Livestock Production Expert

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

Organization

Heifer International is a Non-Governmental Organization whose mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth. We work with farmers and their communities to identify opportunities that deliver living incomes, creating solutions to local challenges that are designed to build inclusive, resilient economies. With Increased productivity of livestock and crops, farmers provide for their families and improve the health of their communities.

Heifer Project International-Ethiopia (HPI Ethiopia) together with the Ministry of Agriculture is planning to implement the Enhancing Livelihoods of Smallholders through Improved Poultry Business (ELSIPB) Project under its RESTORE + signature program of HPI Ethiopia. ELSIPB project aims to close the living income benchmark of targeted households (Women and Youth) through improving production, productivity, and marketing of eggs. To achieve this, the project will identify a private feed and DOC processing firms with demonstrable capacity and incentive to serve as an Egg-hub. The project will be implemented in four regions (Amhara, Oromia, Sidama, and SNNPR) and 70 districts. The overall objective of the project is to help 70,000 rural households (50 % women and 70% youth) are on the path to attain sustainable living income by the end of 2026. The ELSIPB project applies Market Systems Development (MSD) approach to address root causes of the systemic constraints in the poultry market system by designing innovative interventions that improve poultry market efficiency and sustainably benefit more poor households.

Heifer Project International-Ethiopia (HPI Ethiopia) is seeking for a qualified applicant for Livestock Production Expert of the ELSIPB project.

FUNCTION

The Livestock Production Expert shall have deep experience and knowledge of various aspects of livestock production and livestock value chains development to promote and strengthen the ELSIPB project. The role holder will deliver technical lead to the poultry production component of the ELSIB implemented in the regions.

This position will report to the ELSIPB Project Team Leader and will be supported by the Heifer Ethiopia team. He/she is responsible for building strategic relationships with the regional Bureau of Agriculture and work closely with the Livestock Development Section of the bureaus on technical aspects of the poultry value production. This position will serve as Heifer’s chief brand ambassador for the ELSIPP project in the region representing Heifer in strategic forums to ensure Heifer carries strong brand recognition within the region as related to the project.

ESSENTIAL CHARACTER TRAITS

Detailed-oriented, self-driven, action oriented, team player.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DELIVERABLES

A. Support the establishment of poultry hubs, poultry producer groups and feed producer cooperatives (15%).

• Together with poultry value chain specialist facilitate the establishment of poultry hubs in the project area.
• Facilitate and support the establishment and strengthening of feed processing complexes by multipurpose cooperatives,
• Organize and strengthen chick grower and broiler producer groups in the project area.

B. Ensure the knowledge and skill transfer of poultry business to smallholder poultry producers and private sectors (25%).

• Support and facilitate the poultry husbandry training to smallholder egg producer farmers and chick grower and broiler producer groups and cooperatives in the project area,
• Facilitate the establishment of rural youth-led digital extension and BD services,
• Build the technical capacities of DAs in poultry husbandry, disease control and poultry business,
• Together with poultry value chain specialist, facilitate the business and financial training for poultry producers.

C. Ensure the transfer and utilization of improved poultry input and technology by smallholder poultry producers (25%).

• Ensure and facilitate access to poultry feed, improved poultry (DOCs & pullets) and drugs and chemicals by smallholders,
• Ensure and facilitate access to poultry equipment (waterers, feeders & crates) by smallholders,
• Ensure and facilitate access to poultry market information and market linkage services by smallholders,
• Provide technical support to poultry producer groups/cooperatives/organizations to prepare and implement efficient feeding and breeding plans.

D. Ensure robust poultry disease prevention and control mechanisms in the project areas (15%).

• Organize and coordinate the poultry disease prevention and control actions in the project woredas,
• Facilitate the establishment and strengthening of community vet. technicians and dealers in the poultry hub woredas,
• Facilitate the training of community vet. technicians with the necessary service delivery and business development trainings.
• Together with key stakeholders (MoA & private sector) support and facilitate the poultry disease prevention (biosecurity and vaccination) and control program in the project area.

E. Poultry commercialization with strong private sector engagement and market systems approach (10%).

• Support the transitioning of subsistence poultry production to market-based (market informed, market-oriented, and market-led) poultry business in the project areas.
• Facilitate the accessibility of relevant poultry production technologies and services to project target households through PPPP arrangements.
• Foster the out-grower scheme between private poultry complexes and smallholder poultry producers and look for other output market opportunities.

F. Planning and Reporting (5%).

• Prepare monthly, quarterly work plans for implementing in line with the project operational plans and submit them within the expected timelines.
• Prepare weekly, monthly and quarterly reports and submit to the Project coordinator, within the expected timelines.

I. Any other tasks assigned by the supervisor (5%)

• May perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

1. Master’s Degree from a recognized university or equivalent in Poultry Production, Livestock Production or a related field, plus 10 - 15 years of relevant experience with at least five (5) years in a supervisory capacity. Fluent in English, Amharic, and local language, both spoken and written.

Preferred Requirements

1. Demonstrated experience in setting robust and sustainable extension systems for smallholders and producer organizations. This requirement is in line with the need to have inbuilt ‘exit strategies’ within the project as a measure of ensuring that there are self-sustaining businesses by project end.
2. Significant experience in supporting smallholders and producer organization to transform the traditional smallholder poultry production into improved poultry business.

Most Critical Proficiencies

1. Clear understanding of the poultry value chain and Heifer’s Value-based model.
2. Experience in delivering extension services to small scale farmers.
3. Innovative, analytical, and solutions oriented.
4. Strong farmer mobilization skills.
5. Demonstrated ability to design and implement strategies aimed at providing institutional capacity building’ to Producer Organizations with a view to build a more efficient, competitive, and sustainable poultry industry.
6. Knowledge of income and expense budget preparation and monitoring.
7. A good understanding and sensitivity to issues associated with poverty, hunger and environment, and knowledge of the context to which non-profit organizations operate.
8. Demonstrated knowledge of the latest developments in advancing good/best practices in poultry productivity improvement and poultry value chain and market system development that reaches women, youth, and underprivileged.
9. Excellent organizational skills.
10. Proficient knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, electronic mail (Microsoft Office preferred) and Internet.
11. Knowledge of and experience with developing private/public partnerships at the district level.
12. Demonstrated proficiency in English and other local languages, both oral and written.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands

1. Prepare and present documents in a well-designed and attractive format with superior attention to detail.
2. Ability to understand, appreciate and implement Heifer’s Value-Based Holistic Community Development.
3. Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions and design catalytic activities within the production segment of the dairy value chain (e.g. the concept of business development service provision).
4. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work cooperatively, tactfully and diplomatically with culturally diverse groups of people.
5. Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the general public.
6. Willingness and ability to travel extensively.
7. May require constant sitting, working at a computer and focusing for extended periods and performing office environment activities while on the road and/or in remote conditions.
8. Ability to work with sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
9. Ability to manage and execute multiple tasks with little supervision while meeting inflexible deadlines.
10. Ability to work with smallholder farmers in rural set up while appreciating the dynamics or rural extension system.
11. Ability to work with minimal supervision.

Deadline for Application: 7th September 2023