Project Officer

Description

BACKGROUND:

Passing Gifts Private Limited (PGPL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Heifer International USA and it provides services in educating, consulting, training, advising, and providing professional and technical services to individuals,associations,andentitiesinIndiaandabroad,particularlythosewhosupportorareworkinginthe areasofsocialadvancementandsustainabledevelopment.Thispositionmayalsorequireserviceagreements, secondment agreements, between entities, etc.Heifer International through PGPL is partnering with Cargill Inc and the International Poultry Council in the implementationoftheTransformationalStrategiesforFarmOutputRiskMitigationor“TRANSFORM”inIndia. TRANSFORMisaUSAIDfundedprojectandacriticalpartoftheHealthSecurityProgramthatseekstoadvance market driven animal health solutions to increase global health security, and increase access to safe, affordable, animal sourced nutrition while improving farm productivity and farmer incomes. TRANSFORM focuses on protecting human health by improving practices related to animal production through mitigation of antimicrobial resistance andprevent emerging infectious disease (zoonotic and transboundary animal diseases-TADs) while improving farmer livelihoods in India. Heifer is leading the deployment of biosecurity trainingstofarmersandothervaluechainplayersthroughcommunityagro-veterinaryentrepreneurs(CAVEs) and farmer agrobusinesses, Social and Behavior Change awareness campaigns in biosecurity measures using differentapproaches,supportingfarmerandvaluechainactors’accesstofinanceandmarketlinkagestoinput suppliers, off-takers, and other actors in the market system.PGPL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment withoutregardtorace,religion,color,nationalorigin,gender,genderidentify,sexualorientation,age,status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

FUNCTION:

Under the leadership of the Project Manager, the Project Officer- Livestock Technology and One Health will beresponsibleforprovidingtechnicalsupportandcoordinationwiththeimplementingpartnerinconducting trainings and promoting adoption of biosecurity, antimicrobial use, and good farm management practices among smallholder backyard poultry farmers in AP.The Project Officer will also support Social and Behaviour Change (SBCC) campaigns to increase farmer knowledgeonbiosecurity,antimicrobialuse,andgoodfarmmanagementpracticesaswellassupporteffortstoensurefarmerandvaluechainactorsaccesstofinancingtoadoptbiosecurity,antimicrobialusestewardship and good farm management practices.The Project Officer will also support farmer producer organizations through the implementing partner(s) to offer quality and reliable services to their members, through a robust extension system which will facilitate easy access to inputs and services, all of which will ultimately contribute to increased production and productivity. The Project Officer will also support partnerships with Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) partnersinIndia,Government(bothatStateandDistrict/BlockLevels)andotherstakeholdersimplementing similar projects under the one health approach.

RESPONSIBILITIESANDDELIVERABLES:(includingapproximatepercentageeffort)

TrainingandTechnicalSupportinBiosecurity,AntimicrobialUseandGoodFarmManagementPractices (45%)Responsible in leading the review, preparation, and development of training curriculum and materialsonbiosecurity,antimicrobialuse,andfarmmanagementaswellasanimalhealthand nutrition related issues;Mobilize Community Agrovet Entrepreneurs (CAVES) and technical experts as appropriate, and arrange their trainings on biosecurity, antimicrobial use stewardship and farm management practicesincollaborationwithlocalimplementingpartner,ProducerOrganizationsandrelevant Government and other stakeholders partnering with the Project;Supportdeploymentoffarmertrainingsandpromoteadoptionofbiosecurity,antimicrobialuse stewardship and good farm management practices;SupportresearchontheReturnonInvestment(ROI)ontheadoptionofbiosecurity,antimicrobial use, and farm management practices as well as holistic nutrition in poultry value chain;Provide technical support to farmer producer organizations to offer quality and reliable services to their members, through a robust extension system which will facilitate easy access to inputs and servicestoincreaseproductionandproductivityandpromoteadoptionofbiosecurity,antimicrobial use, and good farm management practices;EngagewithStateandDistrictlevelveterinarytechnicalpersonnelandotherstakeholders(as required) in disease surveillance and reporting.

ProjectPlanning,AdministrativeManagement,Budgeting&Reporting(30%)

SupportthedevelopmentandimplementationofprojectworkplansandbudgetsinlinewiththedonorandHeifer’s/PGPLregulations,guidelines,andrequirements;Support implementation of approved workplans and budgets to achieve project objectives and targetsassetoutintheCooperativeAgreements,ResultsFrameworkandapprovedworkplansand budgets in line with the donor and Heifer’s policies, guidelines, and requirements;Supportthedevelopmentandtimelysubmissionofhigh-qualityreports,budgets,andother contractual project deliverables in line with the donor and Heifer’s policies, guidelines, and requirements;Provideadviceandsupportmonitoringofprojectactivitiesforresults,keepingtrackofproject progress and actual or potential problems and recommending remedial options.

TechnicalSupporttoSocialandBehaviourChangeCampaigns(SBCC),AccesstoFinanceandProject Monitoring and Evaluation (20%)

ProvidetechnicalinputinthedevelopmentofSBCCmessagingandcommunicationcampaigns materials;Ensurethattechnicallysoundsocialbehavioralchangemessagingisdeployedtocommunitiesinthe target counties where the project is implemented;SupportdevelopmentofAccesstoFinancebiosecurityfocusedproductsandfarmeraccessto financingto implementbiosecurity,antimicrobialuse,andgoodfarmmanagementpractices;Providetechnicalsupportinthedevelopmentof amonitoringandevaluationtool,conducting monitoring, evaluation and learning (MELS) activities and reporting;

SupportperiodicreportingofprojectresultsinlinewiththedonorandHeifer’sresultsframeworkandreportingguidelinesandrequirements.

Mayperformotherjobspecificdutiesasassigned(5%) QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS:

Bachelor'sdegreeinVeterinaryScience(B.&with(3)yearsofrelevantexperience;Master’sDegreeinVeterinaryScience(M.)withaspecializationinPoultryScienceandtwo(2) years of experience;Knowledgeandexperienceinpoultryandlivestockprograms;Experienceinrunningcampaigns;Knowledgeoffeedmillandhatcherymanagement;Familiaritywithfodderdevelopment;Experiencewithcommunityorganizations;FluentinHindi,English,andthelocallanguage(spokenandwritten);Goodleadershipqualitiesandcommunicationskills;Interestinanimal/agriculture-basedcommunitydevelopment;Excellentorganizationalskillswithastrongattentiontodetail.

ESSENTIALCOMPETENCIES:

Excellentinterpersonalskillswiththeabilitytonavigatechallengingsituationstoachievegoalsand deadlines;Demonstrateahighdegreeofhonestyandintegrity;Motivatedtoworkresponsiblywithlittlesupervision;Abilitytomeetanddealwithothersinacourteousandtactfulmanner;Abilitytoworkwithsensitiveinformationandtoalwaysmaintainconfidentiality;Abilityandwillingnesstoworkaflexibleschedule;FluentinHindi,English,andLocalLanguagespokenaswellaswritten;Haveaninterestinanimals/agriculturecommunitydevelopment;Willingnessandabilitytotravellocallyandinternationally;Knowledgeofwordprocessing,spreadsheets,PowerPoint,webdesigning,collaborationplatform and tools, and electronic mail software (Microsoft preferred);Constant sitting, standing and walking, with occasional bending and lifting; may work at a computer for extended periods of time.

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