Senior Manager, Commodities and School Feeding

Job Summary

In 1000 characters or less, state the position’s overall purpose or objective, highlighting the general functions the position is responsible for and articulating what the position is expected to accomplish. This section will appear on external sites.

CARE seeks a Senior Manager, Commodity and School Feeding (DCOP) for an anticipated USDA-funded five-year, $28 million McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition (McGovern-Dole) project in Mozambique. The expected start date is October 2025 running through September of 2030. The principal objectives of the McGovern-Dole Program are as follows:

• Strategic Objective 1: Improved literacy of school-age children;
• Strategic Objective 2: Increased use of health, nutrition, and dietary practices; and
• Strategic Objective 3: Improved Effectiveness of Food Assistance through Local and Regional Procurement

By providing school meals, teacher training, government capacity-building, and related education and nutrition support, the FFECN project will boost school enrollment, increase attendance, and improve literacy results, as well as improve the nutrition, health, and wellbeing of Mozambican primary school students. The project will also ensure graduation from USDA support by strengthening the GoM’s school meal resource allocation, capacity, and accountability system to achieve education, health, and nutrition objectives.

The Senior Manager will oversee a robust school feeding and commodity management program that includes a significant local and regional purchase (LRP) component. The Senior Manager will lead on commodity management and logistics, LRP, and will be responsible for direct oversight of project implementation, commodity storage and logistics,, a beneficiary accountability system, and all compliance issues related to commodity management and logistics. This position will oversee completion of all technical requirements, including project results and deliverables in accordance with approved project work plans.

This is a Key Personnel position, subject to USDA approval. It is also subject to project award and funding. National and international candidates are encouraged to apply. This position will be based in Maputo.

Responsibilities and Tasks

Describe the major responsibilities, principal tasks, and end results the position is responsible for. Please include rationale as to why it is done and the impact it has on the team or organization. List the responsibilities in the order of importance and state the estimated percentage of time the employee should spend on each responsibility during a typical year.

Job Responsibility 1

• School feeding Operation and LRP Management:
  • Collaboration: Work closely with the program technical team and management to ensure that strengthened manuals are effectively adopted across all participating schools for school feeding activities. Lead the review and enhancement of school feeding guidance documentation, manuals, and tools, ensuring they meet current needs for LRP and school feeding program implementation. Collaborate with the CARE operations team to establish LPR procurement are done as per plan and define their terms of reference. Provide oversight and guidance on quality assurance procedures throughout the LRP process, ensuring high standards are maintained Collaborate with the CARE operations team to establish district-level procurement committees, optimizing commodity delivery for cost-effectiveness. Provide expert advice on the execution of procurement contracts, focusing on adherence to product quality and safety standards for the LRP.
  • Market Assessment and Monitoring: Oversee initial market assessments and establish a market monitoring system based on recommendations, ensuring annual updates are facilitated.
  • Capacity Building: Lead capacity-building processes for project and operational team regarding LRP commodity quality assessments, training them to enhance skills in LRP management. This includes the school management committee as well. Conduct training sessions on updated materials for field staff, focusing on LRP and school feeding programs. Conduct sessions with potential contract bidders to explain quality assurance requirements, fostering transparency and understanding.
  • Learning Documentation: Facilitate the documentation of learning and host regular reflection meetings with various stakeholders at the school, district, and central levels.
  • Partnership Development: Build strong relationships with relevant government stakeholders to ensure compliance with food quality and safety regulations.
  • Independent Testing Oversight: Supervise the engagement of independent survey services for random LRP commodity sample testing to ensure compliance with quality standards.
  • Manual Development: Lead the creation of LRP-focused manuals and training materials to support capacity-building efforts. Develop and implement a visual checklist for cooks and storeroom keepers to streamline product inspection upon receipt.

Job Responsibility 2

• Commodity supply chain management and accounting:
  • Establish a commodity requirement plan for all targeted schools. Secure numbers of students from each district for all schools through an official request letter. Verify and check with the school feeding team to ensure correctness.
  • Sign agreement with the schools to conduct SFP activities, make sure that the schools understand the roles and responsibilities as well as the liabilities.
  • Work with the program team to monitor the school storage facilities routinely and ensure necessary improvement action is taken. Make changes to the plans if the schools are not ready to receive.
  • Develop and design the LRP commodity standard operating procedure/ guidelines/ forms/formats/ monitoring tools.
  • Introduce effective School Feeding/commodity distribution/utilization accounting and reporting system and organize to design computerized inventory system for commodity reporting if required.
  • Establish effective internal control systems at all levels to avoid / mitigate losses and damages as per the CARE and donor regulation and provide training on standard operating procedures to all staff involved in commodity storage, delivery and distribution management.

Job Responsibility 3

• Reporting, monitoring and audit:
  • Ensure that all LRP and school based reports are prepared accurately on a monthly basis. Such reports are to be consolidated and submitted, CARE SSC, and HQ on a quarterly basis, within the stipulated time.
  • Record commodity information for quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports.
  • Ensure that steps are taken for the timely / regular submissions of the School Feeding Reports (also known as the School Stock & Issue Register) to the relevant dispatching points for review and assimilation of information. Institute follow-up procedures for delinquent reporting centers.
  • Facilitate Internal / External Audits and resolve audit observations in relation to commodity.

Job Responsibility 4

• Staff Management:
  • Supervise the direct reports.
  • Perform performance management activities of the supervises.
  • Guide capacity building of the commodity staff of both CARE and Partners.
  • Conduct field visits for on-site guidance and implementation.

Other responsibilities as assigned 5 % of time

Qualifications (Know How)

• Indicate the minimum required level of education, experience, and skills necessary to qualify for the position and fulfill the organization’s expectations for job performance. Also include the education, experience, and skills desired for the position.

Education/Training

• E.g. high school diploma; college degree (specify major/minor); specialty (ex. Accounting). Include the following phrase when possible: “or equivalent combination of education and work experience.”

Required

• Bachelors’ degree in any relevant discipline.

Desired

• Masters’ degree or equivalent.

Experience/Technical Skills

Number of months/ years of previous professional experience in a similar position. Examples: languages; planning; budgeting; word-processing, basic accounting; advanced written communications; presentations; fundraising; training/facilitation, etc.

Required

• Minimum 7 years’ relevant work experience.
• Ability to manage the LRP technical function and implement procedures and processes, with minimal supervision.
• Knowledge of nutrition and food security issues, particularly in the context of school feeding.
• Strong facilitation, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage diverse groups effectively.
• Proficiency in data collection, analysis, and reporting using relevant software and tools.
• Willingness to work in rural communities.
• Knowledge of LRP and USDA rules and regulations is desirable.
• Experience as a supervisor of other operational support staff.
• Excellent written and verbal skills in both English and Portuguese and good numerical skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in software package including Ms Offices.
• Demonstrated high level organizational and time management skills, including the ability to plan and manage workflows and balance competing priorities to ensure timely processing to meet deadlines in a complex environment.

Problem Solving

Click on each level (1, 2 or 3) below to indicate what level of problem-solving this position will face.

Select Level: 1 2 3

Why does the position fall into this category?

The position will require someone to anticipate and identify new and unexpected challenges. They will need to use analysis to, collaboration, and scenario planning to develop solutions and recommendations.

Competencies

CARE has 5 Core Competencies that all staff are expected to demonstrate and 2 Leaders Competencies expected of those in management and leadership positions.

Competency proficiency levels define the degree to which a person in a given job is required to demonstrate the competency through observable behavior.

The chart below provides guidance when assigning proficiency levels to jobs. This guidance should be used as a starting point. Click HERE for guidance on CARE’s Job Classification System.

A. Core Competencies

Please indicate at what proficiency level you expect this role to demonstrate each Core Competency. This may be used in performance conversations and as a guide for staff development. You can find detailed descriptions of each Competency and Proficiency Levels here.

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

• Develops internal and external trusting & professional relationships. Purposefully develops networks to build value through collaboration.

INCLUSION

• Contributes to an environment where all employees feel a sense of belonging, valued for their differences, and empowered to participate and contribute freely.

DYNAMIC LEARNING MINDSET

• Continuously seeks opportunities to learn, questions past approaches in the current environment, owns growth and learns from failure.

DELIVERING RESULTS

• Invests time in planning to achieve goals while meeting quality standards & demonstrating commitment.

COMMUNICATION

Effectively and appropriately interacts with others to build relationships, influence, and share ideas. Uses tact, diplomacy & cross-cultural sensitivity to navigate difficult situations.

B. Leadership Competencies

If this role is expected to manage direct reports, please indicate at what proficiency level you expect this role to demonstrate each Leadership Competency. This may be used in performance conversations and as a guide for staff development. You can find detailed descriptions of each Competency and Proficiency Levels here.

Strategic Leadership & Execution

• Applies vision to think beyond the immediate situation. Invests time in planning, discovery, and reflection. Ensures business goals are met by executing, monitoring, & adjusting.

PEOPLE LEADERSHIP

• Inspires, motivates, & empowers people to achieve organizational goals. Coaches, mentors, and manages employee experience, and employee performance. Creates space for others to lead.

C. Functional Competencies

Choose the top 3 Functional Competencies from CARE’s Competency Library that this role must demonstrate to create the desired impact. There are many competencies that will fit the role, however, please think about the most essential skills needed for this employee to succeed in their role.

This may be used in performance conversations and as a guide for staff development. You can find various job-specific Functional Competency Libraries here. If you are unable to find a specific Competency that you consider essential, please contact your HR Business Partner.

Job Description

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Interested parties should submit their CV and a letter of interest (in Portuguese), clearly indicating the position they are applying for.