Child Safeguarding:

Level 3 - the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people
ROLE PURPOSE:  

The Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Officer will work as part of an interdisciplinary team, under the guidance of the Area Programme Manager Singida-Dodoma. She/he will be based in Singida-Dodoma and will be responsible for coordinating with project Nutrition Officers to identify and provide assistance to members of Care Groups. Assistance includes productive asset transfers, agricultural production training, homestead garden support and training, post-harvest handling and storage assistance, and food preservation training. She/he will also manage the formation of Village Savings and Loans Groups (VICOBAS) composed of members of Care Groups who voluntarily wish to join. She/he will also be responsible for working closely with Nutrition Officers to identify and train various stakeholders in nutrition-sensitive agriculture including the importance of diversified household food production and consumption, sanitation and hygiene practices, and gender-equitable household decision making regarding food security resources such as food, food storage items and potable water devices such as filters. He/she will be responsible for ensuring high-quality project implementation, monitoring, and reporting of all project activities.

 
SCOPE OF ROLE:

Save the Children has been operational in Tanzania since 1986 providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered in support of Government of Tanzania priorities and policies both directly and through local partners.  Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, nutrition, HIV/TB and emergency response. In 2012, as part of a global reorganization process, Save the Children combined programmes of SCUK, SCUS, SC Sweden to create a single operation in Tanzania.  We currently have an operational presence in Lindi, Shinyanga, Zanzibar, Songwe, and Kigoma and we work with partners in other parts of the country. We employ nearly 100 staff and have an annual operating budget of approximately $10 million.

Reports to: Area Programme Manager Singida-Dodoma

Staff directly reporting to this post: Nil

 
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

1.     Programme responsibilities
The overall objective of this Support to Food Security and Nutrition in Tanzania project is to improve food and nutrition security and ultimately contribute to reducing the high stunting rate in Tanzania. The specific objective is to improve access to and use of nutritious food through behaviour change and the diversification of food production in Bahi and Chamwino Districts in Dodoma Region and Ikungi and Singida Rural Districts in Singida Region. It focuses primarily on maternal child health and nutrition (MCHN), targeting the first 1,000 days, with the pregnant and lactating women and children under the age of two as the primary beneficiaries.

The World Food Programme (WFP) manages overall coordination of the project, as well as the implementation of a) nutrition and WASH social and behaviour change communication (SBCC) activities at the health facility and local government authority levels, b) provision of fortified blended food, c) data management capacity improvements, and d) strengthened stakeholders coordination. In addition, WFP may identify and work with other partners for these activities with funding from other donors. Building on the network of the Partnership for Nutrition in Tanzania (PANITA) and other work in country, Save the Childrenis the primary partner for implementing a) household level SBCC activities, b) support for the production of diverse crops and dietary diversity through community-level asset transfers, and c) village community savings and loan groups.

1.     Technical

1. Co-lead with another Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Project Officer, with the collaboration of Nutrition Project Officers, the start-up, implementation, monitoring and adaptation of nutrition-sensitive agriculture and livestock activities to improve access to and use of nutritious food through behavior change and the diversification of food production.
2. Manage and oversee training in nutrition-sensitive agriculture for various stakeholders.
3. Manage asset transfer activities, demonstration plot development, and training in agriculture production and homestead gardening practices with women and households participating in Care Groups.
4. Manage and oversee training in post-harvest handling, storage and food preservation practices.
5. Identify and train VICOBA group facilitators, manage the formation of and provide training to VICOBA groups, and monitor group activities and progress.
6. Train and oversee partners, agricultural extension officers and community volunteers who deliver household outreach and group training.
7. Regularly travel to field site locations in Bahi, Chamwino, Ikungi and Singida to lead the start-up, manage implementation, and in coordination with MEAL staff, the monitoring of project activities.
8. Build other staff capacities for nutrition-sensitive agriculture activity design, implementation, and monitoring.
9. Oversee and contribute to the design of assessments in order to guide program design, implementation, monitoring, and adaptation.
10. Develop technical materials, in collaboration with technical advisors and possibly outside consultants, to further project activities, objectives, and results

2.     Operational

1. Provide timely and accurate written and verbal reporting.
2. Contribute to project strategic planning and to well-written, focused project reports, annual implementation plans, success stories, and other written products.
3. Ensure high-quality project implementation, monitoring, and reporting.
4. Make regular field visits to monitor project quality and collect data.
5. Collaborate with MEAL staff to ensure that collection and analysis of data is accurate, rigorous and incorporated into project implementation. 
6. Coordinate with other Nutrition and Agriculture Project Officers in work planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting, and adaptation

3.     Representation and Coordination

1. Participate in technical working groups and liaise with other project implementing organizations.
2. Serve as a focal point with local and international partners, government representatives, donors and other organizational stakeholders.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the broader team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and take responsibility for their own personal development
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale

Collaboration:

• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, managers, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity and different people’s perspectives, able to work cross-culturally.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency
• Commitment to Save the Children values
   

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s Degree in agriculture or related field. Master’s Degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant field experience with an international organization in agriculture and livestock programming.
• Strong technical grasp of agriculture, livestock, climate change adaptation (CCA), environmental safeguards strategies, and natural resource management.
• Experience, knowledge, and skills in improved homestead garden production, demonstration plots, agricultural extension agent engagement, food preservation, and post-harvest handling and storage practices.
• Demonstrated experience in project and time management.
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills in English required.
• Demonstrated experience in working effectively with CSOs and community-level actors, stakeholders, and beneficiaries.
• Experience applying and knowledge of the design, implementation and best practices for promoting behavior change and adoption of improved practices and technologies in agriculture and livestock programming.
• Significant knowledge of agriculture, food security, nutrition and gender issues in Dodoma and Singida Regions of Tanzania.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations and independently.
• Familiarity and understanding of donor policies and procedures is a plus.
• Local candidates are encouraged to apply