Food Security Officer (Ura)

Medical Teams International holds strict child and vulnerable adult safeguarding principles and a zero-tolerance policy for misconduct related to sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse in the workplace and other places where the organization’s activities are rendered. Parallel to technical competence, recruitment & selection, hiring decisions will give due emphasis to assessing candidates’ eligibility thorough background checks, police clearance, and professional reference check processes.

JOB SUMMARY

The Food Security Officer will contribute to Medical Teams International mission by leading, planning, implementation, and monitoring resilience-building and food security activities for refugee and host communities. The role focuses on promoting household food production through backyard gardening, supporting market-oriented income-generating activities (IGAs), strengthening community resilience, and ensuring equitable participation among host and refugee communities aiming for dietary diversity.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead field-level implementation of backyard gardening interventions, including beneficiary selection, input distribution, and technical follow-up.
• Ovresee multipurpose cash and cash for nutrition activity implementations as per the cash working group and cash for nutrition taskforce set thresholds and standards.
• Deliver training on climate-smart agriculture, composting, seedling production, irrigation, and integrated pest management.
• Support household-level garden planning to improve dietary diversity.
• Facilitate development and strengthening of IGAs (e.g., poultry, small ruminants, vegetable production).
• Provide business skills coaching, including market linkage support.
• Build capacity for mother-to-mother support groups, extension workers, and refugee volunteers.
• Promote gender-sensitive and nutrition-sensitive agriculture practices.
• Support demonstration plots and model gardens.
• Conduct field monitoring and provide technical backstopping.
• Contribute to assessments, baseline surveys, and PDM exercises.
• Maintain accurate beneficiary and activity records.
• Prepare weekly, monthly, and quarterly progress reports.
• Coordinate with woreda agriculture offices, RRS/UNHCR, and consortium partners.
• Represent the project on local food security and livelihood platforms.
• Perform another Other duty as required.
• Support safeguarding of program participants and employees through promoting an environment of awareness and upholding the code of conduct provisions of Medical Teams Protection from Sexual Exploitation & Abuse, Child & Vulnerable Adult protection, and harassment-free workplace policies. Incumbents will remain alert and responsive to any child and adult safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the child and adult safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Safeguarding.

Other Duties

• Utilize volunteers when appropriate.
• Support other areas of the Nutrition and resilience-building activities as requested or needed to ensure efficiency and quality

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderately quiet.
• The employee may be required to travel to remote areas of the world where there are potential health hazards and risks, limited hygiene facilities, extreme weather, and very basic living conditions.

NOTE: The above job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by staff assigned to this job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of staff in this position. Duties, responsibilities, and skills are also subject to change based on the changing needs of the job, department, or organization. This description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions, it does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned; The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by Medical Teams International as the requirements of the job change.

EDUCATION, LICENSES, & CERTIFICATIONS

• BSc in Nutrition, Food Security, Rural Development, Agriculture or other related fields

EXPERIENCE

• A minumum of 3 years direct experience in implementing food security and cash assistance programs, market analysis and economic recovery.
• Working experience in INGO

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of humanitarian standards, donors, systems and principles, e.g., Sphere, CHS, Red Cross Code of Conduct etc.
• A basic understanding of health systems and Food Systems .
• Knowledge of development & humanitarian issues and concepts
• Fluent spoken and written Amharic and English.
• Comfortable with report writing
• Previous warehouse experience
• Fluent spoken and written local language

Skills:

• Moderately skilled with office software: Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Moderately skilled with communication software: Outlook, Skype, Internet, CRM (or other database programs).
• Humanitarian motivation
• Emotionally and spiritually mature
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills for cross-cultural teamwork.
• Team player – practical, desire to support the field teams.
• Planning and organizational skills
• Flexible and adaptable to ever changing environments
• Negotiation and representation skills
• Analytical and problem-solving Computer literate, able to work efficiently in Microsoft office on standard or mobile platforms.
• Coaching/teaching skills

Abilities:

• Ability to work flexible schedule and weekends as needed.
• Ability and willingness to travel to country programs on short notice up to 16 weeks a year.
• Ability to work cooperatively in a team environment
• Ability to prioritize tasks
• Adaptable and resilient under pressure, with the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Proven ability to be flexible in demanding situations
• Ability to adapt to a changing environment
• Willingness to pitch in and get the job done
• Understanding and sensitivity to cross cultural issues
• Ability to remain calm under pressure
• Able to build new relationships and gain people’s trust quickly
• Integrity in representing Medical Teams Willing to travel to insecure environments
• Ability to embrace and promote Medical Teams International mission and vision
• Ability to uphold and exemplify the organization’s core values
• Ability to represent the organization in a professional manner to donors, volunteers, and the public

PHYSICAL CONDITIONS

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Frequent use of a personal computer, database and digital platforms, and other office productivity machinery, such as a copy machine and computer printer.
• Frequently uses hands, fingers, and arms to reach, handle, touch or feel equipment, medical instruments, materials, computer.
• Frequent communication and exchange of information among colleagues and persons of concern which requires the ability to speak, hear, convey and express oneself.
• Frequent close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
• Occasionally ascends/descends stairs, steps, or ladder
• Occasionally move about inside an office to access file cabinets, office machinery, meet with colleagues, etc.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to ___ pounds.
• Seldom to occasionally positions oneself to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• If in travel status, occasional to frequent traversing over rough or steep terrain in either a motor vehicle or on foot.