Agriculture and Food System Officer

Job Description

Title: Agriculture and Food System Officer

Company Name: Helen Keller Intl

Vacancy: --

Age: At least 30 years

Job Location: Sunamganj

Salary: --

Experience:

• 3 to 4 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

Bachelor or Masters’ degree in Agriculture or related field

• 3 to 4 years
• The applicants should have experience in the following business area(s): NGO

• Age At least 30 years

• 3-4 years of experience in Agriculture and livelihood-related development program.

• S/he should have work experience in participatory program planning, management, monitoring, and evaluation.

• S/he should have experience working with partners (consortium partners, local NGOs and GoB).

• Should have experience of managing nutrition sensitive and nutrition Specific project.

• Experience working with Government and Non-government stakeholders specially with the health and Agriculture department.

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, fluency in spoken and written English is a priority.

• Familiar with MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

• Must have valid Motor cycle driving license.

• Time required in job to reach effective performance: Probation period – 3 months

COMPETENCIES

Essential Character:

• Analytical thinking

• Results Orientated

• Independent thinking

• Managing Impact

Essential Skills:

• Relationship building

• Planning and organising

• Information Technology

• Understanding others

Preferred competencies:

• Writing

• Flexibility

• Development Orientation

• Thoroughness

Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co-founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl partners with communities striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty. By delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition and clear vision, we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in more than 20 countries – across Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States – and together with a global community of supporters, we are ensuring every person has the opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.

Country Program Overview:

Starting in 1978 by promoting and implementing Nutrition programs, today, Helen Keller Bangladesh is implementing program work in Bandarban, Barishal, Bhola, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Habiganj, Khagrachari,  Kurigram, Manikganj, Netrakona, Noakhali, Rangamati, Satkhira, Sherpur, Sirajganj and Sunamganj district  through and with the government of Bangladesh, as well as national and international partners and NGOs, academic and research institutions, and the private sector. Since its beginning, Helen Keller Bangladesh has worked with over 150 local, international and government partners to establish Enhanced Homestead Food Production (HFP) programs benefiting over 4.5 million people. We are currently implementing programs to prevent blindness and Neglected Tropical Diseases alongside programs to improve nutrition and food security that integrate gender-sensitive approaches.

We are seeking a qualified and experienced Agriculture and Food System Officer for the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition Project. Transforming Lives Through Nutrition (Transforming Lives) is a grant-funded consortium uniting three nonprofits, including Helen Keller Intl, Vitamin Angels and iDE, and have been established to offer an impactful way to improve the nutrition of underserved pregnant women, infants and young children globally. This work is funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as part of its humanitarian efforts implementing in 12 countries including Bangladesh. The goal of the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition initiative is to improve maternal and child health, through the delivery of proven nutrition interventions and strengthen health and food systems at scale by putting women and children at the center.

Base Station: Sunamganj

Report To: Project Manager, Transforming Lives Through Nutrition Project

Supervises: None

 SCOPE OF THE POSITION:

The job description of an Agriculture and Food System Officer involves a range of responsibilities related to the homestead food production and consumption of vulnerable peoples through improvement of agricultural and food systems. This position is responsible for ensuring quality program implementation of Agriculture and Food system activities carried out under the Transforming Lives project (TL). S/he will build the capacity of Project Officer and Field Facilitators and Community Nutrition Volunteer of the Implementing partner in best homestead food production practices by continually supporting “learning-by-doing” trainings, providing coaching and mentoring, and conducting follow-up site visits.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position plays a key role in ensuring participants’ increased access, availability and utilization of nutritious foods, and increased knowledge, skills and market linkages to expand production and income. Specifically, s/he oversees all horticulture-related components in his/her corresponding upazila.

S/he is responsible for carrying out the following duties (but not limited to):

• Recommend key programmatic activities to achieve desired outcomes in agricultural production, Climate resilient Agriculture practices, nutrition and income generation.

• Oversee day-to-day field operations within the district and monitor team member’s day-to-day performed activities as per project requirement.

• Create a dynamic, innovative and challenging work place, which recognize the contributions and diverse skills of all staff;

• Ensure that the projects’ underlying principles and strategies are fully understood by the team members;

• Maintain strong linkages with implementing partners and attend any district or divisional level meetings with relevant govt and other stakeholders mainly agriculture and Health Department.

• Implement that all components of comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system are in place and being followed by staff at all levels. Take the lead in developing mechanisms to ensure that all the team members become involved and participate in decision-making process relevant to their duties;

• Represent Helen Keller and TL project at any level meetings, seminars or workshops with government/non-govt. Level mainly at sub-national level

• Maintain up-to-date information on all financial aspects of programs with the Finance Section;

• Maintain liaison with international agencies and local NGOs for collaboration on nutrition-oriented agriculture and market-oriented activities.

• Directly involve developing training manual on Agricultural Practices for homesteading garden with nutrition and improved poultry rearing practices.

• Also Maintain strong linkages with local BARI, and other research stations, DAE and DLS within the district.

• Prepare technical guidelines, case studies, bulletins, donors progress reports, and other papers as required;

• Assist in preparing quarterly, six monthly, annual reports following donor guidelines.

• Assist to roll out different studies in TL project

• Support other organizations, on issues related to Homestead Food Production in TL project

• Assist in preparing monthly plan and progress reports.

• Assist Finance Section to ensure proper utilization of sub-grants budget at IP level.

• Any other responsibilities assigned by the Supervisor.