Agriculture Project Officer (100%)

Doing the right thing: We are active in Switzerland and 20 countries across four continents. Join us in our commitment to fostering a more caring society, here in Ethiopia.

Caritas Switzerland (CACH) has been working in Ethiopia for 50 years. Currently, CACH cooperates with four partners in Ethiopia. CACH has successfully registered as an International Non-Governmental Organization in Ethiopia, enabling it to operate at the project implementation level. CACH’s main areas of focus are Climate, Income, Migration, and Humanitarian Aid. CACH’s current working areas are in Oromia, SNNPR, and Tigray, where it supports and implements approximately ten projects.

Summary of Duties

The Agriculture Project Officer (Livestock Expert) will focus on supporting on drought-affected pastoralist communities through various activities, including coordinating slaughter destocking and enhancing animal health services such as vaccination, surveillance, and voucher-based treatments. The expert will lead the training of animal health staffs and community animal health workers (CAHWs) to deliver specialized drought-related services and ensure efficient supply chains for vaccines and medicines. Additionally, the expert will manage livestock feed supplementation, assess local fodder production along perennial rivers, and work with private sector suppliers to implement voucher-based feed support using a market-driven approach. The role also involves promoting climate-smart agriculture, irrigation-based fodder and crop production, and providing advisory services on pest management and alternative income opportunities, with a particular focus on supporting women.

Expected key Results

• Improved Animal Health Services: Strengthened capacity of animal health staff and community animal health workers (CAHWs) to deliver drought-related services, with enhanced vaccination, surveillance, and voucher-based treatment programs in place.

• Effective Livestock Feed Distribution: Successful implementation of voucher-based livestock feed support, including concentrate feed, through a market-based approach, ensuring feed availability in remote, drought-affected areas.

• Enhanced Fodder Production: Increased local fodder production along perennial rivers through improved irrigation-based farming practices and conservation of locally produced fodder, supporting livestock feed security.

• Climate-Smart Agricultural Adoption: Adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices and irrigation systems for both fodder and crop production, contributing to resilience against drought and other climate challenges.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate Livestock Health Initiatives: Lead the planning and implementation of vaccination campaigns, disease surveillance, and voucher-based treatment programs to improve animal health in drought-affected regions.

• Train Veterinary Staff and CAHWs: Provide training for animal health staffs and Community Animal health workers (CAHWs) to equip them with the skills necessary for effective drought-related livestock management.

• Manage Livestock Feed Distribution: Oversee the implementation of market-based voucher systems for the distribution of livestock feed supplements.

• Enhance Fodder Production: Assess and promote sustainable fodder production practices, utilizing irrigation systems along perennial rivers to improve livestock feed availability.

• Engage Private Sector Suppliers: Collaborate with private sector partners to facilitate the linkage for voucher-based livestock feed and treatment.

• Support Livelihood Diversification: Assist in developing alternative income-generating opportunities, particularly for women, to enhance economic resilience in the face of drought and livestock losses.

Prepare and keep the Database of the beneficiaries up to date. 

• Inform the beneficiaries of the registration procedure.

• Provide input and up-date beneficiary data.

• Prepare lists and distribution cards.

Implement and follow up the activities.

• Implement the planned Livestock and related Livelihood activities.

• Determine and update regularly the material needs for the activities.

• Calculate the necessary quantities of materials and equipment’s and prepare the orders.

• Contribute to the training of the project beneficiaries.

• Set and organize and monitoring systems.

• Ensure regularity and punctuality of monitoring, supervision, and reporting.

• Write Daily update, weekly and monthly and quarterly reports; and provide an input for donor reports.

• Ensure the logistics and finance needs are met.

• Write an activity, monthly minute and other necessary reports.

• Make recommendations for improving the project according to activity results.

• Propose new directions for future activities.

Sustain internal and external coordination

• Represent Caritas at all relevant technical external task forces, working groups, seminars or other meetings/forums which have been identified and approved and use these meetings to negotiate strategic, and advocacy positions.

• Explain the project’s activities and objectives to partners and the community.

• Participate in internal and external coordination meetings.

• Integrate and coordinate the work of the community and local partners;

• Supervise the team members.

• Provide the team with technical support.

• Handle other responsibilities and tasks apart from the aforementioned ones as per the order of the line managers.

Other and Special tasks

• Staying up to date with internal and donor as well as government standards and tools.

• Work collaboratively with all departments and units.

• Other duties as assigned to her/him in the scope of his assignment.

Duty stations: Gorodola with frequent travel to the project sites

Required No.: 1 (one)

The ideal candidate represents the majority of the below mentioned areas:

• Educational Background: A bachelor’s degree in animal science, Veterinary Science, Livestock Management, or a related field is required.

• Relevant Experience: A minimum of 3-5 years of experience in livestock management, animal health services, or rural development, particularly in drought-prone or pastoralist contexts.

• Technical Skills: Proficiency in livestock health management practices, including vaccination, disease control, and veterinary care, as well as knowledge of climate-smart agriculture techniques.

• Training and Capacity Building: Experience in training and mentoring animal health staff and community workers, with a focus on improving service delivery in underserved areas.

• Communication and Collaboration: Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage with diverse stakeholders, including local communities, government agencies, and private sector partners.

• Oromiffa speaking and at good command of English and Amharic (oral and written)

• Ability and readiness to drive a motorcycle (driving licence required)

Required Skills

• Communication

• Training and Development

How to Apply

Applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) as PDF including at least three work references. Both must be in the same language as this vacancy note. 

Application in any other format (word, JPG etc) will be automatically rejected.  At this stage no other documents are required to be submitted.

Applicants Must Fill out the information and send the PDF cover letter and CV through THIS LINK

Deadline for application is October 13, 2024. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Female candidates are highly encouraged.