About DAI
DAI works at the cutting edge of international development; combining technical excellence, professional project management, and exceptional customer service to solve our clients' most complex problems. Since 1970, DAI has worked in 150 developing and transition countries, providing comprehensive development solutions in areas including crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, HIV/AIDS, avian influenza control, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and host-country governments.
Objectives of the programme:
The programme aims to increase food security and climate resilience in East and Southern Africa through improved agriculture policy and practices. Specifically, the programme will enhance agricultural production and food security by adapting and scaling up good agricultural practices; which in turn will enable farmers to be more resilient to increasing climate variations. Increased climate resilience will be achieved through the use of low cost conservation and climate smart agriculture tools, techniques, and systems. Furthermore, the programme will work at the national, regional and global policy levels across Eastern and Southern Africa to improve policy on climate smart agriculture, maximize the potential for the most vulnerable in the region, and seek support from the global community to attract adaptation and mitigation finance.
Objectives of the role:
DAI is seeking applications from highly experienced experts for the role of Team Leader. The role of Team Leader will involve lead responsibilities for ensuring the effective delivery of all programme outputs, as well as overall management of the programme staff.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Help inform regional and national policy directions to increase climate resilience; particularly linked to food security
- Develop and maintain working relationship with regional economic communities; such as COMESA, SADC, and EAC.
- Develop a strategy that would achieve the ambitious programme targets
- Contribute to behaviour change in the region in order to scale up resilience and climate smart agriculture through personal engagement, strategy and drive
- Oversight and quality control in relation to programme activities
- Ensure evidence is continually incorporated into activities and oversee rigorous monitoring and evaluation
- Delivery of key reports and work plans
- Ensuring Value for money (VfM) as per DFID guidelines
- Management of technical and administrative staff
- Delivering against defined milestones and targets
Key Skills & Qualifications:
- At least 15 years of related experience, preferably with significant East or Southern African experience in climate smart agriculture and conservation agriculture.
- Ideally at least a Masters Degree in an Agriculture-related discipline; preferably with a focus in conservation agriculture and/or climate smart agriculture
- Experience working with regional economic communities such as COMESA, SADC, and EAC.
- Ability to navigate politically complex relationships
- Understanding of the global climate change financial architecture; and experience accessing and leveraging global climate funds.
- Strong experience and demonstrated competence in managing teams under donor funded programmes, particularly with DfID
- Significant networking and relationship management skills, as well as project management expertise
- Understanding of key approaches to monitoring and evaluation and the delivery of value for money
- Track record in delivering development results
- Experience of effectively managing large budgets of development aid ensuring value for money and strong fiduciary systems
- Strong strategic mindset
- Willingness to relocate within Eastern or Southern Africa.
Project Location: TBD within Southern or Eastern Africa
Length of the project: 4 years
Anticipated Project Start Date: Spring 2013
How to apply: Please send a cover letter and CV to europerecruit@dai.com
Deadline for Application: November 16, 2012
