Senior Technical Advisor (DASHED) – Food Processing & Systems

About CRS

JOB DESCRIPTION

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health/nutrition, agriculture/food systems, education, microfinance and peace building.

Job Summary

As Senior Technical Advisor for Food Processing & Systems you will provide day-to-day technical guidance for CRS’ Nurturing Optimal Unified Resources for Inclusive, Safe and Healthy Diets (NOURISHED) project, which is pending approval from USAID under the Feed the Future Demand and Supply for Safe, Healthy Diets (DASHED) (NOFO No. 7200AA24RFA00017). NOURISHED is a global, multi-country project with varying size, scope, and complexity across locations. Through mentoring and close collaboration with country-based staff, you will guide the delivery of high-quality, context-appropriate program activities that will strengthen business and technical practices of local food processors with an aim to increase the available of safe, nutritious foods.

Responsibilities

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with staff to design and implement activities and strategies that increase local micro-, small- and medium-size enterprise (MSME) food processors’ capabilities in areas like post-harvest management, reducing food waste and loss, accessing new markets and consumers, and quality assurance and controls systems and standard operating procedures for food production across multiple countries.
• Ensure product reformulation to increase the nutritional value of food from farm-to-fork; including support for promoting nutrient rich biofortified and fortified food commodities, food to food nutrient enhancement and adding value to locally available nutrient rich traditional foods in varying contexts
• Partner with country-based staff and local implementing partners to drive private sector engagement, public-private dialogues and evidence-based advocacy between sector associations, government bodies, and MSME support institutions to address production, manufacturing, safety, quality, and regulatory concerns.
• Together with country-based staff and partners, design and conduct sector-specific assessments to pinpoint constraints that limit availability and access to nutritious foods.
• Strengthening relationships between actors across the post-farmgate food system (e.g., MSMEs, transportation providers, warehousers, vendors, and customers) via exhibitions, business roundtables, buyer visits, and other avenues.
• Coordinate with the Chief of Party, Knowledge Management Lead, and CRS regional and headquarters staff to effectively collect, analyze and distribute learning from both global, regional and country activities and partnerships.
• Ensure meaningful participation of marginalized groups throughout project activities through thoughtful, inclusive and accessible activity design; regularly identify learnings, refining the design as needed to improve inclusion and accessibility.
• Mentor staff to effectively collaborate with local standards certifiers and regulatory authorities to assist food system actors in meeting or obtaining vital certifications.
• Assist the Chief of Party and Country Program Managers in developing and executing project workplans. Lead and oversee project activities within this component. Assist with in monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
• Coordinate with the project’s other component leaders to ensure streamlined and coordinated delivery of activities.
  
  

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s degree in agribusiness, food science/technology, business management, international development, economics, or other relevant field.
• Ten (10) years of experience in food processing and building technical capacities of MSMEs working in food processing.
• Proven experience working with development projects and familiarity with the agri-food business environment in multiple countries.
• Five or more years of staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment. Experience coaching and mentoring senior program staff.
• Experience working on USAID funded projects.
  
  

Required Languages – Fluency in English required, fluency in French is a plus

Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 40%.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Excellent strategic,analytical , systems thinking, andproblem-solving skills , with capacity to see the big pictureand ability to make sound judgment and decisions .
• Excellent relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities with diverse/multi-disciplinary teams. Coaching/mentoring skills.
• Knowledge of the food industry
• Strong communications and presentation skills; able to develop tailored and persuasive messaging for varied audiences.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented .
• Experience with small-medium to large scale food industry development, standard operating procedures, supplier quality assurance and quality assurance/quality control management systems and HACCP/ISO-2000 within developing contexts.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven skills mentoring and supporting staff, facilitating cooperative, high-level relationships and motivating diverse teams.
• Capacity to be flexible and creative to adjust interventions to varying development contexts.
• A strong network and experience liaising with government agencies, private sector organizations, and business and consumer advocacy groups; demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with MSMEs, buyers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
• Experience working with USAID Washington’s Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security (REFS) and with USAID Feed the Future initiatives.
• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships. Knowledge of CRS partnership strategy a plus .
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems .
  
  

Agency REDI Competencies (for All CRS Staff)

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. 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.

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity - Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust - Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.
  
  

Agency Leadership Competencies

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.
  
  

Key Working Relationships

Internal – NOURISHED Chief of Party, Knowledge Management Lead, Regional and Headquarters Technical Advisors, Country-level Program Manager and other Country Program Staff.

External – USAID, Implementing partners, Government Offices, Private Sector Stakeholders, Other Multi-Lateral and Bi-Lateral Partners, amongst others.

• 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.
  
  

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

CRS' talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer