Employment Opportunities at Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) - Primarily funded by the Federal Government, the Ministry currently superintends almost fifty parastatals operating as either key departments or agencies across the country. The Ministry has 2 major departments namely Technical and Service Departments. Technical Departments: Agriculture (Trees and Crops), Fisheries, Livestock, Land Resources, Fertilizer, Food Reserve & Storage and Rural Development. Service Departments: Finance, Human Resources, Procurement, PPAS (Plan, Policy, Analysis & Statistics) and Co-operatives.

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) in colaboration with the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is implementing Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises project in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers. Thus, the National Project Coordinating Office of the LIFE-ND hereby request applications from suitable qualified and competent personnel to fill the underlisted position:

Job Position: Procurement Support Officer

Job Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers

Main Responsibilities

• The Procurement Support Offcer will support the Procurement Coordinator in the day to day administration and management of project procurement activities and carry out other duties as may be assigned in accordance with relevant National and IFAD Procurement Guidelines

Specific Duties

• Ensure that assigned procurement duties are carried out such that transparency. Integrity, economy. opernes, fairness, competition, and accountability remain the cardinal target.
• Assist in the preparation as well as update and review of the yearly procurement plan.
• Assist in maintaining and regularly updating the contract register and NOTUS
• Assist in preparation and periodically update the database of vendors, suppliers, and consultants
• Assist in the preparation of bidding documents tender notices, and invitations forbids
• Assist in the receiving, opening and evaluation of bids.
• Assist in Contracts Administration to ensure compliance with the contracts conditions, payment terms, Deliverables etc.
• Assist in Maintaining of all the records relating to procurement
• Assist in the preparation of procurement implementation reports in accordance with the reporting requirements of IFAD and the Government and consolidated reports for the entire project.
• Support in providing guidance and supervision to the beneficiaries and service providers
• Carry out any other duties assigned by the Procurement Coordinator.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree or Higher National Diploma in Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Finance Management, or equivalent qualifications
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant post qualification experience in Procurement related function.
• Experience working in IFAD er donar project in similar capacity will be added advantage
• Strong background and experience in successfully carrying out procurement using similar procedures, methods, specifications, etc
• Knowledge (at least 1 year of internationally accepted best practice systems, the Nigerian Procurement Laws and Guidelines. Conversant with the Niger Dolta region working environment
• Good writing skills and good computer skils.
• Demonstrate team spirit, good interpersonal and conflict management skills
• Integrity and confidentiality
• Interpersonal and time management skills.

Reporting and location:

• The position will be in the NPCO located in Port Harcourt.
• The Procurement Support Officer will report directly to the Procurement Coordinator.

Job Position: Environment and Climate Change Support Officer

Job Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers

Main Responsibilities

• The candidate will assist the project in ensuring that the environment and climate change is mainstreamed in project activities.

Specific Duties

• Assist to ensure that the inclusion of climate resilience and environmental data collection in the baseline Studies to be undertaken
• Assist in capacity building of incubators and incubatees in ECC mainstreaming areas and activities
• Support linkages with institutions and stakeholders involved in ECC issues
• Support the preparation of Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) and Basic Climate Risk Analysis at the commodity cluster level
• Assist in the application of manual for environmental training on Sustainable agricultural enterprises
• Assist in the documentation of baseline information for projects locations / clusters using GPS, Remote sensing and field surveys using GIS
• Assist in developing crop agro-ecological suitability maps
• Assist in General supervision, monitoring and certification of works of service providers engaged for physical climate change and environmental projects.
• Assist in revising and update the draft project implementation manual to include climate change adaptation and environmental management
• Support the development of a framework for measuring resilience among the target beneficiaries including indicators to be monitored within the M&E system for climate change
• Support the development of a technical manual for environmental training on sustainable agricultural enterprise as needed.

Qualifications and Experience

• A minimum Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Engineering Sciences Agriculture, Natural Resource Management
• A Higher Degree in relevant discipline will be added advantage
• Display of knowledge of climate change adaptation and environmental safeguards and familiarity with government policies and that of other critical stakeholders
• Conversant with the Niger Delta region working environment
• Good written and oral communication skills
• Good writing skills and good computer skills
• Demonstrate team spirit, good interpersonal and conflict management skills
• Integrity and confidentiality
• Interpersonal and time management skills.

Reporting and Location:

• The position will be in the National Project Coordinating Office located in Port Harcourt.

Job Position: Agribusiness Promotion Support Officer

Job Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers

Main Responsibilities

• The Agribusiness Promotion Support Officer will support the Agribusiness Promotion Coordinator in carrying out her duties as it relates to the creation of jobs using the incubator-incubator Model, focusing on the identification, selection, training and retraining of potential youth and women to learn and start profitable agro businesses.

He/she will:

• Be involved in the development of agri-enterprises, business plans in agricultural commodity production processing, storage and marketing
• Coordinate the alignment of the CORY cumulum to project requirements including modules on vilage level enterprise group formation, savings mobilization and entrepreneurship development activities
• Support market access to build strong business and value chain orientation to selected youth and women in the project area and
• Explore capacity development of Agriculture value chain Financing models along production processing and marketing.

Specific Duties

• Assist to develop activities for the annual work plans and budget (AWPB)
• Assist in overseeing selection process of incubators
• Assist in development of training curriculum for incubators and incubates
• Assist to coordinate the development and implementation of bankable business plans, marketing promotion strategies, product branding and linkage to service providers and markets
• Assist in identifying actions and mechanisms for the promotion and use of value addition technologies post-harvest handing processing, storage and packaging
• Support the development of MoU with all categories of service providers (mechanization, agrodealers, sprayers etc.) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) on areas of engagement and line and terms of support from the project for review by the Agribusiness Promotion Coordinator
• Support the selection of service providers as necessary and craft TORs and scope of work for the service providers.
• Supervise, monitor and certify the work of service providers for the various activities, and assignments
• Support the facilitation of linkages for enhanced access to financial services for project beneficiaries, including trader credit, contract farming, inventory credit, commercial development bank credit, and insurance
• Design capacity building and technical assistance measures and activities in the areas of primary production value addition market access, business management, quality control and standardization
• Consolidate state progress reports and contribute to the drafting of periodic project reports
• Any other dutis / activities directed by the APA that will impact positively on the overall project delivery.

Qualifications and Experience

• A First Degree in any of the Agriculture related disciplines in Agricultural Economics, Economics Marketing or related disciplines
• Strong background and practical skills in business development and marketing with at least 3 years work experience on issues and programmes relating to agricultural commodity production, commodity marketing, agro-processing and value chain development and MSME promotion
• Conversant with the Niger Delta region working environment
• Previous experience in working with government and private sector in developing agri-enterprise agribusiness will be a great advantage.

Reporting and Location:

• The position will be in the National Project Coordinating Office located in Port Harcourt.
• The officer will report directly to the Agribusiness Promotion Coordinator.

Job Position: Rural Infrastructure Support Officer

Job Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers

Main Responsibilities

• The Rural Infrastructure Support Officer will support the Rural Infrastructure Coordinator in providing technical guidance and backstopping of the State Rural Infrastructure officers, the local government engineers and relate with relevant stakeholders involved in the implementation of market infrastructure development.

Specific Duties

• Assist the RIC in ensuring that the preparatory activities and implementation of the infrastructure interventions are in accordance with project's dictates, progressing according to work schedule
• Contribute to the development of detailed action plan to implement the various market infrastructure activities proposed
• Participate in the preparation and vetting of engineering designs and estimates for market infrastructures
• Assist the RIC in providing assistance and practical advice to participating states and LGAs in the design of works and procurement of contractors and supervision and monitoring of works
• Participate in developing eligibility criteria for the selection of cost efficient technically achievable and sustainable market infrastructure at the state level
• Participate in the preparation of consolidated quarterly reports
• Support the development of an appropriate market infrastructure implementation manual
• Support the Development of operation and maintenance structure system for market infrastructure with relevant partners
• Any other duties activities as directed by the RIC that will impact positively on the overall project delivery.

Qualifications and Experience

• University Degree or Higher National Diploma Degree in Civil Engineering or related discipline
• A minimum of five years field experience working with rural communities in planning, budgeting, constructing, maintaining and monitoring rural market infrastructure
• Ability to communicate with and present dear and concise instruction and guidelines to Village representatives with basic education level
• Good knowledge of AUTO CAD drafting
• Experience with IFAD or international donor projects.
• Conversant with the Niger Della region working environment
• A COREN registration is an added advantage.

Reporting and Location:

• The position will be in the NPCO located in Port Harcourt.
• The officer will report directly to the Rural Infrastructure Coordinator.

Job Position: Monitoring and Evaluation Support Officer

Job Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers

Main Responsibilities

• The Monitoring and Evaluation Support Officer will support the Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator (MEC) in all planning of Monitoring and Evaluation (MBE) activities related to project implementation.
• He/She wil give support in the overseeing of all the design and Operationalization of robust systems for PME and ensure is full linkage with other information and knowledge systems, to enable the project to be flexible and responsive to changing circumstances.
• The MESO will reach out to all staff on M&E issues emanating from all components and aggregate for the MEC to validate and approve.
• The officer will work closely with the Coordinator to ensure the state M&E staff get all relevant information as is emanating from the National Office of the Monitoring and Evaluation of the Project

Specific Duties

• Work closely with the MEC in developing activities for the annual work plan and budget (AWPB)
• Support the project M&E system with continuous reference to the Project's Logical Framework taking into account government monitoring frameworks and IFAD ORMS methodology
• Support baseline and other surveys and assessments of beneficiaries at the beginning of the project to be undertaken by consultants
• Support the process of developing the M&E Plan, including the projects monitoring formats
• Assist in the population of all project indicators at all levels outputs, outcomes and impact indicators and monitor implementation processes and performance and assess outputs and outcomes in line with government and IFAD ORMS guidelines
• Assist in fostering while keeping record of a participatory planning and M&E trainings including stakeholder
• Prepare essential templates for data capture to be included in quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports
• Support the Integration of the M&E system into the overall project coordination and organization function and into an MIS
• Assist in ensuring proper data capture of intended impact as well as successes and failures, prepare reports and guide other staff in preparing their progress reports
• Support the Design and implementation of the report formats so that all reports from service providers implementing partners can be regularly and conveniently compiled aggregated to contribute to the overall project results framework
• Ensure data collection tools are available at the state levels
• Assist in administering the project database and ensure it is constantly updated
• Support the Organization annual review and planning workshops and preparation of AWPS
• Assist in all preparations leading to joint supervision missions and analyzing reports
• Support the development of Terms of references to the monitoring and evaluation department
• Consolidate the AWP and state progress reports and contribute to the drafting of periodic project progress reports of the NPCO
• Work with other project staff to ensure all relevant data are captured by the MIS and the system is regularly updated
• Support the monitoring of financial and physical progress as well as reporting back to stakeholders to create a better learning environment; undertake project and thematic evaluations
• Conduct any other duties in relation with the position as may be assigned by the MEC.

Qualifications and Experience

• University Degree or Higher National Diploma in Agricultural Economics, Social Sciences, Economics, Statistics, Computer Science or other relevant field
• Proficient in the use of databases and spreadsheets, statistical and other software packages for both quantitative and qualitative analysis and demonstrated skills in quantitative and qualitative analysis and data management
• Experience in analyzing complex programmes or policies
• A minimum of 5 years proven experience working in designing and implementing ME Results-based management and/or project management in areas such as agriculture, natural resources, rural finance, and policy matters.
• Experience working in IFAD or similar donor funded projects will be added advantage
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Conversant with the Niger Delta region working environment.
• Have a thorough understanding of analytical tools
• Have a solid understanding of the use of modern information and communication technology (ICT) in development and excellent knowledge of computer-based communications tools, in particular web and mobile-based technology
• Experience in facilitation, in particular of learning processes
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Working experience in the Niger Delta region will be an advantage.

Reporting and Location:

• The position will be in the NPCO located in Port Harcourt. He/She will report directly to the MEC.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Applications with detailed CV to: info@life-nd.org.ng using the Job position as the subject of the email.

Note: This position will be on for a period of two (2) years subject to renewal based on satisfactory performance.