Program Officer

iDE Nepal

Details / requirements:

iDE is a global organization that advances market-based approaches in agriculture; finance; and WASH to create income and livelihood opportunities for low-income rural households. iDE has worked in Nepal since 1992. iDE is recruiting various positions for the CSISA COVID-19 Response and Resilience Activity (2021-2023), a buy-in program under the USAID-funded CSISA project in Nepal. 

The CSISA COVID-19 Response and Resilience Activity mainly aims to support rapid response and resilience-building from the second wave of COVID-19 in Nepal’s agri-food systems. Key areas of intervention will focus on provision of access to finance for micro small- and medium-scale agricultural input and services provision businesses, recovery, and response in the postharvest value chain, with emphasis on financial products to benefit businesses involved in perishable farm product marketing and distribution, and expansion of digital banking services supporting socially distanced agricultural finance transactions. Emphasis will be placed on reaching smaller businesses that are verified to be women-owned or operated with specialized loan products. In addition, the intervention will focus on sustaining agricultural mechanization services through geographical expansion to new districts in which CSISA is not currently working on COVID-19 response, while also working to increase national food security and bolster agricultural economies in times of crisis. 

WP I: Assuring micro, small and medium-scale agri input enterprises and service provision businesses for the recovery and rehabilitation through access to finance.

WP II: Specialty financial products and services to reduce post-harvest losses in at-risk perishable farm product value chains.

WP III: Digital banking services to support smallholder farmers, businesses, and consumers affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

WP IV: Geographical expansion of agricultural mechanization services.

Project Implementation Districts: Kanchanpur, Kailali, Bardiya, Banke, Surkhet, Dang, Kapilvastu

Position Title: Program Officer

Required No: One

Duty station: Surkhet

Job Summary: The overall responsibility of this position is to drive and deliver the outcomes of the CSISA’s objective of rapid response and resilience-building from Nepal's second COVID -19 wave, particularly among farmers and businesses by enhancing their access to finance and the development of innovative financial products. The position provides technical leadership for the design and implementation of activities under all the four work packages mentioned above, using a market systems development approach to achieve resilient livelihood outcome of the program.

Major duties and responsibilities:

  • Design and implementation of various activities in coordination with private sector partners and government/non-government stakeholders to drive and deliver the project outcomes and targets. 
  • Liaise closely with financial institutions and their staff to expand their output/services and networks for the smallholder farmers and small and medium agribusinesses. 
  • Support micro and small enterprises to forge productive alliances with other actors in the value chain; facilitate market integration and sustainable demand creation.
  • Coach, mentor, and train interested sector entrepreneurs (Farmers, Cooperatives, Private Firms, and Companies) to develop bankable Business Plans.
  • Work with the farmers’ groups (mainly women and disadvantaged communities) to assess entrepreneurial opportunity within the agri-value chain, engage them to establish agri-based enterprises based on the market assessment and demand. 
  • Explore opportunities for establishing input-oriented market linkages between local-level entrepreneurs and trading/processing/industrial groups.
  • Conduct various training for the farmers, partners, and stakeholders to build their capacity to foster market system upgrading.
  • Provide coaching, mentoring, and backstopping to the field supervisors of each work packages to enable them to function as enterprise development facilitators; network and influence important stakeholders; 
  • Organize various informational, networking and capacity development events in the project area; data collection, analysis, and reporting. 
  • Integrate gender, climate, and digital technologies as cross-cutting areas across the work.

Key Requirements: 

  • Minimum Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, economics, business management, socio-economic development, development planning, or other related fields.
  • At least 3 years’ professional work experience in the field of the agriculture value chain, implementing direct field activities with market system development and private sector engagement 
  • Good coaching, mentoring skills, and a track record in designing and rolling out training programs for business development services. 
  • Strong communicator with the ability to influence diverse stakeholder groups.
  • Proficiency to use standard software at an advanced level; knowledge of common ICTs and their use in agricultural extension systems.
  • Demonstrated ability to write reports, success stories, and promotional materials.
  • Knowledge of USAID programs and procedures, with emphasis on monitoring and evaluation procedures.
  • Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional, and multi-cultural environment.
  • Candidates must have a valid motorbike licence.

Interested and qualified candidates are required to fill out the google form at this link: 

Application form-Program Officer (Surkhet)

The deadline for submission of the application is 5 PM, November 30, 2021. As per the gender and workforce diversity policy of iDE, female candidates and/or candidates from disadvantaged communities are highly encouraged to apply. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for further process. No telephone inquiries will be entertained.

Overview

Category Development and Project
Openings 1
Position Type Full Time
Experience 3+ years
Education Graduate (Bachelors)
Posted Date 19 Nov, 2021
Apply Before 30 Nov, 2021
City Surkhet