Senior Advisor Social Protection & Cash Assistance

Senior AdvisorSocial Protection & Cash Assistance - New York or Washington DC, United States

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 28 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 55 countries, our 8,990 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

1. Job Summary

Action Against Hunger believes in the transformative power of Social Protection (SP) and Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) programming in helping communities meet their basic needs and become resilient to future shocks. Action Against Hunger USA seeks a qualified candidate to grow and oversee the technical quality and integrity of the organization’s Social Protection and CVA portfolio.

Purpose: The Senior Technical Advisor will define strategic direction and provide leadership and oversight to ACF’s growing Social Protection and CVA portfolio.

Engagement: The Senior Technical Advisor will play an active role in defining cross-network priorities in the field of Social Protection and CVA, will represent ACF interests in cross-organizational networks, such as CALP and the Collaborative Cash Deliver Network (CDD), and will represent ACF interests in other global and regional technical and norms setting bodies.

Delivery: The Senior Technical Advisor will collaborate closely with the ACF East Africa Regional Office and Country Teams to secure funding for Social Protection and CVA programs and ensure the technical quality and integrity of those programs.

II. Essential Job Duties

Technical Leadership

• Support country teams and partners in determining the feasibility and appropriateness of Social Protection or cash and voucher assistance as a tool to meet basic needs and assure resilience of vulnerable communities.
• Provide technical support in the development and delivery of Social Protection and CVA projects, including guidance on assessments, feasibility analyses, targeting, risk analysis and mitigation, and delivery approaches.
• Build staff and partner capacity through facilitation of communities of practice, webinars, and other approaches as appropriate.
• Support the identification and contracting of partners and institutions for effective and transparent cash transfer.
• Ensure compliance with donor and ACF rules and regulations.
• Work with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEAL) team to ensure that monitoring and evaluation for the Social Protection and CVA programming is practical and reflects best practices.

Thought Leadership

• Stay abreast of the latest developments in Social Protection and CVA programming and ensure ACF approaches are consistent with the state of the art.
• Identify innovations, support research to validate and refine novel program approaches, and disseminate findings through papers, professional conferences, and other approaches.
• Ensure high quality baseline, midterm and final evaluations and other program planning assessments for cash and voucher related activities. Consolidate and share learning and evidence from ACF programs and other ACF supported initiatives.
• Promote uptake of best practices through cash and voucher technical working groups.
• Support development of Social Protection and CVA related policies at global, regional and country level, and contribute to ACF efforts to advocate for their uptake.

Business Development

• Oversee development of an SP/CVA growth strategy and develop and monitor the SP/CVA opportunity pipeline.
• Ensure that Action Against Hunger technical staff are informed about SP/CVA donor priorities and application processes.
• Collaborate with the business development department to identify and pursue funding opportunities.
• Ensure that proposals and projects align with donor strategies and global best practice, and lead development of project proposals as necessary.
• Cultivate relationships with key SP/CVA donors and strategic partners.

Representation

• Ensure ACF is visible and influential within global CVA forums such as the CALP Network, Collaborative Cash Delivery (CCD) Network, IASC Cash Coordination Forum, and other platforms as relevant.
• Identify, build, and manage collaborative partnerships with consortium partners, private sector stakeholders, sub-grantees, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Represent Action Against Hunger USA in the Technical Working Group on Cash and Voucher for the network.
• Participate in events related to CVA and food security and livelihoods communities of practice.

Other duties

• Perform other duties as required.

III. Supervisory Responsibilities

The Senior Advisor will provide direction and guidance to regional technical advisors and country-based technical staff through a matrixed relationship.

IV. Fiscal Responsibility

The Senior Advisor may manage a small to medium sized budget to advance global priorities.

V. Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with interruptions.
• To travel to the field, the employee must attest to a level of physical fitness capable of enduring physically difficult, highly stressful situations, which may include the necessity to walk long distances, to eat a limited diet, and/or to reside in potentially uncomfortable housing or tents.
• The physical demands described here must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

VI. Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

• The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required by contact with the missions, mission security, or other obligations.
• Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business travel as well as to the missions if appropriate. While visiting the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases.

VII. Gender Equality Commitments & Zero Tolerance to Abuse

• Foster an environment that reinforces values of people of all genders equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where people of all genders must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all stakeholders, particularly for children, beneficiaries, and members of staff.
• Help to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment and sexual abuse and exploitation.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
• Value and respect all cultures.

VIII. Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a post-graduate degree in nutrition, food security, agriculture, international development, economics, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience working in the SP/CVA sector, ideally with substantial experience in emergencies or LMICs
• Demonstrated understanding of the primary CVA modalities, including digital, mobile, card, paper vouchers, and cash in envelopes.
• Prior work experience in a non-governmental organization (NGO), UN agency, or academic institution required.
• Experience working with USAID or ECHO funded SP/CVA programs highly desirable. Experience with food assistance an added bonus.

Ability to work with technical teams across diverse contexts; demonstrated success providing technical assistance in complex environments.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Fluency in written and spoken English.
Fluency in French, Spanish, or Portuguese desirable; and,
Willingness to travel as required (up to 25%).

All candidates should apply online at https://careers.actionagainsthunger.org/ Action Against Hunger-USA provides all staff with an attractive salary & benefits package. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.