TERMS OF REFERENCE Program Officer – Field Services, Juba, Southern Sudan Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Job Title : Program Officer, Field Services Reporting to: Lead Program Officer, South Sudan Location: Juba, Southern Sudan Contract terms: 4 Year Organizational overview The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is working with African governments, donors, NGOs, the private sector and African farmers to significantly and sustainably improve the productivity and incomes of resource poor farmers in Africa through agricultural development targeted at resource poor farmers. AGRA has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya and an office in Accra, Ghana. In South Sudan, AGRA’s Program for Africa’s Seed Systems is implementing the “Seed 4 Development” initiative. Position overview Program Officer for Field Services will assist the Lead Program Officer in the oversight of AGRA/PASS activities in South Sudan. Serve as a link between donors, partners, government and grantees and oversee the administrative office functions. Program Officer for Field Services will be responsible for helping to advance the work of PASS-sponsored breeders through periodic visits to observe field-based breeding and variety promotion activities, interacting with farmers, managers of seed enterprises, and creating on-going linkages between PASS-sponsored breeders and other useful contacts and services. Major responsibilities include • Assist prospective grantees in breeding, seed production, seed regulation, and farmer awareness building develop their ideas and strategies for AGRA support. • Help in the identification and recommendation for funding of qualified and motivated plant breeders, seed producers, seed regulators, and seed extension specialists working on high priority food crops in South Sudan. • Provide regular monitoring of all seed systems development activities sponsored by PASS grants, so as to maximize the effectiveness of the grantees and the overall effectiveness of PASS. • Provide regularly-updated information to all seed companies and non-commercial seed enterprises regarding the release of improved, adapted crop varieties which might be of benefit to smallholder farmers. • Develop and oversee a grant portfolio for the agro-dealers program, including selecting and providing grants and technical support for grantee institutions that will train agro-input dealers across target countries. • Help compile and maintain an up-to-date database of all training, breeding, seed production and agro-dealer activities sponsored by PASS in order to provide all PASS staff members with an effective means of measuring the program’s impact • Work with the Program Officer in charge of maintaining positive government relations and putting in place monitoring and evaluation for tracking program effectiveness, outputs and outcomes. This will include documenting the range, volume, prices and impact of increased input flows into rural areas on agricultural productivity and incomes. Personal Traits • Results-oriented, accountable, with proactive leadership skills. Ability to lead by example and drive change. • Determined, hard-working, individuals who are prepared to work around barriers that arise in the course of an initiative. • Have an optimism that African farmers and consumers can benefit from improved, well-adapted agricultural technologies. • Able to get other people excited about new opportunities and new ways of getting odd jobs done. • An innovative thinker who is prepared to take calculated well-considered risks. • A mature professional who is positive and supportive towards colleagues and external collaborators. • Able to communicate effectively with individuals and groups of people. • Able to move from program concept to on-the-ground reality. • Strong inter-personal skills which allow the Officer to work closely with African plant breeders to help formulate knowledge and ideas into breeding strategies that carry a high probability of success. Academic and professional qualifications • M.Sc. in agronomy, plant breeding or other closely-related discipline. Experience • Minimum of five years’ experience leading crop breeding programs in a developing country. • Previous experience in Africa a plus.
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 14:13:24 +0000
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