Job Description

Title: Field Officer, Smallholder Tea Project

Company Name: Solidaridad Network Asia

Vacancy: Not specific

Job Location: Panchagarh, Thakurgaon

Employment Status: Contractual

Educational Requirements:
∎ Bachelor and/or diploma degree in social science/ Agriculture/Soil Science/ Botany/ Forestry or related field from a recognized University;

Job Context:
∎ Solidaridad is a global network organization working on developing sustainable, resource-efficient and inclusive supply chains across 44 countries. Through its 8 Regional Excellence Centers, the organization is facilitating the development of socially responsible, ecologically sound, and profitable supply chains. Solidaridad started operating in Bangladesh in 2012 to develop scalable and economically sustainable solutions in the agricultural and industrial landscape in close collaboration with government agencies, businesses and communities. Concerning agriculture, the focus lies on developing climate-resilient agricultural production systems and food supply systems towards improving the availability of nutritious and healthy food for the local and urban consumers. In the industrial landscape, our work focuses on business growth, fair value distribution, income and employment creation and promotion of decent work environment. Solidaridad`s landscape based agricultural interventions is promoting eco-system based regenerative agricultural practices that essentially supports interceding adverse impacts on climate change while enhancing sustainable agricultural productivity.
∎ With an aim to improve productivity and influence the sustainability of the smallholder tea production, Solidaridad has initiated the `Transforming Smallholders Tea Value Chain in Bangladesh for Sustainable Trade and Investment` project to support the smallholder tea farmers in the northern part of Bangladesh to enhance their income from tea farming and become more resilient. The project will work with smallholder farmers, workers and bought leaf factories to strengthen their capacities to scale in production and the sustainability of smallholder tea. In collaboration with relevant stakeholders, Solidaridad will facilitate the establishment of national task force for the development of a strategy and national plan of action for smallholders` tea in Bangladesh.
∎ Overall Job Description: The position `Field Officer, Smallholder Tea Project` will be responsible for mapping and identifying the collaborative areas and possible partnerships and implement the project in the northern part of Bangladesh (Panchagarh and Thakurgaon districts of Rangpur Division). Under the scope of the project, the Liaison/Field Officer would be responsible for initiating local level partnerships, providing field insights, and support management to design related interventions to develop sustainable smallholder tea supply chain.
∎ The Field Officer will liaise with the Bought Leaf Factory Owners Association (BLFOA) and the Small Tea Garden Owners Association (STGOA) and find out the actual number of tea growers available in each village, the extent of area and green leaf produced and how it is disposed of - i.e. destination of green leaf to the nearby BLF either direct supply or through middlemen.
∎ The Field Officer, Smallholder Tea Project will report to Liaison Officer, Smallholder Tea Project under overall supervision of Programme Advisor- Tea and will be based in Panchagarh/ Thakurgaon district with frequent travel in another district.
∎ Employment Type: Project based fixed term.

Job Responsibilities:
∎ Conduct comprehensive stakeholder mapping, including identifying potential partners for the project implementation;
∎ Identify and report the underlying challenges and opportunities, including knowledge and technology gaps, resource optimization, etc. in the local supply chain and ecosystem;
∎ Develop relationships with public authorities, private companies, Small Tea Growers Associations, bought leaf owners association, public procurement authorities and related agencies i.e. Bought Leaf Factory Owners Association (BLFOA) and the Small Tea Garden Owners Association (STGOA);
∎ Motivate STGOA towards quality enhancement of tea growing and related processes including identified GAPS for increased quality profile & price thereof;
∎ Coordinate training for the small holder tea growers;
∎ Provide technical insights for reformulating project strategy that matches with stakeholders' interest;
∎ Plan and implement project interventions and report accordingly;
∎ Organize local level workshops and coordination meetings to enhance the capacities of relevant stakeholders;
∎ Collaborate with the M&E team to carry out, document and disseminate learning related to tea supply chain;
∎ Sound knowledge in Tea & Mustard cultivation processes.

Additional Requirements:
∎ Candidates having working experience in Tea sector for at least one/ two cycle year; will be given preference.
∎ Experience & basic knowledge about Tea factory.
∎ Good understanding on the dynamics of Tea/Mustard production, procurement and processing;
∎ Sufficient knowledge on geographic and topographic context of the northern region, especially on the Tea farmers and workers;
∎ Expertise on relationship development, coordination and liaison;
∎ Experience in engaging private sectors, government and NGO stakeholders in one forum to establish sustainability agenda;
∎ Ability to conduct commodity-based field insight report, i.e. data collection, analysis and reporting.
∎ Minimum computer skills (MS office suite, internet);
∎ Basic Accounting and administration.
∎ A highly cooperative team player and ability to coordinate and manage multiple tasks is desirable;
∎ Fosters an inclusive workplace where diversity and individual differences are valued and leveraged to achieve the vision and mission of the organization;
∎ Strong ability to communicate and function effectively in local/international/multicultural environment;
∎ Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Salary:
∎ Solidaridad offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with Solidaridad Asia`s pay scales and Service Rules. The benefits package includes provident fund, one festival bonus, gratuities and medical insurance as per the organizational policy.

Job Source: Bdjobs.com Online Job Posting.

Application Deadline: 31 May 2023

Company Information:
∎ 23 May 2023
∎ Solidaridad Network Asia
∎ Business : Solidaridad Network Asia is a global network organization working on sustainable, resources-efficient and inclusive supply chains. Working across 56 countries through 10 Regional Excellence Centres, Solidaridad Network Asia is facilitating the development of socially responsible, ecologically sound, and profitable supply chains. It invests in farms and land-use approaches to serve the twin goals of increasing production and conserving ecosystems. Solidaridad Network Asia brings together supply chain actors and engage them in innovative solutions to improve production, ensuring the transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy that maximizes the benefit for all.
In Bangladesh with support from the embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherland, Solidaridad is implementing the Sustainaable Agriculture, Food Security and Linkages (SaFaL) project in partnership with Uttaran and Jagarani Chakra Foundation JCF), and supply chain actors to develop a viable business model to increase the farm productivity of the smallholders. Solidaridad along with the partners are investing in smallholders? sustainable farm productivity through a shift from self-subsistence to a more business oriented approach for better functioning supply chains connecting farmers to input and output markets. SaFaL is supporting 56,825 smallholder producers on improved farm management through developing their farm business plan and market linkages.


Category: NGO/Development

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