RDDP II Project Officer

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 identity, 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 supported more than 36 million Small Holder Farmer (SHF) families globally lift themselves out of hunger and poverty while caring for the earth in partnership with the communities we serve including Youth & Women. Heifer International is now accelerating its strategic approaches to closing the Sustainable Living Income (SLI) gap for 10 million additional SHF households globally by 2030.

In Rwanda, our aim is moving 300,000 smallholder farmers to achieve sustainable living income by 2030 against Heifer Africa target of 6.745 million. Heifer does this through the sustainable locally led Development approach.

Function

The Project Officers will be responsible for daily implementation of the project activities within the district. She/he will be at the front line for the implementation of the Value Based Holistic Community Development (“VBHCD”) approach. She/he will be trained as a trainer to offer social capital training and technical training as well as project supported extensions services to project beneficiaries. She/he will facilitate formation and strengthening of Self-Help Groups (“SHG(s)”) and facilitate farmer learning in Livestock Farmer Field Schools.

Essential Character Traits

Drives results, accountable, manages complex environments, excellent and effective communication, resourcefulness, manages conflict, team player, respectful, flexible and team player.

Responsibilities & Deliverables

A. Farmers’ organization, farmer’s capacity building and project reporting. (35%)

• Facilitate SHG formation and Farmer Field Schools (FFS) establishment.
• Strengthen SHGs through social capital orientation and provision of technical services.
• Prepare and deliver trainings on improved Animal Management through the farmer field school approach (Calf to Calf training approach),
• Ensure record keeping by farmers.
• Organize and conduct farmer study tours where necessary.
• Carryout the mobilization of farmers into Dairy farming groups and cooperatives monthly.
• Ensure timely delivery of livestock training activities (pre and post livestock placements) up to the end of the project lifetime.
• Train dairy cooperatives in leadership and governance and establishment of governance and management structures.
• Carry out Pregnancy Diagnosis, Identify and register and tag calves borne to AI yearly.
• Provide monthly progress report.

B. Facilitate provision of project services and placement of physical inputs. (35%)

• Participate in the selection, evaluation, and confirmation of Girinka beneficiaries in collaboration with the local authorities.
• Participate in the livestock selection, identification, transportation, and distribution.
• Make regular visits to the beneficiary location and advise on the construction of cattle sheds.
• Ensure quality animals are selected for placement throughout the project lifetime.
• Collaborate with local partners to inspect and validate the list of beneficiaries on a monthly/quarterly/yearly basis.
• Supervise the construction of standard individual and communal cowsheds in the area on an annual basis.
• Keep records of beneficiaries (hard and soft) (OG and PoG) to provide evidence of complete work throughout project lifetime as needed.
• Ensure timely delivery of livestock and other physical inputs throughout project lifetime.

C. Provision of veterinary, extension, and advisory services to project beneficiaries (25%)

• Conduct Artificial Insemination (AI) and synchronization, mobile clinic and pasture development of dairy cattle in the area of operations.
• Mobilize farmers on risk management including livestock insurance.
• Promote climate resilient best practices and investments at famer level.
• Create synergies with local Animal Husbandry, AI and extension service providers to maintain disease free stock of animals distributed by RDDP project throughout project lifetime.
• Provide breeding and animal health services to the beneficiaries and report the number of AI performed and number of offspring born annually throughout the project lifetime.
• Conduct regular ambulatory clinics (preventive and curative measures) up to the end of the project lifetime.
• Conduct regular household visits to advise farmers on needed improvements as far as Improved Animal Management is concerned.
• Provide daily support to sensitize beneficiaries on sustainable management of natural resources.

D. May perform other job-related duties (5%)

• Perform any other duty as may be assigned by supervisor(s).

Minimum Requirements

1. Bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine, Animal Production, Rural development, or related fields plus a minimum of at least five (5) years of relevant working experience in the Livestock Sector in Rwanda.
2. Possession of a valid Permanent Rwandan A category driver’s license.
3. Fluency in English and Kinyarwanda (fluency in other languages is a plus).

Preferred Requirements

1. Minimum of at least five (5) years of relevant working experience.

Most Critical Proficiencies

1. Proven experience in building the capacity of partner institutions, managing knowledge, measuring progress and planning and innovation within the industry.
2. Demonstrate experience in conducting business, investment analyses and capital budgeting.
3. Demonstrate project report writing and donor reporting experience.
4. Demonstrate experience in project management including donor project budgets management.
5. Good understanding of annual work planning and budgeting across complex programs.
6. Experience in developing private public partnerships especially at national district level;
7. Demonstrate expertise in conducting and facilitating trainings in both English and Kinyarwanda, with targeted groups of diverse stakeholders;
8. Experience working in the field with community groups formation and cooperatives’ support;
9. Maintain knowledge and sensitivity to issues associated with poverty, hunger, and the environment.
10. Excellent organizational skills.
11. Experience in working with various commodities and value-chains.
12. Knowledge of development issues, trends, challenges and opportunities and implications to community development.
13. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work cooperatively, tactfully and diplomatically with culturally diverse groups of people.
14. Innovative, analytical, and solutions oriented.
15. Demonstrated knowledge of the latest developments in advancing good/best practices in value chain development that reaches women, youth, and underprivileged.
16. Proficient knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, electronic mail (Microsoft Office preferred) and Internet.
17. Knowledge of and experience with developing private/public partnerships at the district and business level.
18. Demonstrated proficiency in English and other local languages, both oral and written.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands

1. Proven leadership and collaborative skills with the ability to train and work cooperatively with beneficiaries.
2. Regularly conduct stakeholder analysis to strengthen partnerships and leveraging of resources.
3. Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the general public to scale up country program visibility and publicity.
4. May require constant reach out trips to beneficiaries.
5. Ability to manage and execute multiple tasks with little supervision while meeting strict deadlines.
6. Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.
7. Ability to relocate, the position is District based and the work location to be determined later.