Programme Officer at Solidaridad West Africa (SWA)

Solidaridad West Africa (SWA) is a not-for-profit organisation that supports the sustainable development of production systems in West Africa. We play a catalytic role by partnering with private sector companies and other stakeholders to foster the development of socially responsible, ecologically sound and profitable supply chains. Our activities in West Africa are focused on cocoa, gold, oil palm, cotton, soy, fruits and vegetable, livestock and leather and other commodities.

As one of the Regional Expertise Centres (REC) within Solidaridad’s international network, we are part of a growing global organization advocating and supporting sustainable and responsible production and trade, SWA focuses on stimulating sustainable supply chains through the introduction of innovations in good practices, climate-smart agriculture, robust infrastructure, sustainable landscapes management and enabling policy.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Programme Officer

Location: Zaria-Kaduna and Kano

Job Purpose

The purpose of the Programme Officers position is to improve food, nutrition security and livelihoods of farming households in Kaduna and Kano states, through the provision of agriculture-related community development services especially community mobilization, awareness building, training and advocacy and counselling services.

Key Responsibilities
Planning and leadership:

Community Empowerment and Training
Facilitate the implementation of project activities and monitoring
Technical Support and Facilitation
Facilitate the establishment of relevant community-based committees for project sustainability, beneficiary targeting and verification
Ensure the intended project beneficiaries receive the required services to improve households
Collaborate WIth the PMEL team to collate relevant monitoring and evaluation data and maintain an accurate database.
Ensure that beneficiaries follow appropriate agronomic practices that lead to behavioural and attitude changes in cultivation approaches /farming practices
Monitor households and markets for progress and relevant changes based on agreed terms in order to make
Lead in Rapid Market Assessments

Programme Development And Resource Mobilization:

Support the development of innovative solutions to complex challenges
Support the field technical teams in designating the vulnerability targeting criteria and dissemination to communities, and local authorities
Support programme implementation
Work closely with field office level operations departments to ensure Standard of Procedures for programming used for implementation and adapted as required to each context
Oversee information and shared learning across teams and ensure that monitoring and evaluation results are documented and understood as the basis for improved programming.
Encourage active participation of and networking between individuals and communities in recognizing problems, identifying
Liaise between the project and the community to ensure the implementation of programme,

Advocacy and Community Organizing Support:

Develop networks and maintain relationships with other local CBOs INGOs, and government working on food security, ensure meeting agendas, participation and minutes are recorded and circulated in a timely fashion.
Conduct community meetings with farmers, CBOs ensuring inclusion of all vulnerable persons especially women and youth.
Effectively manage all data and Information Management needs and tools on the project.
Pet-form other duties as he/she will be assigned
Provides technical, organizational support and plays a facilitation role in the communities including promoting the awareness on agricultural technology and best practices, awareness creation and linkages and behavioural change through education, information and communication
Establish and maintains a close working relationship with communities and community organizations to ensure that the messages are disseminated and understood at all levels
Build capacities of the community and social institutions! groups in the communities assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

A Bachelor’s degree preferably in Community Development, Agriculture/Life Sciences, Communication/ Media Arts, Sociology or other relevant disciplines
NCE or HND with extensive community development experience may be considered on merit.
Good communication and writing skills, ability to convey complex information in a straightforward manner in the local language(s) especially Hausa is essential.
Strong interpersonal skills to establish and maintain effective working relations with multicultural and multi-ethnic teams, including working with partner organizations
Strong facilitation and capacity building, mentoring and coaching skills
Ability to synthesize and analyse data
Proven experience in networking, influencing and negotiation skills
Strong commitment and willingness to follow farmers through seasonal activities
Fluency in spoken and written English Hausa and Fulfude desirable
Willingness and ability to pick up new concepts , skills and approaches quickly

Desirable:

Training in rural development, climate change adaptation mechanisms or systems, horticulture
Experience with subsistence farming and or organizing and working with rural cooperatives
An understanding of the value chain of common vegetables and the rural markets
Experience in identifying and implementing innovative ideas in cultivation and post-harvest handling of vegetables
Good driving skills especially with motorbikes in rural terrains.

Application Closing Date
31st October, 2019.

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