9 Job Positions Opened At Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD)

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has been implementing the international Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)- assisted Value Chain Development Programme since 2014 in six (6) participating States of Anambra, Benue Ebonyi, Niger, Ogun and Taraba and in five (5) Local Government Areas each in all the States. In keeping with the provisions of the financing agreement between IFAD and Federal Ministry of Finance, the FMARD is implementation the programme through the national programme management unit.

Based on the progressive increase in workload of Staff and the need to further improve on Programme implementation, part of the credit will be applied to engage the services of an additional officer to enhance technical assistance at the state level.

Applications are therefore invited from suitably qualified candidates for the positions below:

1. Job Title: Market Development Officer
Location: Taraba, Ogun, Niger, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra
Objectives

• The primary goal of VCDP is to reduce poverty and sustainably enhance accelerated economic growth, whilst the specific programme development objective (PDO) is to increase the incomes and enhance food security for 45,000 rural poor households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava in the targeted LGAs of the six targeted States are enhanced on a sustainable basis.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist the National Market Development Coordinator to facilitate market access for the benefiting farmers and farmer organizations
• Directly handle aspect of market information system (MIS), and ensure private sector participation is driving the process
• Liaise with the National Market Development Coordinator to handle promotional activities aimed at increasing market access for rural farmers, including identification of off-takers, linking farmers to off-takers, facilitating farmers engagement with the private sector, linking organization market fares, working with communication unit to produce knowledge products, liaising with relevant states, private sector and persons to deepen on the commodity alliance forum, facilitate replication of CAF in other non-VCDP states through policy dialogue and partnership engagement
• Liaise with National Market Development Coordinator to ensure adoption of the use of standard weight and measure by producers
• Participation in the price determination committee meetings to ensure compliance with the instrument of engagement;
• Capacity building for Agricultural Extension Officers and enumerators on Market Information Service(MIS);
• Liaise with the institutions development team develop out-growers scheme or contract arrangement that will facilitate market access by producers. Improve the farmers’ skill to be able to negotiate prices and do business with the private sector.
• Liaise with the processing team and provide capacity building assistance/training to farmers in quality development, packaging and branding to facilitate market access for their produce
• Facilitate the development of the market assembling point by liaising with the infrastructure team
• Work with the National Market Development Coordinator to ensure that roads and processing infrastructure/facilities being established by VCDP in the participating communities will connect producers to the market
• Liaison with Extension Service providers to ensure that their messaging and extension materials for farmers are inclined to market-driven agriculture
• Preparation of annual work plan and budget for the sub-component;
• Preparation of sub-component end of year report.

Qualifications

• A minimum of First Degree in Economics or Agric. Economics or Marketing;
• Minimum of 5 years post qualification experience:
• Involvement in marketing administration in the agricultural sector;
• Good writing and communication skills;
• Strong knowledge of the private sector
• Must be computer literate
• Working experience with an International Donor organization will be an added advantage.

2. Job Title: Senior Agricultural Officer
Location: Taraba, Ogun, Niger, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra
Objectives

• The primary goal of VCDP is to reduce poverty and sustainably enhance accelerated economic growth, whilst the specific programme development objective (PDO) is to increase the incomes and enhance food security for 45,000 rural poor households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava in the targeted LGAs of the six targeted States are enhanced on a sustainable basis.

Job Description

• The Senior Agricultural Officer will assist in the overall management of the activities related to productivity improvement of smallholder farmers, Climate smart Agriculture and participatory Extension services.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist in developing activities for the Annual Work Plans and Budgets (AWPBs) and consolidating of state annual work plans and budgets;
• Work with, extension service providers Training farmers in various aspects of crop varieties, agronomic practices, climate resilience, post-harvest measures and market orientation:
• Assist in promoting and disseminating sustainable agricultural practices through the FFS/FBS approach and spot extension visits;
• Assist community seed producers to establish a seed multiplication system comprising farms and seed cleaning and conditioning centres;
• Assist in setting up the overall distribution scheme of certified seeds/improved varieties, fertilizers,and herbicides as well as of equipment at state and LGA level;
• Liaise with other relevant programmes and technical departments in the public sector such as the Federal Fertilizer Department, the National Agricultural Seed Council, the National Root and Tuber Crop Research Institute, the National Cereals Research Center, and any other stakeholders such as llTA, Africa Rice, seed companies, agro-dealers at the Federal level; in the implementation of component activities
• Assist in formulation of TORs and scope of work for the service providers. Supervise, monitor and certify the work of service providers for the various activities and assignments; and
• Consolidate state progress reports and contribute to the drafting of periodic project progress reports of the PSO.

Qualifications and Experience

• A minimum of First Degree in Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Production Agronomy, Horticulture.
• Minimum of 10 years post-qualification experience including at least 5 years in implementation of productivity enhancement projects using participatory approaches and gender mainstreaming.
• Proven record in the field of project implementation of productivity enhancement projects.
• Good writing skills and computer literacy will be an advantage.
• Working experience with International Donor Organizations will be an added advantage.

3. Job Title: Rural Infrastructure Engineer
Location: Taraba, Ogun, Niger, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra
Objectives

• The primary goal of VCDP is to reduce poverty and sustainably enhance accelerated economic growth, whilst the specific programme development objective (PDO) is to increase the incomes and enhance food security for 45,000 rural poor households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava in the targeted LGAs of the six targeted States are enhanced on a sustainable basis.

Job Description

• The Rural Infrastructure Engineer will support and facilitate planning, implementation and monitoring of Rural infrastructure activities in the State.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop activities for the Annual Work Plans and Budgets (AWPBs):
• Support participating states and local governments to prepare and review annual work programmes and budgets relating to engineering and maintenance activities;
• Assist with the recruitment and management of engineering consultants;
• Organize and assist with the preparation of guidelines and manuals for operation and maintenance of rural in the States;
• Organize capacity building programmes for rural infrastructure maintenance teams:
• Organization and conduct of training (repair, rehabilitation, construction and maintenance of small-scale irrigation works; processing and storage structures; other small buildings; and rural community access and feeder roads and small bridges and drainage structures, amongst other);
• Provision of assistance and practical advice to participating states and local governments in the design of works and procurement of contractors, and supervision and monitoring of works;
• Oversee organization of effective user associations and community contributions to implementation and maintenance of works, critical so sustainability:
• Select service providers where necessary and formulation of TORs and scope of work for the service providers Supervise, monitor and certify the work of service providers for the various activities and assignments: and
• Consolidate state progress reports and contribute to the drafting of periodic project progress reports.

Qualifications and Experience Required

• A minimum of First Degree in Civil Engineering;
• Professional qualification will be an added advantage
• Implementation experience in abroad range of community level infrastructure
• A minimum of 10 years field experience working with rural communities in planning, budgeting, constructing, maintaining and monitoring community infrastructure;
• Ability to communicate with and work with rural communities;
• Experience with international donor procurement procedures including evaluation of bids;
• Knowledge of community-based approach whereby community choice and ownership to rural infrastructure development and management;
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Must be computer literate.
• Working experience with International Donor Organizations will be an added advantage.

4. Job Title: Planning Officer
Location: Taraba, Ogun, Niger, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra
Objectives

• The primary goal of VCDP is to reduce poverty and sustainably enhance accelerated economic growth, whilst the specific programme development objective (PDO) is to increase the incomes and enhance food security for 45,000 rural poor households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava in the targeted LGAs of the six targeted States are enhanced on a sustainable basis.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Providing planning, monitoring and evaluation support for efficient and effective implementation of donor assisted projects;
• Participate in project preparation and appraisal, impact studies implementation completion review and analysis;
• Participate in joint supervision missions to donor assisted projects/programmcs;
• Participate in seminars, workshops, meetings etc;
• Participation in the review of technical reports from consultants and other sources;
• Collaborates with other components on matters requiring statistical surveys, data collection and statistical interpretations;
• Liaising with other relevant bodies and institutions such as the Universities, NBS etc;
• Preparation of position paper on issues and policies covering all aspects of VCDP and FMARD;
• Accept other duties assigned from time to time by the PMEA and NPC.

Qualifications

• A minimum of First Degree in Agricultural Economics or Economics or Statistics;
• Minimum of 6 years post qualification work experience;
• Work experience with Donor assisted Projects an advantage;
• Must be computer literate.
• Working experience with International Donor Organizations will be an added advantage.

5. Job Title: Rural Finance Officer
Location: Taraba, Ogun, Niger, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra
Objectives

• The primary goal of VCDP is to reduce poverty and sustainably enhance accelerated economic growth, whilst the specific programme development objective (PDO) is to increase the incomes and enhance food security for 45,000 rural poor households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava in the targeted LGAs of the six targeted States are enhanced on a sustainable basis.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership to operationalize the programmes financial, inclusion vision and objectives for direct beneficiaries and potential financial service providers;
• Lead the preparation and negotiations of performance-based agreement with financial service providers intervening in the implementation of rural financial services;
• Guide programme partners and service providers on the identification, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the programme financial services activities including the promotion of financial inclusiveness;
• Facilitate the mainstreaming of proven rural financial inclusion models in VCDP
• Supervise and verify the quality of rural finance-related services delivered by partners and service providers:
• Lead the technical preparation of the programmes periodic progress reports in the area of rural financial services clearly assessing implementation progress; achievement of outputs based expected development outcomes; and recommendations on the way forward;
• The officer shall work with other staff of the programme for preparing the Annual Work Plan and Budget for the sub-component;
• Ensure implementation of the recommendations of  supervision and follow-up missions in the areas of rural financial services;
• Undertake any other duty assigned by the National Programme Coordinator;
• Provide technical support and facilitate linkages FOs and financial service providers (FSPs) to access financial services
• Develop and maintain relationships with potential financial institutions;
• Train and build financial capacities of farmers’ organizations to increase their capacity to mobilize savings and manage credit effectively;
• Support financial institutions to create awareness to farmers and VC actors on micro and agricultural insurance.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in the Social Science, Finance, Agricultural Economics or Economics;
• At least 5 years in design, support to and/or implementation of rural agricultural finance programmes for smallholder farmers as well as other actors of the value chain preferably in an international development programme or with an established finance institution
• Significant knowledge and experience in microfinance, financial inclusion;
• Good inter-personal, computer and communication skills (oral, written, presentation);
• Experience in report writing, data collection and documentation;
• Must be computer literate.
• Knowledge of Gender and IFAD-assisted financial inclusion programme is a strong advantage
• Working experience with an International Donor organization will be an added advantage.

6. Job Title: Management Information System Officer (MIS)
Location: Taraba, Ogun, Niger, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra
Objectives

• The primary goal of VCDP is to reduce poverty and sustainably enhance accelerated economic growth, whilst the specific programme development objective (PDO) is to increase the incomes and enhance food security for 45,000 rural poor households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava in the targeted LGAs of the six targeted States are enhanced on a sustainable basis.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop monthly, quarterly and annual management information reports for the project
• Collect and collate management information for the project;
• Build the capacity of data collectors (Enumerators) on the field on regular basis to ensure quality data:
• Carry out supervision on regular basis to designated markets and enumerators:
• Daily monitoring and updating of programme information to the programme portal;
• Assist in the preparation of schedules briefings with MIS teams and other stakeholders;
• Develop and establish linkages with other organization.

Qualifications

• A minimum of First Degree or its equivalent in any of the following Statistics, Economics, Agric Economics, Information Technology or related fields
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience working in the field of MIS with NGOs or donor projects;
• Ability and proven experience in multi-tasking in initiatives and working effectively under pressure;
• Excellent in written English Oral and interpersonal skills;
• Technically sound in website marketing and social media platform management;
• Must be computer literate:
• Any other tasks as may be assigned.
• Working experience with International Donor Organizations will be an added advantage.

7. Job Title: Assistant Accountant
Location: Taraba, Ogun, Niger, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra
Objectives

• The primary goal of VCDP is to reduce poverty and sustainably enhance accelerated economic growth, whilst the specific programme development objective (PDO) is to increase the incomes and enhance food security for 45,000 rural poor households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava in the targeted LGAs of the six targeted States are enhanced on a sustainable basis.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Preparation of all financial reports and their analysis (i.e. Budget vs Actual).
• Prepares salaries and allowances for staff;
• Maintenance of accounts relating to all advances to staff and others and their monitoring till retirement of the advances;
• Control over issue of requisitions for diesel for the office generator;
• Scrutinizing payment requests including TA advances/claims;
• Prepares routine correspondence and maintains personal and telephone contacts with others to discuss matters concerning accounts and related assignments;
• Carry out Bank transactions by submitting project bank schedules, correspondences, collecting bank statements, bank draft and FIRS payments for staff and contractors;
• Prepare payments for investors through Bank of Industry;
• Performs other related duties as required.
• Responsible for preparation of payment vouchers, petty cash payments, journals, etc and shall be responsible for posting into general and other account ledgers at the national office;
• Relationship between project and its commercial banks;
• Responsible for preparing monthly payrolls and other allowances of programme staff
• Maintaining advances and asset registers and keep store account books to control to project store;
• Supervise the activities and operational ethics of the cashier;
• Facilitate preparation of SOE;
• Facilitate training of SPMU Accountants on application of accounting software and general
• accounting practices;
• Any other duties as may be assigned by the financial controller.

Qualifications

• First Degree or HND in Accountancy or Business Administration;
• Minimum of 2 years post qualification work experience:
• Must be computer literate;
• Experience working with Donor Assisted Projects an added advantage;
• Possession of professional qualifications an advantage
• Working experience with an International Donor organization will be an added advantage.

8. Job Title: Accountant
Location: Taraba, Ogun, Niger, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra
Objectives

• The primary goal of VCDP is to reduce poverty and sustainably enhance accelerated economic growth, whilst the specific programme development objective (PDO) is to increase the incomes and enhance food security for 45,000 rural poor households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava in the targeted LGAs of the six targeted States are enhanced on a sustainable basis.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Prepares account payable invoices, vouchers, petty cash payment and journals
• Preparing of final account and Bank Reconciliation for the programme;
• Maintains financial records for project accounts in HQ and States;
• Ensure accuracy of computations and completeness of payment request documents;
• Prepares regular reports (Monthly, Quarterly, Annual) of the Finance Department:
• Assists finance experts and consultants engaged in special assignments
• Maintain good working relationship between the programme and commercial Banks serving the project;
• Prepare monthly payrolls and other allowances of staff of the programme.
• Maintain advances and assets register
• Participates in preparation of AWPB for the programme
• Supervise store operations;
• Serves as a regular link between finance component and M&E component.

Qualifications

• First Degree in Accountancy or related fields:
• Professional qualification in Accountancy
• Minimum of 10 years post qualification work experience;
• Familiarity with Accounting Softwares;
• Must be computer literate;
• Experience working with Donor Assisted Projects an advantage;
• Possession of professional qualifications an advantage
• Working experience with an International Donor organization will be an added advantage.

9. Job Title: Procurement Assistant
Location: Taraba, Ogun, Niger, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra
Objectives

• The primary goal of VCDP is to reduce poverty and sustainably enhance accelerated economic growth, whilst the specific programme development objective (PDO) is to increase the incomes and enhance food security for 45,000 rural poor households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava in the targeted LGAs of the six targeted States are enhanced on a sustainable basis.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Examine request for procurement actions to ensure they are technically complete and in conformity with established national and international practice;
• Reviewing specifications, drafting tender documents and issuing tender;
• Preparing initial review of offers received, reviewing evaluations and submissions;
• Finalizing procurement document in accordance with the decisions of the PRC;
• Prepare technical and commercial correspondence to suppliers and divisions with reference to equipment to be purchased;
• Investigate and identify potential sources of supply for equipment and services required;
• Embarking on follow-up, if necessary to ensure suppliers meet the ‘LEAD TIME’
• In-charge of quotations and verification of same;
• Keep stocks of equipment both incoming and outgoing;
• Participates in preparation of AWPB for Procurement Unit and serves as regular link between Procurement Unit and M&E Unit;
• Perform any other duties as required.

Qualifications

• First Degree or HND in Engineering, Law or Business Management;
• Minimum of 5 years relevant post qualification work experience;
• Experience working with Donor Assisted Projects;
• Must be computer literate.
• Working experience with an International Donor organization will be an added advantage.

Conditions of Service

• Successful candidates will be engaged for a period of one year ONLY
• Candidates engagement is subject to renewal, which will be based on satisfactory performance upon evaluation and availability of funds.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their Applications accompanied with detailed Curriculum Vitae and copies of credentials to:
FGN/IFAD-Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) National Office,
No. 4 Batna Close,
Off Agadez Crescent,
Off Aminu Kano Crescent,
Wuse 2,
Abuja.

Note

• Applicants should please indicate the position they are applying for at the top right hand corner of the envelope.
• The position is open to qualified persons including from the serving public Officers

Application Deadline  14th December, 2017.

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