POSITION
ANNOUNCEMENT
ANNOUNCEMENT
Agribusiness
Specialist — Monrovia, Liberia
Specialist — Monrovia, Liberia
Effective
with the release of this position announcement, Winrock International is
recruiting applicants for Agribusiness Specialist for its Agriculture unit’s
participation in USAID’s Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Program in
Monrovia, Liberia. A summary of the responsibilities, duties and qualifications
are described in the attached position description.
with the release of this position announcement, Winrock International is
recruiting applicants for Agribusiness Specialist for its Agriculture unit’s
participation in USAID’s Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Program in
Monrovia, Liberia. A summary of the responsibilities, duties and qualifications
are described in the attached position description.
GENERAL:
Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that works with people in the
United States and around the world to increase economic opportunity, sustain
natural resources, and protect the environment. Winrock matches innovative
approaches in agriculture, natural resources management, clean energy, and
leadership development with the unique needs of its partners. By linking local
individuals and communities with new ideas and technology, Winrock is
increasing long-term productivity, equity, and responsible resource management
to benefit the poor and disadvantaged of the world.
Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that works with people in the
United States and around the world to increase economic opportunity, sustain
natural resources, and protect the environment. Winrock matches innovative
approaches in agriculture, natural resources management, clean energy, and
leadership development with the unique needs of its partners. By linking local
individuals and communities with new ideas and technology, Winrock is
increasing long-term productivity, equity, and responsible resource management
to benefit the poor and disadvantaged of the world.
SALARY:
The annual salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
The annual salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
POSITION
TITLE: Agribusiness Specialist — Monrovia, Liberia DEPARTMENT: Agriculture
unit
REPORTS TO: David Norman, Group Vice President, Enterprise & Agriculture
group
PROGRAM OVERVIEW: USAID Liberia’s programs operate within the US Foreign
Assistance Framework for ‘rebuilding countries’ with the respective goal to:
“Assist in the construction or reconstruction of key internal
infrastructure and market mechanisms to stabilize the economy.” The
Mission’s strategy focuses on ‘lifting Liberia’ to the next tier: i.e., from a
rebuilding country to a developing country and beyond. As a contribution toward
the achievement of this goal, the Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Program
will be implemented to achieve the following component objectives:
TITLE: Agribusiness Specialist — Monrovia, Liberia DEPARTMENT: Agriculture
unit
REPORTS TO: David Norman, Group Vice President, Enterprise & Agriculture
group
PROGRAM OVERVIEW: USAID Liberia’s programs operate within the US Foreign
Assistance Framework for ‘rebuilding countries’ with the respective goal to:
“Assist in the construction or reconstruction of key internal
infrastructure and market mechanisms to stabilize the economy.” The
Mission’s strategy focuses on ‘lifting Liberia’ to the next tier: i.e., from a
rebuilding country to a developing country and beyond. As a contribution toward
the achievement of this goal, the Food and Enterprise Development (FED) Program
will be implemented to achieve the following component objectives:
- Component
1: Increase agricultural productivity and profitability and improve human
nutrition; - Component
2: Stimulate private enterprise growth and investment; and - Component
3: Build local technical and managerial human resources to sustain and expand
accomplishments achieved under objectives one and two.
The
FED program is the USAID Mission’s principal mechanism to achieve the goals of
its Feed the Future 2011-2015 Multi-Year Strategy.
FED program is the USAID Mission’s principal mechanism to achieve the goals of
its Feed the Future 2011-2015 Multi-Year Strategy.
POSITION
SUMMARY: The long-term, resident Agribusiness Specialist is required to play a
lead role on the FED program. The FED Agribusiness Specialist will lead
Component One of the program, Increase Agriculture Productivity, and will be
responsible for all activities related to the strengthening and expansion of agribusiness
activities in the four key FED value chains (rice, cassava, peri-urban
vegetable, and goats).
SUMMARY: The long-term, resident Agribusiness Specialist is required to play a
lead role on the FED program. The FED Agribusiness Specialist will lead
Component One of the program, Increase Agriculture Productivity, and will be
responsible for all activities related to the strengthening and expansion of agribusiness
activities in the four key FED value chains (rice, cassava, peri-urban
vegetable, and goats).
MAJOR
RESPONSIBILITIES:
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead
project development and strategic support in a wide variety of areas,
including value chain development and upgrading strategies, improving
access to agricultural inputs, agricultural extension , marketing, and
peri-urban garden plot development; - Oversee
the efforts of agricultural programs in the four FED county offices,
particularly focusing on value chain upgrading; - Facilitate
market driven linkages between agribusiness producers, wholesalers,
processors, and markets within Liberia; - Meet
and liaise with relevant MoA staff, County Agriculture Coordinators, FAO, the
private sector, and other donors working in agriculture to ensure
synergies are created and resources are leveraged; - Attend
relevant meetings, technical working groups, conferences, etc. to share
knowledge, coordinate programs, and promote FED’s work; - Coordinate
with the anticipated USAID infrastructure project (yet to be awarded) to
identify and remove infrastructure constraints to agricultural production
and flow of goods and services (products out to markets, and inputs and
services into the rural farming areas); - Conduct
regular field visits to FED program sites located in the six FED target
counties, to provide hands-on technical assistance and monitoring of
program activities and implementation; - Provide
capacity building support and mentoring to FED Component One staff,
including field-based staff in four county offices and other field
locations as required; - Identify
STTA need (both international and local) and help to identity candidates
when possible; - Provide
overall strategy, vision, and inputs for the Component One section of the
annual workplan; and - Contribute
to FED M&E activities, including data collection and reporting in
coordination with the FED M&E team OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES: - Other
duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS AND BACKGROUND: Education:
Master’s degree in agriculture, agribusiness, agricultural economics , or other
related field is required Experience:
Master’s degree in agriculture, agribusiness, agricultural economics , or other
related field is required Experience:
- At
least ten (10) years of professional work experience in agribusiness
development with an emphasis on at least two of the following: building
community-based organizations (e.g. co-ops, producer associations,
marketing associations), value chain development, rural finance and
regional/international trade policy. - At
least five (5) year working in a for-profit agribusiness - Demonstrated
experience with gender mainstreaming in agriculture projects - Past
experience leading and building the capacity of teams of
agriculture-focused staff, including remote, field-based staff, to meet
program needs and deliverables - Previous
experience on USAID-funded agricultural/agribusiness development programs,
including contributing to M&E, reporting, and designing and leading
program activities. - Experience
working in West Africa and post-conflict countries is desirable;
experience in Liberia is preferred.
Skills/ Knowledge: Excellent verbal and
written communications skills, including demonstrated advanced ICT skills;
demonstrated practical knowledge of regional agribusiness firms.
written communications skills, including demonstrated advanced ICT skills;
demonstrated practical knowledge of regional agribusiness firms.
Other: This is an immediate opening.
The ideal candidate will be able to mobilize in January 2013 at the latest.
The ideal candidate will be able to mobilize in January 2013 at the latest.
How
to apply:
to apply:
APPLICATIONS:
Applicants may go to Winrock’s Job Page at www.winrock.org to complete an
online application, submit a current resume and cover letter by November 30,
2012.
Applicants may go to Winrock’s Job Page at www.winrock.org to complete an
online application, submit a current resume and cover letter by November 30,
2012.
Winrock
International is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.
International is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.
