This is a Temporary Duty of Assignment open to internal CARE Associates.

CARE works in a variety of contexts from protracted crises to stable development settings, as well as contexts in the nexus between these two types, and recognizes that the underlying drivers of food and nutrition insecurity are poverty, gender inequity, non-inclusive governance, poor adaptation to climate change and the inability to manage other economic and political shocks and stressors. To address these underlying drivers of poverty, the CARE Food and Water Systems (FWS) Global Team has developed the She Feeds the World (SFtW) framework, and the Right to Food, Nutrition, Water Impact Area Strategy which underlie all of CARE’s food and water systems (FWS) programming. Achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is at the center of achieving these outcomes in all of CARE’s FWS programs. CARE’s Food and Water Systems Team will work with and through partners to execute this mandate, and continually undertake research to ensure our is relevant to our impact groups and partners.

CARE’s Research and Learning Agenda in the Right to Food, Water and Nutrition Impact Area will focus on generating, analyzing, and presenting evidence and on expanding the impact of that evidence – both for program quality and influencing purposes. The objectives of our research and learning agenda are to test and refine technologies, approaches, and innovations that drive sustainability, productivity, equity and resilience; to contribute to learning that improves program quality; and to contribute to policy advocacy, system strengthening, and amplifying impact at scale. CARE’s FWS learning will thus be deliberate, and we will leverage organizational, existing and new partner skills and expertise to maximize impact. We will intensify southern partner engagement in our learning processes, and we will reach into new platforms and audiences.

CARE’s FWS learning themes, impact pathways, guiding frameworks, partnerships and principles revolve around one unifying question: In FWS, what actions effectively advance gender equality and what impact does gender equality have on the realization of rights to food, water, and nutrition?
In addressing this, we will focus on four areas of inquiry, in line with the Gender Empowerment Framework.

Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Leadership on Research and Learning
   • In close coordination with all FWS technical teams and with the ILKA Research Team, develop and maintain the research strategy; and research and learning portfolio for CARE USA’s FWS team and the Right to Food, Water and Nutrition (RFWN) Impact Area Strategy.
2. Strategic Leadership on Research and Learning
   • In close coordination all FWS technical teams, the ILKA team, Fund-raising Teams, Country Offices, support the cultivation of partnerships and collaborations across the FWS portfolio and with key institutions with whom CARE has established relations or will aim to establish new relations.
3. Research and Reflective Practice
   • To provide oversight and leadership to research design to ensure high quality in FWS -relevant research and learning.
   • To technically lead or co-lead the research-specific programs of the FWS Unit
   • To provide technical oversight and support to the research and learning components of relevant ongoing FWS programs, specially large programs (e.g. such as RFSAs and Feed the Future Programs) and multi-country programs (such as Cargill or PepsiCo).
   • To provide technical guidance and support to FWS teams on research and learning-related activities.
4. Resource Mobilization
   • To support efforts to scale up and advance CARE’s FWS research and learning agenda via pre-positioning with relevant donors and strategic partners; designing research-specific concept notes and proposals; providing technical support for integrating research and learning in wider FWS proposals for USG, foundations and other donors; working with fundraising teams in scoping for new donors.
5. Scaling FFBS- Specific Research and Learning
   • In close coordination with the Scaling FFBS project and the GYL team, support the research and learning of the project around the 4 research questions – Enhancing gender-transformative programming, Improving resilience and climate response, Integrating FFBS in new contexts and with new participant groups and linking FFBS producers to inclusive markets.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in economics, social sciences, business, international development, agribusiness or any related field and combined with training in organization change and leadership.
• At least 10 years experience in international development work at the field level combined with a minimum of 3 years experience at regional or global levels (relief, rehabilitation, and long-term development).
• At least 5 years experience undertaking research and/or overseeing or applying research in food and/or water systems.
• Experience in GED and geographically disbursed and multidisciplinary team management.
• Successful fundraising experience.
• Experience in knowledge management and learning.
• Experience in management technologies and organizational development processes .
• Good written and verbal communication skills and ability to deliver effective visually-aided presentations.
• Good facilitation and coaching skills.
• Advanced planning skills.
• Excellent skills in and knowledge about cutting-edge approaches and social innovation.
• Ability to work in ambiguous and changing environment.
• A strong desire for change and the ability to question the “status quo” and create new ideas.
• Skills in fundraising from private and institutional donors.
• Basic budgeting and budget tracking skills.