Purpose of the position:
The position provides leadership and technical excellence to the West Africa region’s Livelihoods & Resilience sector, leveraging both internal and external stakeholders to maximize their contribution to child well-being. Grows the Livelihoods & Resilience portfolio through new business development including grants, contracts, and strategic partnerships. Oversees World Vision’s sector programming to ensure that it reflects the organizational distinctive of Christ-centered, community-empowering, and child-focused in its standards and practices and the highest technical standards are met in its programming. Builds WV’s reputation in the sector, creates partnerships and innovative approaches, and strengthens and mobilizes WV’s sector community of practice to execute excellence in programming that demonstrates evidence of impact. Positions and brands WV as a leading child-focused organization and represents WV at high-level regional platforms and other external engagement forums.
Major Responsibilities:
1. Set Strategic Priorities 25%
- Define WV West Africa Region Livelihoods & Resilience sector vision, regional sectoral approach, and targets in alignment with the Partnership strategy.
- Provides thought leadership in their respective area of expertise both within and outside World Vision
- Develops WV brand and reputation through quality programming, evidence of impact, policy and advocacy-related work
- Contribute in the development of sectoral policy and guidance in alignment with Partnership strategy.
- Ensures alignment of sector approaches and core project models to Partnership strategy.
- Ensures integration of WV’s distinctive, biases and ethos in all sector guidance and practice
- Ensure the regional sectoral approach is aligned at all levels; from supporting sector fundraising & marketing through sector programming and integrated with other sectors and lines of ministry.
- Ensures overall compliance with Partnership standards and external standards
- Lead innovations and research initiatives in sector programming
2. Capacity Building 10%
- Contributes to building the capability of WV’s sector professionals in the region and global community of practice.
- Promotes a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the region and beyond
- Internally benchmark capabilities, processes, and systems in Livelihoods & Resilience programming against market leaders and build toward best in class.
- Determines the technical capacity needs for the region and support the partnership as necessary.
3. Ensure Program Quality and Impact 25%
- Maintains a regional and global view of the sector across the region in collaboration with the partnership global sector lead.
- Determines the technical capacity needs for the region.
- Ensures accountability in the provision of technical services and programme implementation for regional and globally agreed standards, sector approaches and core project models
- Build an understanding of the current sectoral footprint and identify opportunities for further impact.
- Maintain a view of revenue streams to support programme opportunities.
- Measure the extent to which resourcing opportunities meet ministry needs and impact CWB.
- Ensure accountability by using Evidence and Learning, analysis, and interpretation of data to provide regional evidence of impact for the sector.
- Coordinates with other regional Sector leads in ensuring regional and global approaches (including core project models) are integrated and have a ministry focus that is Christian, community-based and child-focused.
- Coordinates closely with Support Offices (and GC where appropriate) sector team engagement and partners.
4. External Engagement 10%
- Represents and builds World Vision’s influence, advocacy, partnerships and reputation externally.
- Collaborates with Faith and Development actors externally as we seek to integrate faith into all our programming to address spiritual of causes of child well-being
- Participates in high-level regional and international meetings, forums, and conferences as required.
- Actively positions WV as an NGO of choice with global 2030 Agenda platforms, and with potential and key partners, donors and stakeholders, businesses and donors
- Provides technical support to regional and Global Campaigns
5. Development Programming Approach (DPA) 5%
- Help NOs effectively work with partners through the promotion of Local Partnering principles and practices at both leadership and frontline staff levels
- Ensure NOs understand the Most Vulnerable Children (MVC) framework, integrate MVC needs into programming, and report effectively the impact on MVC
- Assist NOs in the contextualization of DPA
6. Resources Mobilization and Networking 20%
- Contribute high-quality inputs into national office grant proposals and concepts, support review of program design ensuring quality results frameworks and log-frames.
- For regional funding opportunities support project design and document review where possible.
- Support prepositioning and donor engagement as regional Health & Nutrition lead and where necessary participate in regional networks raising the profile of World Vision.
- Build knowledge of donor expectations and guidelines around Health & Nutrition in collaboration with WARO RAM.
- Establish networks and alliances with external partners (research institutions, universities, other NGOs, etc) for the purpose of enhancing program quality.
7. General Responsibilities 5%
- Contribute and support Christian activities that enrich and develop mutual growth in Christ in a way that promotes holistic and integrated witness in our life and work and impacts the poor and vulnerable.
- Perform any other tasks assigned by the Regional leadership.
Qualifications: Education/Knowledge/Technical Skills and Experience
The following may be acquired through a combination of formal or self-education, prior experience, or on-the-job training:
Essential:
- Masters degree in economics, social sciences, international development or a closely related field the sector-related expertise area.
- In-depth knowledge/expertise in sector programming including evidence-based best practices.
- Proven livelihoods subject matter expert with a minimum of 12 years of experience designing and leading regional or global livelihoods programming in a developing context including West and Central Africa region.
- Strong experience developing strategy and policy within the International NGO sector or a development agency such as the United Nations.
- Strong experience and proven skills in leading a team of technical professionals and growing a global livelihoods portfolio.
- Strong experience in working with grant-funded programs by bilateral and multilateral donors
- Strong experience and proven skills in working effectively to advance priorities and achieve change, in situations without direct authority in which influence, relationships, and technical quality are needed to succeed.
- Demonstrated ability to strategically grow technical portfolio through new business development, partnerships, grants and contracts.
- Strong experience and proven skills in external engagement that contributes to change in policy and practice and builds WV’s reputation as a leader in the industry.
- Experience in working with faith, faith actors and faith-related issues in development Experience of HEA and fragile contexts.
- Recent and extensive experience living and working in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Effective in written and verbal communication in French and English. Additional languages representative of the countries WV serves in an advantage.
- Fluent in both French and English
Preferred:
- Masters in economics, social sciences, international development or a closely related field required, with a strong preference for relevant doctoral-level degree.
- Proven experience developing new livelihoods and resilience products and growing livelihoods and resilience programs in a variety of contexts.
- Experience working with and managing large grants in sector programming for major bilateral and multilateral donors.
- Experience growing a diverse global portfolio through new business development, strategic positioning, grants, contracts and partnerships.
- Previous experience working in a Country Office/National Office or Regional Office setting will be advantageous.
- Experience working in fragile, conflict, post-conflict and/or difficult operating environments is preferred.
- West Africa experience preferred. Female applicants are encouraged to apply.
- Strong preference for multi-lingual candidates, language skills representative of the countries WV serves is an advantage. Strong preference for French-speaking candidates (bilingual and or multi-lingual candidates will be advantageous).
Working Environment / Conditions:
- The position requires ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 30% of the time.
- This role involves being part of a virtual, geographically dispersed team