Agriculture Officer (INT10512)

Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty.

The Role:

Oxfam Iraq is looking for: Agriculture Officer

Job Purpose

Responsible for implementation of agriculture and livelihood project titled ‘FEMINACT’’ in Anbar as well as supporting other food security and livelihoods programmes as required. The post will seek to maximise active participation and support of different gender and age group with their strong inclusion in economic development activities to maximum the benefit for the target population.

Core Details

key Responsibilities

• Responsible for day-to-day implementation of agriculture value chain development activities as well as youth and women lead enterprise initiatives in agriculture.
• Provide on-site technical assistance and advice on crop management, soil health, pest control, and irrigation techniques.
• Disseminate information on the latest agricultural research, technologies, and government policies to farmers and agri-enterprises.
• Implement trainings and capacity building initiatives for farmers, partners, market actors and communities.
• Facilitate relationships and linkages among traders, private sector actors, trade cooperatives/unions, community committees, government stakeholders, MFIs and others and facilitate to bring them as a strong contributor in the programme and community development.
• Build and maintain relationships with agricultural research institutions, government agencies, and non-governmental organization as well as agribusinesses and input supplier
• Under the supervision of Economic Justice technical lead, draft weekly, monthly implementation plan and ensure team is well equipped with all the information and resources to implement the plan.
• With overall guidance from EJ lead, identify agri-entrepreneurs and lead farmers for training and grants.
• Work with team members to ensure that all planned activities comply with existing policies and procedures and all statutory obligations.
• Facilitate and contribute to conduct agriculture studies and market assessments as well as policy advocacy initiatives and climate adaptation studies etc.
• Supervise the overall process of beneficiary registration and selection process and ensure appropriate inclusion in the program as per agreed and approved selection criteria and methodology.
• Participate in regular market and labour market monitoring to identify and recommend emerging opportunities in agriculture value chain sector.
• In consultation with EJ technical lead and project managers agree on the range of advice, support, training and/or other assistance required to facilitate operational aspects of the programme.  
• As delegated to supervise the implementation of the livelihoods and economic development interventions for the programme ensuring achievement of the set objectives and milestones.
• Work closely with MEAL staff to conduct monitoring of all post-distribution activities and collate information.

What we are looking for:

We’re looking for a candidate who cares about Oxfam’s mission to end poverty and is personally aligned to our feminist principles and values of empowerment, accountability and inclusion in all you do.

An ideal candidate for the role will also be / have:

skills, experience and knowledge

• University degree in the relevant field (e.g. agriculture, agronomy, economics, business, social sciences or related discipline) or equivalent experience;
• Minimum 2 years’ experience of working in the humanitarian and development sector; especially in gender and livelihood sector.
• Experience of working in livelihoods interventions like, enterprise development, business management training, youth and women economic empowerment program.
• Experience of engagement with private sector, market actors, and business support services providers.
• Experience and skills in playing a supportive role, demonstrating ability to support field teams’ members to deliver results for operational work.
• Demonstrated understanding and experience in Cash and Voucher Programming in a humanitarian & development context.
• Experience of working with an NGO – especially in project implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• A good understanding of the Iraqi context and cultures.
• An understanding of gender, protection and diversity issues in livelihoods and economic development programs.
• Strong communication & interpersonal skills, community mobilisation experience and ability to work in teams.
• Ability to travel and to work in difficult circumstances.

Essential

• Good written and spoken English, as well as strong spoken and written Arabic is essential.

Desirable

 A good understanding of the Iraqi/Kurdish, context and cultures.

Key Attributes

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Negotiation skills and the ability to influence and inspire confidence in others in diverse working environment
• Community mobilisation experience
• An understanding of gender, protection and diversity issues in Cash and Voucher Programming would be advantageous
• Ability to work effectively with others
• Ability to work well under pressure and in response to changing needs.
• Ability to travel and to work in difficult circumstances

Organisational Values

• Accountability – Our purpose-driven, results-focused approach means we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable. We believe that others should also be held accountable for their actions
• Empowerment – Our approach means that everyone involved with Oxfam, from our staff and supporters to people living in poverty, should feel they can make change happen
• Inclusiveness – We are open to everyone and embrace diversity. We believe everyone has a contribution to make, regardless of visible and invisible differences

Note to candidates: Shortlisted candidates will be assessed on our organisational values and attributes at the interview stage. The successful candidate(s) will be expected to adhere to our code of conduct. We encourage candidates to read and understand our code of conduct here.

We offer:

We offer a competitive salary and a range of additional benefits to staff including flexible working options, generous pension scheme, annual leave, additional leave allowances, company sick pay, life assurance and a range of other benefits. 

From the day you join Oxfam we invite you to stretch and learn in your role. Our wide range of Learning & Development opportunities includes in-house courses, e-learning modules, on-the job learning opportunities, coaching and mentoring, and much more. 

You can read more about all Oxfam has to offer here.

Flexfam:

We believe flexible working is key to building the Oxfam of the future, so we’re open to talking through the type of flexible arrangements which might work for you.

How to apply:

As part of your online application, please upload your up to date CV and Cover Letter explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile.