Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, protected veteran status, among others, or disability status.
Function
The Project officer will be responsible for the effective implementation of the IMAM 2 project in the project's intervention regions. He/she will participate in the definition of implementation strategies, supervise community facilitators, and coordinate the implementation of project activities by working with communities to achieve project objectives. He/she will be involved in technical training and supervision of beneficiary families and partners and will ensure compliance with Heifer procedures.
The Project Officer will be supervised by the Project Manager based in Thies.
Responsibilities & Deliverables
- Monitor and supervise the project's community facilitators
- Ensure the provision of quality animal health care (prevention and treatment).
- Ensure good animal husbandry practices (breeding, nutrition, housing, feeding, watering, fodder production and processing, herd management, animal waste management and other environmentally friendly production methods, etc.)
- Establish systems with checks and balances to manage integrated value chains in market systems.
- Maintain/document adequate data and information on project activities and achievements.
- Ensure that relevant stakeholders understand the training program and that the knowledge is fully implemented on the farms, particularly, but not limited to, animal health,
- Improve animal health and husbandry through trained community-based agricultural entrepreneurs (CAVES).
- Monitor and support trained farmers, partners and project staff.
- Coach, mentor and train CAVES, and partners in animal husbandry.
- Ensure that all farmers are trained in group dynamics and social capital development.
- Ensure that the groups are practicing functional savings and credit activities to contribute to project objectives.
- Ensure that project activities comply with Heifer International's animal welfare policies.
- Maintain a record of known diseases/infections and mortalities.
- Ensure that farmers, partners, and CAVES maintain records of animal production
- Coordinate the provision of quality veterinary services, equipment, vaccines, drugs, through hubs, CAVEs, and other structures as appropriate.
- Ensure the construction of low-cost, environmentally friendly, and appropriate animal shelters with adequate ventilation/lighting and improved sanitation and hygiene.
- Ensure proper manure management and use.
- Promote actions that will allow producers to have access to quality but low-cost feed for increased productivity and profitability.
Minimum qualifications required
- Bachelor's degree in community development, animal health, social sciences, agricultural or crop sciences, or related field.
- At least 5 years of experience in the development sector, preferably working directly with farmers, farmer groups and farmer organizations.
- Experience with group training and group dynamics, organizational development, gender, and savings and credit mobilization.
- Knowledge and experience in livelihoods development.
Preferred qualifications
- Master's degree in science/animal health. Preference for veterinary doctors and agronomists.
- At least 4 years of relevant training experience with community groups and peer farmers.
- Strong knowledge of training methodologies, including participatory training approaches.
- Strong experience in group development, savings mobilization, and social capital development.
- Knowledge and experience in training delivery and impact monitoring.
Most important skills
- Knowledge and experience in conducting trainings and moderating.
- Knowledge of different training topics such as gender, community development, business skills, savings mobilization, and organizational development.
- Knowledge and experience working with or within community-based organizations.
- Interest in animals, agriculture, and community development.
- Skills in participatory training methodology, preferably with an NGO
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
- Excellent organizational skills, including strong attention to detail.
- Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, and email (Microsoft preferred).
- Motivated to work responsibly with little supervision.
- Ability to meet and deal with others in a courteous and tactful manner.
- Demonstrate a high degree of honesty and integrity
- Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule
- Willingness and ability to travel extensively
- Ability to foster and maintain a spirit of unity, teamwork, and cooperation.
- Sensitivity to working with multiple cultures and beliefs, and gender equity.
Essential Job Functions and Physical Requirements:
- Prepare and present project reports and presentations in a well-designed and engaging format with superior attention to detail.
- Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work cooperatively, tactfully, and diplomatically with culturally diverse groups of people.
- Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the public to increase visibility and publicity for the national program.
- May require constant sitting, working on a computer and concentrating for extended periods of time and performing office work in the field and/or in remote conditions.
- Work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.
Deadline for Application: 11th November 2022