Project Officer – Market Systems & Value Chain – Marsabit At Catholic Relief Services

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Contract Period: 3 Years
About CRS:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners, people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.
CRS has worked in Kenya since 1965. Over the years, CRS’ focus shifted from direct relief and food distributions to a comprehensive development program that works with partners and enhances local capacity. CRS Kenya programs now support children affected by HIV, and community-based efforts to increase household incomes, improve family health and sanitation, and enhance agriculture livelihoods.
Background:
CRS, representing a consortium of international non-governmental organizations, local implementing partners and research institutions is leading the USAID Nawiri Program in Isiolo and Marsabit, a USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) funded 5-year Development Food Security Activity (DFSA) in Kenya. The overarching goal of this multi-sectoral activity is to sustainably reduce persistent levels of acute malnutrition in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). The activity will be implemented in two phases:

• Phase I (1.5-2 years) Research, test approaches and collaboratively design a context-sensitive, multi-sectoral activity that sustainably reduces acute malnutrition.
• Phase II (3- 3.5 years): Multi-sectoral Activity implementation and adaptation and Local System and Institutional Strengthening.

Job Summary:
The Project Officer – Market Systems/Value Chain will be responsible for developing activities which focus on competitive, inclusive, and sustainable livestock and agricultural market systems. S/he will be responsible for managing the day-to-day activities with private sector livestock and agricultural value chain actors. S/he will promote rural market linkages, and capacity building in livestock and agriculture value chains. The incumbent will be responsible for increasing quantity, quality, and competitiveness of agribusinesses, while ensuring the integration of improved quality and quantity of goods produced; and good agricultural practices are implemented. S/he will support co-designing and co-creation of market-based and enterprise-led interventions that value and actively engage a broader set of system actors, specifically the rural poor and other marginalized group
Job Responsibilities:

• Provide technical oversight and capacity development in establishing Nawiri’s market system activities.
• Utilize market facilitation approaches to strengthen input and output market systems and increase access to and affordability of nutritious food in markets.
• Develop relationships between project participants and key stakeholders in target value chains that will enable them to access increased opportunities.
• Support co-designing and co-creation of market-based and enterprise-led interventions that value and actively engage a broader set of system actors.
• Facilitate the development of service providers in target value chains, identifying private sector investment and other support to garner sustainable improvements and impact.
• Develop sustainable market linkages for identified value chains.
• Provide information on marketing and adding value to agriculture/non-agriculture products, collaborating with the private sector to facilitate sustainable relationships.
• Engage private sector partners to foster sector buy-in and project sustainability.
• Develop opportunities to improve livestock and agriculture trade in identified value chains.
• Provide advisory support on access to credit and other livestock and agricultural trade issues.
• Work with GAIN to facilitate enhanced domestic marketing through more rigorous food safety systems, packaging, and post-harvest methods.
• Assist primary producers and processors to adopt new technologies and techniques to increase the quality and quantity of production.
• Support or establish Value Chain Platforms to promote the development of specific subsectors and create linkages between the stakeholders involved in the value chains.
• Collaborate internally and externally to synthesize, share and apply learning methods for market systems change

Required/Desired Foreign Language: English and Swahili
Travel Required 50% of the time within sub counties in Marsabit or Isiolo
Key Working Relationships:
Supervisory: None
Internal: USAID Nawiri Chief of Party, DCOP Programming, Head of Office, Systems Strengthening Team, Program team, all CRS Country Program staff, Regional and Headquarters technical staff
External: Local implementing partners, government departments at different levels, communities
Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:
Education and Experience

• A degree in a relevant field including international development, livestock/agriculture, business, marketing, supply chain and/or food security.
• Minimum 5 years demonstrated experience with USG or other similar development projects focused on value chain and market systems & access development, including improving financial services for the poor, preferably in Kenya with understanding of the ASAL context.
• Demonstrated success in implementing projects aimed at increasing the competitiveness and inclusiveness of market systems using facilitation approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to work and coordinate effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders, including national and local government, donors, community-based organizations, and the private sector.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in both English and any local language(s) will be a plus.
• Experience with USAID project implementation.
• Strong Microsoft Word and Excel skills.

Personal Skills

• Strong relationship management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Excellent negotiation skills.
• Strong communications and presentation skills.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.
• Capable of working in a dynamic, results oriented environment; ability to multi-task across various work streams/priorities.
• Team player with a positive attitude who can work independently while also being highly collaborative and open. Capable of building relationships and influencing the opinions of others.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
What we offer
CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package and the opportunity to work in a collaborative, mission-driven culture that is committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.
*Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
CRS Kenya striv es to be a place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come and work, stay, and do their best.
CRS provides equal employment opportunity to all qualified employees and applicants for employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, sex, age, marital status, physical or mental disability or handicap, medical condition and any other status protected by law. As an equal opportunity employer, CRS will recruit, hire, train and promote persons solely on their qualifications and abilities.
*By applying to this job, I understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviors r elated to the above safeguarding-related topics.*

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.