Agriculture Specialist (Female Only)

Under the overall guidance of Afghanaid Managing Director and reporting to the Deputy Director ARC, the incumbent will provide leadership, management oversight, technical guidance and support for Agriculture portfolio of Community Based Eco-DRR project (CBED-II) project of ARC. Following activities of the project that are directly related to Agriculture:

· Participatory assessment – Agriculture

· Market assessment – Agriculture

· Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture

· Improved cultivation practices of staple crops, vegetables, fruits & nuts and fodder

· Improved productivity and production

· Bio-fertilizer and bio-pesticides

· Efficient water use technologies

· Agro-service centers

· Agriculture implements

· Kitchen gardens

· School gardens

· Nursery

· Producer groups – agriculture

· Post harvest and value addition technologies

· Market access – agriculture

· Gender in agriculture

· Training manuals on agriculture and Training of trainers

Position Requirements

Professional Skills, Competencies, Values and Attitudes

Afghanaid seeks an experienced, adaptable and creative programme leader with sound judgment, strong initiative and excellent skills in communication, interpersonal relations, decision-making, financial management, project design and reporting.

Afghanaid needs to attract an individual with international living experience, accustomed to living and travelling to sometimes-insecure environments. Women are especially encouraged to apply. The ideal candidate will be ambitious, enthusiastic and set high professional standards for him/herself and others. Minimally, s/he will have the following education, work experience, skills and qualities:

Education & Professional Qualification

Essential:

At least a Graduate degree in Agriculture from a well-recognized University.

Work Experience and Knowledge

· Minimum 2 years of practical experience in Agriculture extension, Climate Smart/Dry land Agriculture, Watershed management, Drip/sprinkler irrigation etc.

· A career path that reflects ambition, commitment and determination.

· Leadership experience, including proven ability to positively influence others, facilitate participatory strategic processes, and develop the capacity of colleagues and team members.

· High level of networking, negotiation and facilitation experience proven through managing partner and donor relations.

· Advanced skills in developing and implementing value chain and/or microenterprise, microfinance, or livelihoods programs in developing countries, including with gender-sensitive, nutrition-sensitive and resilience frameworks,

· Proposal development experience, including experience leading the technical aspects of complex, large proposal efforts;

· Living and working overseas, including living and travelling in rudimentary and insecure environments; with a strong understanding of the cultural, security and operating environment of Afghanistan or a similar context will be preferred.

Professional Skills, Competencies and Qualities

Essential:

· Native fluency in written and spoken English language and demonstrated ability to both write and layout high quality documents and to confidently give clear, succinct presentations to diverse audiences

· Personal integrity, initiative and drive to get things done and achieve results on time

· Strong organisational and coordination skills, able to work with significant levels of initiative and autonomy, manage organisational and personal priorities and meet tight deadlines

· Endurance, fitness, effective under pressure and willing to work beyond normal work hours; able to work and manage teams to tight deadlines.

· An outgoing and engaging personality with a strong sense of humour, able to built trust, work collaboratively in teams and manage relationships with a variety of stakeholders, from donor agency heads to field-level project staff. A proven ability to persuade and positively influence others

· Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and ability to enjoy living and work in diverse multi-cultural environment

· Creativity, flexible and excellent problem solving skills with the ability to deal with difficult, often ambiguous and challenging situations

· Proficiency in common computer software including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook

· Knowledge of personal strengths and weaknesses and a commitment to continual learning and improvement

· Commitment to the vision and mission of Afghanaid