Senior Project Officer - Livestock at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Job Summary: 

• You will support the implementation of livestock activities at the field level in DRIVE, based in CRS Maiduguri. 
• You will provide technical support and mentoring to the JDPC Agriculture Office working directly with project participants, agriculture extension workers (AEW) and local stakeholders to ensure implementation of poultry husbandry at household level according to project standards.
• You will work collaboratively as a CRS team member under the leadership of the Agriculture and Livelihood PM.
• You will support the JDPC team to sequence and layer all sector interventions to achieve optimal integration and impact for the poor and vulnerable.
• You will support the JDPC agriculture team in the planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, program quality and reporting for livestock and livelihood activities.
• Your technical, facilitation and management skills and knowledge will ensure that DRIVE implements high-quality, cost effective and locally appropriate livestock activities in the target communities. You will provide active capacity building, facilitation, and technical coordination to the JDPC field program team.
• You will coordinate with the BSG Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (LCRI) to provide technical capacity to JDPC and program participants. This position is contingent upon the award of the grant.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Support the JDPC agriculture team in developing and implementing poultry sector plans.
• Engage JDPC team to work with CAHWs and AEWs seconded from the BSG in building the technical capacity of project participants on level poultry keeping through household and group level demonstration-based training and supervision.
• Support JDPC to organize and implement group-based learning for poultry participants. 
• Engage JDPC to coordinate and implement input provision using the market based approach for poultry participants.
• Support JDPC in the implementation of livestock activities according to the DRIVE proposal.
• Ensure that JDPC provides accurate, complete, and timely reporting and field level documentation of all livestock activities.
• Facilitate JDPC’s engagement with BSG   for technical support in for training project participants on poultry rearing, ensuring that vendors make available vaccinated birds and to link  participants to vaccination services and private suppliers for poultry keeping inputs.
• Support JDPC to mobilize and engage project participants on poultry keeping business and marketing options to increase income generation and limit premature sales and consumption of production stock.
• Support multi-sector coordination in CRS and JDPC and area-based committees (ABC) in the implementation and monitoring of livestock activities.
• Under the direction of the supervisor, assist JDPC in context analysis, gap identification and problem solving in livestock husbandry. 
• Under the direction of the supervisor, support JDPC in implementation of MEAL systems, including but not limited to identification of project participants, monitoring and evaluation of the sector activities.
• Assist JDPC to conduct training and monitor the practical application of the knowledge, skills and techniques acquired and adapted by poultry keepers. 
• Assist JDPC in reporting on participants’ performance and improvement poultry keeping. 
• Report weekly and monthly on project progress to the agriculture and livelihoods PM;
• Carry out any other duties as assigned by the supervisor for the implementation.

Required Languages - English and Hausa are essential. Knowledge of one or more of the languages spoken in Jere, such as Kanuri or Shuwa Arabic is an advantage. 

Travel -The post is based in Maiduguri, with field level work in MMC/ Jere LGA. Includes 60% travel to field locations in the MMC/Jere. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated skills in working with subsistence poultry farmers, especially women.
• Basic poultry production skills.
• Ability to work closely with CAHWs, government AEWs and Ministry of Agriculture.
• Strong facilitation and mentoring skills.
• Good MEAL and reporting skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to mobilize and organize community groups for project implementation.
• Willingness to travel frequently and work in insecure and physically and mentally challenging environment.
• Project management experience in agriculture and livelihood is essential.
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Demonstrable capacities in team working and   cross-sectoral planning and implementation.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups. 
• Experience in managing relationships and performance with partner organizations and representing programs to   local stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to author reports and make presentations.
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.
•  Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in the implementation of early recover agriculture and poultry production;
• Experience in working with IDPs in livestock projects.
• Experience of using market-based mechanisms and CVA modalities, including the RedRose platform, for provision of livestock inputs to project participants.
• Experience in supporting local partners in project implementation.

Supervisory Responsibilities :none

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Ag and Livelihoods PM, Program Director, SPO Youth Enterprise and Economic Strengthening, SPO Agriculture, MEAL Manager and Officer, DRR Manager, other DRIVE sector leads, Senior Admin and Security Officer staff in Maiduguri  

External – JDPC Agriculture and MEAL teams, Ministry of Agriculture, AEWs, CAHWs.

Basic Qualifications

• Diploma in livestock production, animal health, veterinary medicine or related field.
• Three years’ experience in Northeast Nigeria in the implementation of similar projects. 
• One year’s experience supporting livestock keeping interventions in peri-urban locations with settled IDPs, host communities and returnees.