BACKGROUND
The Africa Trade and Investment (ATI) Activity is designed to bolster the U.S. Government’s ability to boost trade and investment too, from, and within the African continent. The continent-wide program is USAID’s flagship effort in support of the Prosper Africa initiative and will expand and accelerate two-way trade and investment between African nations and the United States.
Driven by market demand, ATI embraces innovative approaches to achieve its goals. ATI is designed as a small, core set of centrally coordinated technical and institutional support activities and a large, flexible performance-based subcontracting and grants under contract facility designed to support the needs and opportunities that USAID Missions and the private sector identify.
In response to the global supply chain disruptions such as the impact that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and other political and climatic shocks affecting food and agriculture trade and investment in Africa, the ATI program has been building private sector-led partnerships and executing innovative trade and investment solutions to strengthen food systems and improve the lives of smallholder farmers. ATI received funding from USAID to focus on immediate activities that will have a lasting impact on food security and strengthen resilience capacities through sustainable private sector engagement.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Food and Agriculture Technical Advisor will provide technical inputs to support the management of multiple grants and subcontracts with food security and resilience goals across the continent. The overall objective of the food and agriculture work under ATI is to increase the ability of the private sector to boost trade and investment in key value chains while building capacity and resilience among people and mitigating global macroeconomic shocks. This position requires an expert with deep understanding of global food and market systems and the ability to track critical data sources related to food and nutrition security in Africa.
This role will work collaboratively and in conjunction with the food security and resilience team, as well as regional activity managers, technical advisors, and the broader ATI team to coordinate and deliver all ATI food and agriculture activities. Responsibilities include providing technical and management support to program activities, working with the technical and operational teams to identify and mobilize resources in support of implementation, and supporting USAID clients. The Food and Agriculture Technical Advisor will also help generate scopes of work, support the design and monitoring of activities with private sector partners. In addition, s/he will provide surge procurement and operational support to existing ATI staff, as needed, and play a role in developing knowledge products that support learning capture across the program.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Oversee and track agriculture, food and resilience activity implementation and progress by partners, consultants, and subcontractors, to ensure our work adheres to the approved work plan and deliverable schedule and troubleshoot deviations.
- Monitor food and agriculture issues in targeted regions to follow and advise on food security and resilience trends.
- Provide relationship management support for client and implementing partners, which may include serving as a representative for ATI in meetings with officials from USAID, other US Government agencies and partners, governments, corporations, capital partners, and other key stakeholders across Africa.
- Participate in strategic and technical meetings in collaboration with USAID and other stakeholders as part of ATI’s co-creation process and to inform and develop relevant aspects of ATI’s foundational technical activities as they relate to food security and resilience.
- Ensure private sector partners understand USAID’s expectations for activity implementation.
- Support activity managers and colleagues on all matters related to activities, including but not limited to contractual, operational, monitoring, evaluation, and learning, reporting, and communications.
- Collaborate with staff and partners to design effective trade and investment activities that will strengthen food systems, which may include working directly with partners from activity design to tracking progress to communicating results.
- Contribute to the quarterly reporting, Monitoring and Evaluation (MEL) reporting, and other communication request to ensure that the ATI team proactively updates USAID.
- Ensure assigned activities are managed in accordance with USAID regulations and DAI procurement policies; and Continent-wide travel to provide partner support (25%) as required.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree in a relevant subject area preferred.
- Demonstrated technical expertise in private sector engagement, agricultural development, food security, or resilience programming and processes, preferably through USAID-funded development programs in Africa. Regional experience a plus.
- At least 10 years of demonstrated experience supporting, leading, designing, and/or supporting food and nutrition security programs that have contributed to significant results reducing food insecurity. Preferred experience working directly for a Feed the Future project.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience working with U.S. Government agencies, government donors, African government institutions, or other international and regional economic bodies in Africa.
- Experience and knowledge of food and market system issues in Africa, and how they link to U.S. Government priorities, with the ability to identify trends and strategically adapt activities to improve impact.
- Demonstrated ability to work across multiple geographies and a range of private sector and public sector partners.
- An articulate individual who possesses excellent interpersonal skills and who can relate to people at all levels of an organization.
- Strong analytical, communication, and writing skills, including experience with project required reporting.
- Proven project management skills and strong experience with client management
- Ability to identify time-sensitive demands and inquiries and respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints.
- An energetic, forward-thinking, and creative individual with high ethical standards and appropriate professional image.
- An extremely well-organized and self-directed individual with sound technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment, and strong operational focus.
- Ability to work in a fast-moving, fluid team setting with multiple stakeholders.
- Fluency in spoken and written English required, French language skills a plus.
Reporting
The Food Security and Resilience Technical Advisor reports to the ATI Food Security and Resilience Team Lead.
ABOUT DAI
DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.
DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.
DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.
How to apply
APPLICATION LINK: https://fs25.formsite.com/DupOTo/qtotjg7t1f/index
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Select the position in which you are interested in applying, fill out the required information, and upload your CV. Please indicate what location you are applying for. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as interviews will be conducted soon. Please note, due to the volume of applications that we receive and the urgency to fill up positions, only shortlisted applicants will receive notification on the next steps.