ACTED recruits 01 Agriculture Technical Coordinator

ACTED recruits 01 Agriculture Technical Coordinator

ACTED

Since 1993, as an international non-governmental organization, ACTED has been committed to immediate humanitarian relief to support those in urgent need and protect people’s dignity, while co-creating longer term opportunities for sustainable growth and fulfilling people’s potential.

ACTED endeavors to respond to humanitarian crises and build resilience; promote inclusive and sustainable growth; co-construct effective governance and support the building of civil society worldwide by investing in people and their potential.

We go the last mile: ACTED’s mission is to save lives and support people in meeting their needs in hard to reach areas. With a team of 4,600 national staff 400 international staff, ACTED is active in 37 countries and implements more than 500 projects a year reaching over 11 million beneficiaries.

ACTED Syria

Since 2012, ACTED has been implementing projects with vulnerable communities in Syria with a two-fold approach: ACTED provides life-saving support to vulnerable displaced persons, returnees, and host communities across Syria, through multi-sectorial rapid emergency services, and implements a wide range of resilience building interventions. Thus, ACTED has been able to strengthen its links with Syrian local communities and to develop an in-depth knowledge of local dynamics. A team of 900+ is currently working in theNorth and South Syria, with a coordination office in Amman.

You will be in charge of

ACTED Syria’s Technical Coordinator (TC) for agriculture will be responsible for providing support, strategic planning and technical guidance on activities within this sector. The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of agricultural programming work experience in the humanitarian or development sectors along with work experience on both livestock and arable/horticultural production units. They will also have a keen interest in dryland agriculture and good knowledge of the latest innovations and how they could help improve the resilience of farmers to threats like climate change.

As a TC they will play a leading role in a number of important areas including technical inputs to the development of the ACTED Syria Mission’s (which also includes Turkey) wider FS and Livelihood strategy, supporting the project teams and training for staff to help enhance their knowledge of different agriculture best practices (including climate smart approaches), and further developing ACTED’s livestock programmes.

The position is based in ACTED Syria’s ‘Capital’ office which is based in Amman, Jordan. It requires both remote management and periodic travel within the region.

Internal Agricultural Technical Support and Coordination

Coordination

Promote harmonization of approaches and methodologies across the different agricultural projects by developing and monitoring use of common tools as well as creating opportunities for experience sharing and learning.

Support the development and maintenance of a coherent FS and Livelihood strategy across ACTED’s areas of intervention in Syria and Turkey.

Support the review and introduction appropriate resilience frameworks into FS programming.

Brief Project Managers and Project Coordinators about main agricultural issues, and updating them on a regular basis.

Technical Leadership

Define agricultural project implementation modalities and methodologies (including, but not limited to technical specifications, identification and registration of beneficiaries, distribution and sensitization), through the review and enhancement of ACTED’s agricultural SOP’s.

Lead the review and development of all technical tools related to agricultural activities, guidance notes, training packages, and beneficiary selection tools.

Analyse the appropriateness, adequacy and potential impact of all interventions in the agricultural sector based on known contexts and needs.

Provide technical support to the Project Managers and other FSL staff to ensure that all ACTED agricultural projects are implemented to the same high standards across all areas of intervention.

Liaise with agricultural technical staff on a regular basis to ensure technical assistance is provided to projects when needed. Research innovative and appropriate global best practices for dryland agriculture, in particular methodologies that could help farmers develop resilience to external threats like climate change.

Disseminate tools, research, best practices and lessons learned internally and externally through publications, networks, working groups, events, and conferences.

Staff Capacity Building

Participate in the recruitment and training of FS and Agricultural sector staff members.

In coordination with Project Managers identify individual training needs and ensure access to training and professional development opportunities appropriate to the skill gaps and needs.

Provide training to projects teams on ACTED activities and agricultural best practices.

Develop training material for different trainings to share within the FS and agricultural project teams.

Develop capacity-building programmes for local actors (including partner NGOs and relevant local services providers) on FS and agricultural best practices.

External Positioning

External Relations

Act as key ACTED representative on FS and Agricultural Sectors in Syria and Turkey.

Ensure external representation of ACTED in FS sector, vis-à-vis country and local authorities, other project stakeholders, donors and partners.

Participate in and report (internally) on FS technical and sectoral meetings, clusters and working groups involving all relevant stakeholders such as donors, NGOs, UN Agencies, inter-governmental institutions.

Ensure effective coordination and collaboration with key stakeholders and partners, i.e. NGOs, civil society organizations, community groups, and government counterparts who are working on FS and Agricultural programs.

Identify opportunities to collaborate and coordinate efforts with other organizations to ensure our activities build upon – rather than replicate – the work of others.

Project Development

Collect and analyse primary and secondary data related to the FS and agricultural sectors for Syria.

Analyse the activities in the FS and agriculture sector in general including those of relevant stakeholders.

Identify the needs of the most vulnerable populations through regular visits and literature review, and through the design and implementation of relevant needs assessments in close collaboration with, Programme teams and AMEU. Lead agricultural project conceptualization workshops.

Provide technical inputs into proposal design and ensure new or adapted projects for the agriculture sector focus on maximizing efficiencies, impact and integrated approaches.

Expected skills and qualifications

Essential

• BSc or MSc in agricultural sciences, animal husbandry/science, rural development or similar (relevant field experience can substitute for academic qualifications but not vice-versa).
• 3 years of experience on agriculture projects in an international relief or development setting, ideally working on any of the following: agricultural systems; livestock development; agricultural value chains; natural resource and land degradation management; building resilience to climate change.
• Practical experience working on farms, ideally mixed production units in arid conditions, and must have included a role in livestock management.
• Experience with using FS indicators including FCS, HDDS, CSI, rCSI, HIFAS.
• Ability to capitalise on past experience and information available within the organisation in order to become self-sufficient and autonomous quickly.
• Demonstrated communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to train and coach both international and national staff.
• Flexibility and ability to multi-task under pressure.
• Proven ability to work creatively and independently both in the field and in the office.
• Advanced proficiency in written and spoken English.

Desirable

• Experience of participating in clusters or technical working groups.
• Experience of utilising resilience frameworks within programme implementation (e.g. FAO SHARP; IISD).
• Experience working on business and entrepreneurial development projects.
• Experience of working in the Middle East.
• Ability to speak Arabic.

Conditions

• Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid depending on education level, expertise, security level and experience
• Living allowance of 300 USD
• Lodging and food provided in the ACTED Guesthouse / or housing allowance (depending on the contract lenght and country of assignement)
• Flight tickets in and out + Visa taken in charge by ACTED
• Provision of medical and repatriation insurances