activities of the Fund. All International Professional staff members are required to be geographically mobile and positions in the professional category are subject to changes in location at any time in line with strategic priorities and reform initiatives in IFAD.
IFAD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic, social or political background, colour, nationality, religion, age, gender, disability, marital status, family size or sexual orientation in line with its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Strategy and the Policy to prevent and respond to sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse.
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