Livestock Technicians (Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger & Senegal)

Description

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.

The Organization

Since 1944, Heifer International has helped more than 36 million families lift themselves out of hunger and poverty.

Our goal is to help families achieve living incomes, which will allow them to feed their families daily, educate all their children; and have proper housing, water, hygiene, and other essential resource. When many families gain this new sustainable income, it brings new opportunities for building schools, creating agricultural cooperatives, forming community savings, and funding small businesses.

Heifer Senegal contribution to the Global 10 million households target is to help 500,000 of Heifer Africa’s 6.745 million households achieve sustainable living income by 2030.

FUNCTION

The Livestock Technician will be responsible for the implementation of the Dairy project in the communities. He/she involves in all areas of breeding: feed, reproduction, health, buildings, and equipment. He/she will roll out the 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.

ESSENTIAL CHARACTER TRAITS

Ability to work cooperatively, tactfully, and diplomatically with culturally diverse groups of people, Plans and aligns; Optimizes work processes; Ensures accountability; Drives results; Collaborates; Communicates effectively; Courage; Instills trust; Builds effective teams; Nimble learning.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DELIVERABLES

A. Implement the activities planned in the project dairy on schedule (30%)

• Map and profile the Project's beneficiaries in the Project’s intervention areas.
• Sensitize and inform communities as well as customary and religious leaders about the Project.
• Collaborate to facilitate the preparation, planning, and execution of the Project’s annual budgeted activities.
• Work in close collaboration with the deconcentrated technical services involved in the Project.
• Participate in the preparation and organization of handover ceremonies.
• Ensure transparent, effective, and efficient management of all packages made available to communities.
• Train target beneficiaries about savings and credit for the self-financing of income generating activities.
• Ensure continuous capacity building of the Project's target collaborating organizations on social capital.
• Build the capacity of agricultural and veterinary entrepreneurs.
• Ensure the construction and monitoring of infrastructure strategies to ensure environmental protection and animal welfare.
• Ensure the monitoring and periodic documentation of Project activities.
• Provide technical support to Project beneficiaries.
• Ensure proper management of resources made available by HPI to the collaborating organizations.
• Provide quarterly success stories (“Success Stories”) to highlight the positive impacts of the Project.
• Work in close collaboration with HPI’s monitoring and evaluation department to collect and report data using Project tablets device.

B. Record, analyze and interpret information and technical results from the farm (30%)

• Ensuring compliance with the various stages of the project as defined in the specifications.
• Continuously monitor and control the level of execution of the project up to the closing phase.
• Centralize and analyze project data, considering progress indicators.
• Organizing fieldwork, and participating in multi-stakeholder working groups
• Checking the work carried out, identifying any malfunctions and correcting them.

C. Ensure the provision of quality animal health care (prevention and treatment). (30%)

• 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.
• 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.
• Promote actions that will allow producers to have access to quality but low-cost feed for increased productivity and profitability.

D. Manage financial and material resources effectively (administration and finance, budget, mobilization of financial resources, etc.) 5%

• Drawing up and validating the quarterly and half-yearly schedule of activities and the provisional budget, identifying the tasks to be carried out, defining the resources to be deployed and anticipating and preventing risks.
• Justify all expenditure.
• Drawing up the budget implementation plan, taking into account the various stages of the project.

E. May perform other job-related duties as assigned. (5%)

Minimum Requirements

1. Degree in livestock technology, Animal production, animal health, social sciences, agricultural or crop sciences, or related field
2. At least 3 years of experience in the development sector, preferably working directly with farmers, farmer groups and farmer organizations.
3. Experience with group training and group dynamics, organizational development, gender, and savings and credit mobilization.
4. Knowledge and experience in livelihoods development.

Preferred Requirements

1. Degree in animal science/health, Senior livestock technicians
2. At least 3 years of relevant training experience with community groups and peer farmers.
3. Good knowledge of training methodologies, including participatory training approaches.
4. Experience in group leadership, savings mobilization, and social capital development.
5. Knowledge and experience in the development and application of training manuals and modules.
6. Knowledge and experience in implementing and monitoring the impact of trainings.

Most Critical Proficiencies

• Good understanding of the different value chains of agricultural products
• Knowledge and experience in conducting trainings and moderation skills.
• Knowledge of various training topics such as gender, personal leadership, holistic values-based development, community development, savings mobilization, and organizational development.
• Knowledge and experience with or within community-based organizations
• Fluency in English and French, both oral and written.
• Interest in animals, agriculture, and community development.
• Skills in participatory training methodology, preferably with an NGO
• Excellent communication skills; good writing and speaking skills.
• 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 Demands

• Livestock technicians must master all the techniques involved in the life cycle of animals and the economic purpose of livestock farming.
• He/she has a keen sense of observation, good organizational skills and real decision-making ability.
• He/she is computer literate, particularly in the use of technical and techno-economic software designed for livestock monitoring.
• As an advisor to livestock farmers, He/she will be able to explain his recommendations and communicate effectively.