United States of America: Mid-Level Program Agriculture Specialist

Macfadden seeks an Agricultural and Livelihoods Specialist to support USAID’s Office Food for Peace (USAID/FFP). USAID’S Office of Food for Peace (FFP) agriculture and livelihood activities seek to increase access to economic opportunities for families largely dependent on agriculture and rural economies for their livelihoods. As a member of the FFP Food Security Team, the Agriculture and Livelihood Specialist will provide agriculture and livelihood technical support to FFP partners and Missions. The primary purpose of the technical support is to improve program quality and impact by enhancing and strengthening FFP’s and its awardees’ technical capacity in agriculture and livelihoods in the performance of development and emergency food security activities. The selected candidate will take direction from the FFP Food Security Team Lead and be assigned to the FFP Food Security Team within the Technical, Learning and Planning Division. The successful candidate will advise on agriculture and livelihood activity design and indicators, monitor program quality in the field, analyze the agriculture and livelihood outcomes of activities, respond to taskers, and prepare and present reports and studies related to FFP emergency and development activities.

The selected candidate will be a member of a diverse and interdisciplinary FFP team, working with a variety of clients including FFP global, technical, policy, knowledge management, and activity design, teams; technical and implementation partners, USAID Missions, and Regional Offices. Therefore, it is extremely important for the candidate to be a strong team player, have a strong client-based service orientation, be able to translate complex scientific concepts into easily understandable language, and be sensitive to timely delivery of high quality outputs.

Essential Functions:

• Review agriculture and livelihood plans for FFP activities, and provide concise and feasible advice and recommendations for improvements.
• Coordinate with FFP field missions and partners to provide technical support to strengthen FFP partner agriculture and livelihood activities.
• Provide technical support to FFP staff in Washington and country Missions as they develop and implement country-level agriculture and livelihood plans and analyze and report findings.
• Keep abreast of trends in agriculture and livelihood issues and apply knowledge to improve FFP’s food assistance, food security, and the underlying causes of hunger.
• Design and co-facilitate agriculture and livelihood workshops in developing countries.
• Update and manage information and knowledge management systems, provide desk research and reviews on request.
• International travel as needed to provide direct in-country support to FFP field staff and FFP implementing partners.

Education/Experience:**

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field specializing in a relevant field preferably in Agronomy, Soil Science, Plant Pathology, Animal Science, Horticulture, Agricultural Economics, on or off-farm Livelihoods, or closely related agricultural science discipline.
• 6+ years (for Master’s degree) or 8+ years (for Bachelor’s degree) professional-level experience related to activity design, evaluation, and/or implementation.
• Familiarity with USAID policies, processes, and guidelines highly desirable.

Skills:

• Demonstrated success applying skills related to agriculture and livelihood issues to improve food security, economic growth or nutrition, especially with highly vulnerable people living in rural communities in marginal areas of developing countries.
• Demonstrated skills in providing technical guidance and advice to others on issues related to agriculture and livelihood programs, preferably in developing countries.
• Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation methodologies commonly used in rural development and humanitarian activities, and activity design steps and processes.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, demonstrated ability to provide accurate reporting.
• Ability to prepare ad hoc reports, project documentation, and briefing papers.
• Demonstrated skills in working successfully in multi-cultural and interdisciplinary teams with strong work ethic.
• Ability to work in high-pressure environments and manage multiple projects under tight deadlines.

U.S. Citizenship is required; selected candidate must be able to qualify for a government sponsored clearance.**

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. The employee must occasionally lift or move up to 25 pounds.

https://pae.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PAE_MacfaddenCareers/job/US-DC-Washington/Mid-Level-Program-Agriculture-Specialist_R0027614