British Red Cross - Senior Food Security and Livelihoods Adviser

Senior Food Security and Livelihoods Adviser

Welcome

Dear Candidate,

Thank you for your interest in becoming our new Senior Food Security and Livelihoods Advisor. We are delighted that you are interested in joining the British Red Cross and that you wish to be part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

level of climate intelligence across our work, incorporating forward-thinking approaches to support the resiliency of populations on the frontline of the climate crisis.

We are seeking a senior humanitarian professional to lead us into the next phase of our work in the area of food security and livelihoods. Hunger is a major focus area within the British Red Cross International Strategy, and we are recognised as a significant catalyst and contributor to the growing prominence of this work across the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Our FSL programmatic work is implemented in partnership with National Societies across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. It must build upon the community-based strengths of these organisations and their national networks of volunteers, supporting locally-led solutions with an offer of proven quality approaches, shared through our global movement. We need to increase the

We also work directly with IFRC to support the Secretariat’s global strategy, regional ambitions and emergency responses in this area. The British Red Cross is committed to enabling National Societies to scale up their responses to rising food insecurity across subSaharan Africa, whilst sharing our resources and expertise to bolster the Secretariat’s roles in coordination and international influencing. Internally, we have been collaborating with our policy, communications and fundraising colleagues to put the spotlight on this crisis and push for stronger action.

able to demonstrate developed thinking on how our work in this area can incorporate and address climate risks. You will be an experienced humanitarian with a commitment to strengthening local leadership of response, who values the potential of the community volunteer-based capacity of National Societies. You will be able to demonstrate how you have worked to further the organisational strengthening and empowerment of global south actors.

We’re looking for a dynamic new member of our team, a thought leader and problem solver who promotes positive, inclusive working environments for diverse teams and supports colleagues and partners to succeed. We look forward to hearing from you.

In this role, you will work alongside myself and a team of advisors and colleagues across the global Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, providing strategic leadership to further strengthen our contribution to this agenda. You will bring technical expertise in food security and livelihoods, and be

Sam Turner Head of Region, East and Southern Africa

About British Red Cross

We help anyone, anywhere in the UK and around the world, to get the support they need if crisis strikes: connecting human kindness with human crisis.

We enable vulnerable people in the UK and abroad prepare for and withstand emergencies in their own communities. And when the crisis is over, we help them to recover and move on with their lives.

We are part of the Red Cross and Red Crescent global humanitarian network.

Our Values and Principles

Our values (compassionate, courageous, inclusive and dynamic) underpin everything we do. As a member of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the British Red Cross is committed to, and bound by, its fundamental principles: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

The Role

Role: Senior Food Security & Livelihoods Adviser

Location: Hybrid contract with flexible working location within the UK (1–3 days per week in the London office)

Salary: £49,000 plus Inner London Weighting of £3344

Reports to: Head of Region, East & Southern Africa

Direct Reportees: 2 FSL Advisers, 1 FSL Officer

Reach & Impact: This role has a global focus, co-leading the hunger-related strategic focus area of the International Strategy and overseeing FSL advisory support programmes, partners, and initiatives across the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement.

British Red Cross has a sponsorship licence and candidates requiring a skilled worker visa or certificate of sponsorship will be considered for this role.

Job Summary

The purpose of the Senior FSL Adviser is to provide strategic leadership and technical guidance on the British Red Cross’ Food Security and Livelihoods technical area and the strategic focus on chronic hunger and hunger crises, to help deliver the strategy of the International Directorate. This role will manage the relevant Technical Advisers, matrix manage relevant technical staff based overseas and oversee BRC’s relevant delegate register(s) to ensure technical quality is championed and good practice is identified and shared effectively.

Responsibilities

• Co-lead the BRC Hunger Crises strategic focus area, framing our strategic ambition and nurturing innovative approaches to tackling chronic hunger, with particular reference to climate.

• Lead on policy and / or technical advice within thematic work area(s) or designated area(s) of responsibility to support and strengthen the implementation of the International Directorate strategy.

• Lead on assessment, planning and implementation of action plans and work plans including working with regional teams and National Society partners, ensuring the collection and analysis of evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of the International Directorate’s work.

• Collecting, collating, analysing, assessing and interpreting information from a range of sources to make evidencebased recommendations.

• Proactively seeks and builds new relationships and partnerships within RC/RC Movement and other organisations to improve results and maximise impact.

• Proactive collaboration with relevant teams across the BRC and with Movement partners to facilitate effective and efficient delivery against agreed objectives.

• Defining quality standards and proactively ensuring compliance through the provision of timely and effective advice, as well as capacity building.

• Provide day-to-day line management of relevant Technical Advisers and ensure that they are accomplishing objectives and providing high quality technical advice to the relevant teams and individuals.

• Provide dotted-line, technical management for relevant programme technical staff (located around the world) and Global Surge Team members (where applicable), ensuring they are linked in to the technical ‘Community of Practice’.

• Provide technical management of specified British Red Cross registers of thematic experts, supporting the recruitment and deployment of these experts to other components of the Movement and maintaining the related ‘Community of Practice’.

• Build partnerships with technical specialist leads, within the assigned thematic areas, from partner National Societies, with other Movement actors and within the wider sector.

• Ensure the Technical Advisers continue to develop and maintain expert knowledge within the assigned thematic

areas, including drawing on evaluated evidence and impact assessment, academic and other learned sources, supporting operational research and ensuring that this knowledge contributes to BRC’s strategy and programmes.

• Set up methods for capturing and disseminating our own and our partners’ learning in relation to assigned thematic areas.

• Uphold the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and work within the Society’s equal opportunities policy.

• Adhere to the British Red Cross values.

• Actively contribute to our culture of safeguarding and protection from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

• Undertake other duties as are reasonably required.

• Ensures inclusive practice and promotes diversity.

Candidate profile

Knowledge Essential

• Demonstrable advanced expertise in a relevant technical field (gained and evidenced through work experience or academic qualification)

• Climate-related FSL knowledge and ideas on how to apply this practically through volunteer and communitycentric programming.

• Advanced working knowledge of the relevant technical area(s) within the international humanitarian system or international development context.

• Strong understanding of monitoring, evaluation, and impact assessment

Skills Essential

• Strong leadership, negotiation and influencing skills

• Good strategic thinking and project management skills

• Adept manager, with coaching skills and the ability to support teams to work together remotely/in a matrix structure.

• Advanced ability to analyse both quantitative and qualitative data and interpret information to communicate to and persuade decision makers / different audiences, both written and verbal.

• Significant experience of training, facilitating and convening workshops (including design and delivery and development of supporting materials)

Desirable

• Ability to coach individuals and groups and knowledge of adult learning approaches

Experience Essential

• Significant experience at project/country-level in the humanitarian or development sector.

• Extensive experience of providing technical advice, capacity development and programmatic support

• Track record of bringing context-appropriate innovative approaches to scale.

• Proven track record of establishing effective relationships with senior decision-makers and relevant interlocutors to influence and enable decision making.

• Experience of working with operational partners, undertaking organisational and capacity development within a relevant role, sector, project or programme.

• Experience of facilitating and developing technical assessments

Desirable

• Experience of working with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

• Experienced in advising on delivering training and/or capacity building, particularly with national actors

• Experience in leading/supporting reviews and evaluations of partnerships, programmes or operations

Candidate profile

Behaviours

• Working Collaboratively – Pro-actively builds collaborative relationships internally and externally

• Leading and engaging – Positions themselves as a leader

• Communicating and influencing – Takes multiple steps to communicate and influence

• Seeking Insight – Digs deeper and supports others to make best use of information

• Embracing and leading change – Promotes and delivers significant change

Additional Requirements

Essential

• Upholds the fundamental principles and acts with integrity, in accordance with the Society’s values (inclusive, compassionate, courageous and dynamic).

• Ensures inclusive practice and promotes diversity

• Contributes to a culture of safeguarding and protection from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment

• Able to travel for up to 45 days per year and operate in a physically demanding working environment.

How to Apply

All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button on the job advert page, complete our online application form, and submit your CV and cover letter. Please provide a CV and cover letter in two different documents, which should be prepared before applying as they will be considered in the application process. The cover letter should be no more than two pages long and explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit.

The document should be saved in MS Word in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document Name-Date (mmyy) e.g., Pat-Jones-CV-102020-BRC or PatJones-CoverLetter-102020-BRC.

Timeline

Closing Date: 27th of November, 2022

First Stage Interviews: 14–20th December, TBC

Selection Process

All candidates will receive an update regarding their application after the closing date. We advise candidates to add the role email to their safe senders list and regularly check their spam folder.

Equality Statement

Equality and diversity are at the core of British Red Cross values. Staff are expected to work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected.

Queries

If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or would like to have an informal discussion, please email at britishredcross-snrlivelihood@oxfordhr.com in the first instance.

About Oxford HR

Oxford HR operates globally - mainly within the international development and charity sectors. We carry out retained executive search mandates at board and senior management levels. We also offer human resource and organisational development consultancy.

Oxford HR has many years of experience in search as well as an extensive network of international development, social sector, corporate, public sector, and academic contacts from across the world. We carry out comprehensive and often international searches designed to meet the specific needs of our client.