Program Officer -Livelihoods (Baringo) at Helen Keller International

Objective of the Program Officer Position:

• Support the design, planning, execution, monitoring, and evaluation of all agriculture and livelihood activities related to sustainable food systems and impact within the Riziki Thabiti Project in Kenya.
• Provide technical support to Baringo County to ensure quality implementation of the Project.
• Monitor project progress, document achievements, capture best practices, and facilitate learning across project sites.
• Facilitate collaboration and coordination of the project at county level with government departments including departments of health, agriculture, water, social services and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen multi-sectoral collaboration.

Specific Objectives

Program implementation and technical support

• Support the planning, coordination, and implementation of livelihood interventions under the Riziki Thabiti Project, including homestead food production, small-scale water harvesting, poultry production, and climate-smart agriculture.
• Facilitate community-level engagement in sustainable agriculture, climate-resilient practices, and nutrition-sensitive food systems to improve household food security.
• Contribute to the development of detailed project work plans, ensuring that livelihood, nutrition, and gender-responsive activities are fully integrated.
• Provide continuous technical support to Baringo County teams to ensure high-quality implementation of livelihood and nutrition activities as per agreed work plans.
• Prepare timely and high-quality activity reports (monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual) to inform management and stakeholders.
• Review and monitor project budgets and track burn rates to support efficient resource utilization.
• Promote the integration of nutrition targeting women and children below five years of age into all livelihood initiatives to strengthen household dietary diversity and resilience.
• Assist in monitoring county-level resource utilization to ensure alignment with project work plans and budgets.
• Provide technical backstopping to county and community structures to ensure adherence to project standards and achievement of set targets.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Support the development and use of tools and systems that track progress and impact of food system, livelihood, and nutrition interventions.
• Collect, analyse, and report data related to agriculture, nutrition, gender, market systems, and household livelihoods.
• Document lessons learned, human interest stories, and success stories that demonstrate project impact.
• Plan and support periodic project data reviews, document key findings, and follow up with county teams to implement agreed recommendations.
• Contribute to the development of evidence-based reports that inform program quality improvements and strategic learning.

Coordination, Advocacy and Partnership

• Act as the focal communication point for the project, ensuring effective collaboration and engagement with county and sub-county stakeholders.
• Participate actively in county-level coordination platforms relevant to agriculture, nutrition, water, gender, and livelihood resilience.
• Strengthen partnerships with government departments, community structures, NGOs, and private-sector actors to enhance project impact.
• Organize county-level inception, planning, review, and close-out meetings, ensuring effective information flow and stakeholder engagement.
• Advocate for increased prioritization of nutrition, gender equity, climate resilience, and integrated livelihoods in county planning processes.
• Enhance project visibility and lead communication efforts on behalf of Helen Keller International in Baringo County.
• Support initiatives that empower women and girls in nutrition-related activities.

Others

• Identify funding opportunities and write grant proposals for research projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, nutrition, Agricultural Economics, Community Development, Environmental Science or related field.
• At least 5 years of progressive experience implementing livelihoods, food systems, climate-smart agriculture, or nutrition-sensitive agriculture programs, preferably in rural or arid/semi-arid contexts.
• Proven experience working with rural communities, smallholder farmers, women’s groups, and other marginalized populations.
• Knowledge of food systems approaches, including agroecology, climate-smart agriculture, value chains, water harvesting technologies, and household food production.
• Strong understanding of the linkage between food systems, nutrition, and public health, including familiarity with county and sub-county health structures.
• Experience supporting nutrition-sensitive and resilience-building initiatives at household and community levels.
• Demonstrated NGO experience working with community groups, government structures, and multi-sectoral stakeholders.
• Strong skills in community mobilization, training, and capacity strengthening for local structures and producer groups.
• Ability to work effectively in challenging environments, manage multiple priorities, and deliver results within tight timelines.