Agriculture and Livelihoods Officer

Job Advertisement

Position Title: Agriculture and Livelihoods Officer
Location: Nigeria
Country: Nigeria
Deadline Date:

Job Details

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established to save, protect, and transform lives in need, CRS operates in more than 100 countries, providing relief and development assistance without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization has been active in Nigeria for over 25 years, working across all 36 states and focusing on building resilient agriculture-led livelihoods, enhancing agricultural value chains, and advancing natural resource management. CRS has implemented several significant projects, including the Feed the Future Agriculture and Livelihoods project and the Water for Agriculture initiatives, demonstrating its commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable populations through targeted interventions in agriculture and livelihoods.

Job Overview:
The Agriculture and Livelihoods Officer will provide technical leadership and oversee the implementation of the EU-funded Regreening Africa project's agriculture, natural resource management, and livelihood development interventions. This role involves managing extension and advisory services, supporting community mobilizers in participant mobilization, facilitating field-level training, and ensuring the quality of project activities. The officer will be responsible for achieving project results on time and within budget, developing strategies for sustainability, and managing security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security risks proactively. This position requires strong leadership skills and the ability to work collaboratively with various stakeholders to ensure project alignment with community needs and objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The key responsibilities of the Agriculture and Livelihoods Officer include planning and implementing agriculture and livelihood development activities in collaboration with the CRS Program Manager and CARE Nigeria. The officer will lead community mobilization efforts, including participant identification, activity demonstrations, training sessions, and routine monitoring, supported by Community Mobilizers/Facilitators. The officer will assist in preparing high-quality program progress reports and contribute to business development, learning, evaluation, and knowledge-sharing activities. Additionally, the officer will represent the project in technical working groups, foster collaboration with government bodies, and ensure project activities align with program objectives and community needs, providing feedback for continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a university degree in Social Sciences, Natural Resource Management, Agriculture, or a relevant equivalent degree. A minimum of 3 years of experience in project implementation, preferably with an international humanitarian NGO, is required. Candidates should demonstrate experience in data collection, participatory activities for qualitative program monitoring, and a commitment to gender-responsive programming. Strong organizational, analytical, oral, and written communication skills are essential, along with the ability to work effectively under pressure and prioritize multiple initiatives.

Educational Background:
The position requires a university degree in Social Sciences, Natural Resource Management, Agriculture, or any other relevant equivalent degree. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of agriculture and livelihood development in humanitarian contexts.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least 3 years of experience in project implementation, ideally within an international humanitarian NGO. Experience in managing complex, high-value projects and engaging with partners is highly desirable. Familiarity with ICT4D technology applications for emergency work and experience in conducting participatory activities for qualitative program monitoring are also important.

Languages:
The mandatory language for this position is English, with Hausa being a preferred language. Proficiency in these languages is essential for effective communication with stakeholders and community members.

Additional Notes:
The position requires a willingness to travel up to 30% of the time, primarily within Sokoto and other parts of Nigeria. The role does not have supervisory responsibilities but involves key working relationships with internal and external stakeholders. CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan for U.S.-based staff. For candidates employed outside the U.S., benefits are based on the country of employment. The organization emphasizes a collaborative, mission-driven culture and is committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all individuals, particularly children and vulnerable adults.