Country Representative

About Famine Early Warning Systems Network

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) is an integrated set of activities funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) intended to provide timely, accurate, evidence-based, and transparent food security early warning information and analysis. Created in 1985 in response to famines in East and West Africa, FEWS NET provides global coverage through a mix of presence and remote monitoring. FEWS NET’s work is implemented across several pillars by a team of partners that includes NASA, NOAA, USGS, Kimetrica, and Chemonics International (Chemonics). Chemonics implements FEWS NET’s integrated emergency food insecurity analysis through a Washington-based technical office and more than 20 field offices.

Based on in-depth understanding of local livelihoods, FEWS NET analysts monitor information and data on factors that affect food security, such as weather conditions and climate, crops, pasture, markets and trade, and nutrition. FEWS NET produces regular reports, including Food Security Outlooks and Outlook Updates, emergency alerts, market and price updates, and global weather hazards. FEWS NET makes reports available at www.fews.net and distributes them globally to governments, relief agencies, and other organizations engaged in humanitarian response and development programs.

The seventh phase of FEWS NET (FEWS NET 7) began in 2019 and relies on close collaboration with international, regional, and national partners on food security analysis and reinforcement of food security networks. Major activities include joint monitoring and assessments, data exchanges, collaborative analysis and report writing, and technical capacity strengthening. FEWS NET supports local and regional food security networks to contribute to achieving the global objective of food security for all.

Job Summary

The Country Representative (CR) serves as the technical, administrative, and political (representational) head of each field office. Where appropriate, the CR may also support remote monitoring in selected countries. The CR is responsible for activities in the following five areas:

• Efficient, focused food security monitoring, data collection, assessment, and early warning analysis
• Effective communication of early warning analysis to partners and decision-makers though high-quality reports and participation in briefings and formal and informal meetings
• Close collaboration with and project representation to key partners, such as host government ministries, UN agencies, and international and local NGOs, among others
• Supporting partnership and network development by addressing identified gaps in effective early warning systems
• Project administration and management at the field office level

The CR represents the project at the local level, provides quality control for the deliverables of the project, and ensures that activities and products are delivered in a timely manner.

Duties & Responsibilities

Responsibilities

The main responsibilities of the Afghanistan Country Representative include, but are not limited to:

Technical Activities

• Supporting the effective execution of technical activities in the national office including early warning analysis, livelihoods and vulnerability assessments, markets and trade analysis, monitoring tools and methods development, capacity strengthening, and network development/enhancement
• Maintaining and updating a knowledge base composed of, at a minimum: livelihood zone profiles, commodity trade flow maps, sub-national seasonal monitoring calendars, commodity price data, nutrition data, and other technical data covering levels of rainfall, agricultural production, population, historical assistance flows, etc.
• Developing and updating seasonal monitoring plans
• Providing high quality and effective early warning of threats to food security and supporting efforts to mitigate food insecurity and prevent food crises through the production of actionable, evidence-based food security analysis
• Conducting regular field assessments of food security conditions, security permitting, both independently and with partners, in areas of most concern to FEWS NET
• Fulfilling monthly reporting requirements, including writing Food Security Outlooks (FSO), FSO Updates, and Key Messages, contributing to Food Assistance Outlook Brief reports, and providing regular briefings to the US Government and other partners in country;
• Organizing project documentation and files and updating all essential data used in food security early warning monitoring and assessment, including through inputs into the FEWS NET Data Warehouse, in line with guidance provided by the Washington-based technical team
• Participating actively and collaboratively in country-level Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Technical Working Groups and associated analyses, as applicable, in line with IPC protocols
• Contributing to other FEWS NET information products required locally, regionally, and by the Washington-based technical team

Partnership, Representation, and Network Development

• Collaborating with national, regional, and international partners in food security monitoring and analysis, including through participation in implementation of the IPC
• Developing and maintaining strong collaborative formal and informal relations, both politically and technically, with USAID Mission representatives, US Embassy contacts, UN agency representatives, government ministry staff, and key international and local NGO colleagues to facilitate technical exchanges, promote consensus-building, work to resolve technical disagreements, and facilitate joint, coordinated actions to mitigate food insecurity
• Playing a leading role in collecting, archiving, analyzing, and sharing food security data and information
• Reinforcing partnerships through network development/enhancement at the national and sub-national levels by focusing support to address identified gaps and strengthen shared opportunities, including providing training and skills transfers for effective early warning in country
• Representing FEWS NET at regular and ad hoc formal and informal meetings of both a technical and a political nature within the national food security network
• Supporting positive, productive collaboration through solutions-oriented communication and problem solving

Management

• Serving as an effective and efficient team leader and role model
• Supervising, mentoring, and supporting the professional development of technical and administrative staff in the field office
• Leading national recruitment efforts for technical and administrative staff
• Providing oversight and ensuring timely administrative operations of the field office
• Other related tasks, as assigned.

Job Requirements

• Fluency in English, Pashtu, and Dari, is required, local language skills desirable
• An advanced university degree in a discipline relevant to the work of FEWS NET, such as agricultural economics, agronomy, nutrition, climatology, anthropology, or social geography. Significant, directly related professional experience can substitute for educational experience.
• At least five years of relevant experience in early warning/food security information systems, food security analysis, or other related fields
• Strong spoken and written communication skills in English and English, Pashtu, and Dari required
• Excellent computer skills; GIS applications and mapping skills are an advantage
• Previous experience managing people to deliver identified tasks an advantage

Location and Reporting

The CR is directly supervised by the Regional Representative (RR). For technical activities, the CR will collaborate and coordinate with country, regional, and home office (Washington, D.C.) technical advisors and analysts. For office administration and financial management, the CR will collaborate with the RR and the Washington-based Project Management Unit (PMU), FEWS NET Operations Team, and the Senior Management Team (SMT). The CR will be required to travel regularly within the country, and internationally on occasion, security permitting.

Selection Criteria

Candidates for the CR position will be evaluated against the following core competencies and technical skills:

Core Competencies

• Relevancy of education to the work of FEWS NET
• English language ability (spoken and written)
• Presentation skills
• Computer skills
• Evidence of working with and coordinating partners, networking, and collaboration
• Task prioritization and management through to delivery
• Ability to lead/provide oversight of a team

Technical Skills (depth of understanding of and experience with the following topics)

• Food security
• Livelihoods and the Household Economy Approach (HEA)
• Markets and trade
• Agro-climatology (agro-meteorology, remote sensing, GIS, etc.)
• Nutrition
• Agricultural sciences (crops, livestock, pasture, etc.)
• Field assessments (quantitative and/or qualitative)
• Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)
• Analytical and reporting skills

Submission Guideline

Chemonics International Inc. is looking for individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world and demonstrate leadership, versatility, and integrity in their work. The full job description for the Afghanistan Country Representative can be found at www.fews.net/vacancies. Interested candidates should fill out the general information form and upload their CV and a cover letter here: https://fewsnet.formstack.com/forms/cr_af_fewsnet by February 27, 2020. All application materials, including responses to the general information form, CVs, and cover letters, should be provided in English.

The position is based in Kabul, Afghanistan and is open to all qualified Afghan citizens. No telephone inquiries. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

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