Agriculture Extension Officer – Mercy Corps

About Mercy Corps:
Mercy Corps is an International NGO that exists to alleviate poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. Mercy Corps has been fully registered in Uganda as an operational NGO. Currently Mercy Corps has an office in Kampala and is implementing Food Security programs which comprise of Water and Sanitation, Livelihood and Agriculture and Conflict Mitigation Management Program in North and North Eastern Uganda. We implement programs in the northern districts of Pader, Kitgum, Agago, Lamwo, Kaabong, Abim and Kotido with funding from USAID, USDA, Walmart Foundation, SDC, DFID as well as other private donations.

Job Summary: The Agriculture Extension Officer will make Market Facilitation operational. The incumbent is required to take on more active learning and sharing roles where collaboration among all project staff is essential. Tracking and understanding the process of behavior change requires excellent observational, communications, and analytical skills. At the same time, staff needs to have in-depth knowledge about businesses with which TRAIL/BUILD will be working, in order to work from their perspective so that project activities and suggested changes are sustainable.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Work in liaison with Agriculture Extension Team Leader in planning and implementation of the designated component 01 activities according to the approved work plan and budgets.
Actively contribute to a culture of documentation of learning across the project, as well as to the learning of others on the project.
Establish and maintain good coordination and working relationships with Sub County, Parish and Village Leaders, the Local Government actors, other projects/humanitarian actors in the area and community members/project participants
Prepare and submit periodic work plans and activity reports to the Agriculture Extension Team leader
Constantly seek, analyze and share information to build a detailed understanding of the situations and systems in which the Component operates. Maintain a proper filing system that captures assumptions, component activities and learning to be communicated and shared with the project.
Collaborate with colleagues to imagine new ways of doing business for actors and partners in East Acholi as well as the tools and support systems necessary to incentivize this behavior change – testing out new ideas, learning from them and adjusting future actions (implementation tactics, messaging, coaching) according to learning.
Collaborate with the monitoring, evaluation and learning staff on a regular basis in order to understand how best to incorporate monitoring and evaluation into everyday field activities so that the required data and learning from the field is captured and contributes to an iterative approach to measuring the impact of the program on business and producer level behavior changes.
Communicate with and mobilize producers and market actors to participate in the program. This requires the ability to effectively message project information to actors at various levels of the system, ensuring the information is tailored to the specific actor.
Carry out assessments that analyze the market system of East Acholi in order to understand the opportunities that exist in the system, see emerging patterns of behavior and uncover root causes to the underperformance of agricultural production in relevant sub-sectors.
Work closely with producers and market actors to assess their needs and identify capacity gaps in their knowledge, skills and/or service provision and help the actor set goals, formulate plans for action, and act on those plans. This all contributes to stimulating action from all actors to take ownership over the process of change and better play their roles in the market systems of Lamwo.
The incumbent will leverage existing actors to conduct practical workshops or trainings where needed for market actors or producers. Where no actor exists, use technical expertise to design practical workshops or trainings and, wherever possible, innovate on a sustainable and business-driven mechanism to deliver training and disseminate information on farming practices and farming as a business.
The incumbent builds the capacity of the Local Government as a key institution influencing the ‘rules and regulations’ of sub-sectors of the market system in East Acholi, with the goal that Local Government actors will continue to play an important role in improving the functions of market systems in East acholi.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
The ideal candidate for the Mercy Corps Agriculture Extension Officer career job should hold a university degree in Agribusiness, Agronomy, Agricultural extension, Organic agriculture or Development studies with a bias in Agriculture.
At least three years of professional experience in Extension international NGOs working with farming communities and private agri-businesses (input dealers and other Value added service providers).
Previous experience in managing partnership will be an added advantage.
Significant experience in mobilization and organization of saving and lending groups.
Fluency in both spoken and written English. Knowledge of the local language (Luo) is a must.
Computer literacy with good knowledge of office applications and data base is required.
Ability to work independently and with less supervision.
Motorbike riding experience and a valid riding permit is essential.
Willingness to spend much time in the field and work closely with program target groups.

How to Apply:
All prospective Ugandans who wish to join Mercy Corps are encouraged to send their applications via email including a cover letter clearly stating your salary requirements, CV (with 3 referees), and copies of academic qualifications/certificates to ug-mcjobs@mercycorps.org addressed to the Senior HR and Legal Manager, Kampala Head Office on 4th Floor Embassy Plaza, Plot 1188-1190 Ggaba Road.

Deadline: 15th August, 2016