FOOD SECURITY (FS) & PEACE BUILDING (PB) COORDINATOR

About Oxfam

OUR WORK IN ETHIOPIA

Job details

We believe flexible working is key to building the Oxfam of the future, so we’re open to talking through the type of flexible arrangements which might work for you. This is a full-time role; however, Oxfam offers various flexible arrangements which candidates can discuss with the Recruiting Manager at the interview stage.

DEPARTMENT PURPOSE: Our programme drives systemic change by focusing on empowerment, transferring control and power to people so they can claim their rights and build agency. This ensures that livelihoods are not just secure, but also resilient to future shocks like conflict and climate change. Our vision is for people living in poverty and injustices to enjoy a life of dignity, equality, and just entitlements

TEAM PURPOSE: As a nexus catalyst, the Food Security, Livelihood, and Peace Building (FS/L&PB) team mandates the integrated execution of programs, directly linking livelihood recovery to durable peace outcomes. We leverage expertise across Economic, Climate, Humanitarian, and Gender Justice pillars to transform conflict-affected populations.

JOB PURPOSE: Based in Jigjiga, the FS/L&PB Coordinator provides technical and strategic leadership for an integrated project in Ethiopia’s Somali Region. The coordinator will support the effective implementation of the project, “Enhancing Communities’ Resilience to Drought (ECRD),” in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. The role focuses on coordinating field-level activities, supporting community engagement, ensuring the timely delivery of project outputs, and contributing to monitoring, reporting, and learning processes to strengthen drought resilience among targeted communities.

The role aims to seamlessly integrate food security and livelihoods programming with conflict-sensitive approaches, specifically linking pastoralist resilience, water management, and social cohesion, using women’s economic empowerment as a key driver of peace in the target districts.

A. Program Strategy and Technical Leadership (40%).

• The coordinator will lead the design and conflict-sensitive implementation of integrated Food Security and Livelihood (FSL) strategies for pastoral communities, focusing on climate-smart practices and market linkages.
• Driving women’s economic empowerment (e.g., VSLAs) to foster their leadership in peacebuilding.
• Ensuring FSL activities explicitly link to inclusive peace outcomes and the equitable, sustainable management of community WASH systems and rangelands to reduce resource conflict.
• The role oversees resilience building (e.g., fodder production), provides technical guidance, conducts market assessments, and ensures all programming promotes full and equal participation of women while addressing specific vulnerabilities.
• Ensure that programmes analyse and address specific vulnerabilities in FS, peace and conflict.
• Identify implementation challenges and risks, particularly those related to drought, security, and access, and propose mitigation measures.
• Promote accountability, protection, and safeguarding principles throughout project implementation.

B. Strategic Coordination, Partnership, and Representation (10%)

This classification involves connecting the program externally with key stakeholders and ensuring the organization’s approach is represented and influences the wider humanitarian/development context.

• External Coordination: Coordination and collaboration with UN-Agencies, (I)NGOs, Government offices, community leaders/structures, and other stakeholders at regional and local levels.
• Cluster/Forum Representation: Represent Oxfam on FSL & Peace issues at the Cluster meetings, and promote market-based programming, through cluster or working group participation or leadership and influencing other relevant external fora when context allows.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with Oxfam and partners’ field level stakeholders on FSL issues as well as external stakeholders at regional level, and community structures to ensure smooth project implementation.
• Support community mobilization and participation, ensuring inclusion of women, youth, and vulnerable groups.

C. Peacebuilding Integration (20%)

• The coordinator will serve as the lead technical liaison with the Somali Regional government and cluster groups (FSLC, Peacebuilding) and relevant cluster working groups (FSLC and Peacebuilding) at regional and zonal levels to broker strategic alliances and secure funding for relief and recovery.
• The role involves ensuring technical quality and standard compliance (SPHERE, LEGS) and managing partners to guarantee project objectives are met.
• Crucially, the coordinator must integrate FSL activities with community peace and WASH governance structures, while building the capacity of local CSOs (VSLAs, WUCs) for sustainability and local ownership.

D. Monitoring, Accountability, and Learning (30%)

• Contribute to the project’s monitoring framework by developing and tracking process and outcome indicators that specifically measure the impact of livelihood interventions on social cohesion and the equitable distribution of resources (e.g., perception of fairness, reduction in resource disputes).
• Ensure that data is rigorously collected and disaggregated by gender, age, and clan/location to monitor progress on inclusion and power dynamics, particularly concerning the empowerment of women, youth, and elders in conflict resolution.
• Lead the analysis of monitoring data to inform adaptive programming, ensuring the project adjusts its livelihood strategies in response to evolving conflict dynamics and water access challenges.
• Lead the drafting of high-quality, evidence-based sections for donor reports, highlighting how livelihood interventions contribute to the achievement of peace and sustainable resource management.
• Any other assignment given by the line manager.

Person Specification

1 Self-Awareness

2 Mutual accountability

3 Strategic Thinking and Judgment

• Master’s degree in food security, Rural Development, Agricultural Economics, Conflict Studies, or a closely related field.
• Minimum five (5) years of progressive professional experience managing integrated Food Security and Livelihood programs in fragile, complex, and/or pastoralist environments.
• Demonstrable experience in designing and implementing projects that explicitly link economic recovery to peacebuilding and conflict mitigation.
• In-depth technical knowledge of pastoral livelihood systems and experience working on resource-based conflicts, especially related to water and rangeland in the Somali Region of Ethiopia or a similar Horn of Africa context.
• Proven experience in gender-transformative programming, specifically empowering women economically and supporting their participation in governance and peace structures.
• Prior experience managing large-scale, donor-funded projects and working in coordination with government and civil society partners.
• Analytical skills for conducting and integrating conflict analysis (e.g., Do No Harm, Connectors and Dividers) into project implementation.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is essential.
• Proven ability in partnership management, mentor, and provide technical supervision to partner’s field teams in remote locations.
• Strong report writing, presentation, and financial management skills.
• Commitment to humanitarian principles and organizational values.
• Computer literate (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc)

• Knowledge of Somali culture
• Proficiency in Somali and/or Amharic is a strong advantage.