Job Summary
The Livestock & Agriculture Officer (L&AO;) is directly responsible for supporting all Nawiri Livestock and Agriculture program activities at the County level.
Minimum Qualification:Bachelor
Experience Level:Mid level
Experience Length:3 years
Job Description
Location:Lodwar, Turkana
Position Status:Full-time, Exempt, Regular
Current Team Member:New position
About Mercy Corps:Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.
We are looking for committed and dynamic individual to take up the Livestock and Agriculture Officer position.
Program / Department Summary:With funding from USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), Mercy Corps’ Nawiri Program is leading a consortium of Kenyan and international partners on a five- year journey to sustainably reduce persistent acute malnutrition in Turkana and Samburu Counties of Kenya.
Through a phased approach that emphasizes evidence gap analysis, as well as partnership, learning, and co-creation, the program takes a robust county-centered design with government leadership, active engagement from communities, the private sector, and civil society.
Mercy Corps’ consortium brings together the global leadership, research capacity, technical expertise, and implementation experience necessary to partner with local institutions to test, adapt, and scale evidence-based solutions. Together we will sustainably reduce persistent acute malnutrition for vulnerable populations in Turkana and Samburu counties.
General Position / Department Summary:The Livestock & Agriculture Officer (L&AO) is directly responsible for supporting all Nawiri Livestock and Agriculture program activities at the County level.
The L&AO is a broad position that includes support and county-level leadership of a variety of agriculture and livestock-related activities; including technical oversight to action research activities, turning research findings into the design of context-specific interventions, capacity strengthening of local partners, identifying opportunities for private sector partnership.
This position involves considerable fieldwork monitoring, cross-sectoral collaboration, support to assessments and reporting.
Essential Job Responsibilities
Program Management
Coordinate with the different levels of County Government to mobilize actions and ensure effective communication channels.
Coordinate with traditional leaders and community leadership to facilitate activity integration and targeting of participants.
Lead implementation of relevant action research including coordination with target communities, support research staff with data collection, analysis and interpretation, and translation of findings into program interventions.
Participate in learning sprints and assist in the capture of program learnings.
In coordination with Technical Advisors, co-lead crop, livestock, poultry and milk market assessments.
Collaborate with Nawiri health and nutrition staff to integrate messaging into crop and livestock production training curriculum.
Design and lead TOT training sessions to Community Mobilizers in collaboration with Government counterparts.
Support Field Director in the review of work plans and to complete necessary reports.
Coordinate with Markets and Alternative Livelihoods team members to identify private sector partners or opportunities for new enterprises that improve farmer access to input and output markets.
Liaise with other project teams and staff to ensure that all Nawiri interventions are well-coordinated and prioritized;
Monitor and evaluate effectiveness and impact of activities and make recommendations for improvements.
Troubleshoot on reporting and programmatic needs. Advise supervisor on improvements and necessities, as required;
Coordinate with public and private service providers (animal health, crop husbandry, etc) to reach Nawiri participants.
Troubleshoot on reporting and programmatic needs. Advise supervisor on improvements and necessities, as required.
Community and County Engagement
Mobilize county, sub-county and ward level meetings with relevant stakeholders.
Support the facilitation of planning meetings and workshops with government, NGO, private sector, and community partners to revise and customize implementation plans.
Conduct community mobilization and sensitization meetings with ward and community-level leaders to introduce Nawiri and follow-up
Engage and support county government in the WDP process and ensure their participation and integration of plans into county priorities.
Support with collaborative partnership with other development partners and identify potential opportunities for linkage
Influence & Representation
Assist Field Director in activity coordination with consortium partners, sub grantees, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs
Facilitate planning meetings and workshops with government, NGO, private sector, and community partners to revise plans and promote partner acceptance/buy-in;
Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission
Security
Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.
Ensure that programs are designed and implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security.
Keep the Field Director updated with regard to the security situation in the project implementation area and provide advice as to how to manage our presence in this environment.
Other
Promote and adhere to the principle and objectives of the project and Mercy Corps.
Provide written and oral translation and report writing for program staff, as necessary.
Other duties as assigned.
Organizational Learning:As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.
Accountability to Participants: Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.
Supervisory Responsibility:N/A
Accountability
Reports Directly To:Field Director with a dotted line to the Technical Support team’s Climate Smart Agriculture Advisor
Works Directly With: Technical Advisors (Alternative Livelihoods Advisor & Inclusive Markets Advisor), Learning Coordinator, Gender Inclusion and Social Change Officer, M&E Coordinator, Field Research Coordinator (RTI), finance and operations teams,
Knowledge and Experience
A minimum of a B.S. in an agriculture and/or agriculture related field (i.e. Agronomy, Agro-ecology, Agricultural Economics, Agriculture Education & Extension, Animal Science or Livestock Husbandry).
An advanced degree in dryland studies preferred.
A technical diploma plus proven experience will be considered.
Minimum 2 to 5 years of direct implementation of agriculture and livestock development activities.
Good spoken and written English required.
Must be able to work independently once in the field and show initiative.
Experience in community mobilization; needs assessment and report writing.
Computer and basic administrative and organizational skills is a plus.
Willingness to travel extensively throughout the project area.
How to Apply:
Applications should be submitted on or before14th November, 2020and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Local candidates in Turkana are highly encouraged to apply.
Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
Mercy Corps does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process.
For the detailed Position Description and application procedure, please visit the following link: https://bit.ly/3dRxADT.
