Duration: At least 3 years, with possibility of renewal
Duty Station: Bolgatanga (with regular travelling within the Upper East Region and Northern Region)

Background:
Trias Ghana is part of Trias vzw, a Belgium-based NGO operating in 14 countries world-wide.  In Ghana, Trias has been operating since 2008. The core area of Trias Ghana’s programme has been in the area of organisational capacity development of Farmer Based Organizations (FBOs) and capacity building of micro-finance institutions (the Rural and Community Banks) in the three northern regions of Ghana.

In 2014, Trias, with funding from AGRA, will in collaboration with a local NGO implement a project that seeks to improve the productivity of small scale rice, maize and soybean farmers in two districs of northern region of Ghana by increasing the uptake of integrated soil fertility management that includes the use of improved seeds and fertilizers.  This will require the provision of innovative extension approaches and strengthened linkages between farmer organisations, extension service providers and providers of input and output markets.

TRIAS is thus seeking to recruit a young, energetic and dynamic project officer who will oversee the implementation of the project.  The duty station is in theTRIAS office in Bolgatanga and is expected to travel frequently to the project area.

The position has the following responsibilities.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

•   Coordinate the implementation of the project activities in two districts – (Savelugu-Nanton and West Mamprusi).
•   Provide institutional and organisation strengthening for the target producer organisations from the primary to secondary level.
•   Co-ordinate and ensure the proper functioning of the Extension Innovation Platforms to design or adapt innovative technologies (integrated soil fertility management (ISFM), Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM), good agricultural practices (GAP), etc, for dissemination to farmers.
•   Provide technical and organisational support to ensure the active functioning of the Value Chain Committees and Community Information Centers.
•   Devise Innovative means of disseminating extension technologies to the target farmer populations in the two districts.
•   Actively liaise with other collaborating institutions such as Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Micro-Finance Institutions and other value chain actors to provide services to the target farmers.
•   Collect relevant information and maintain an information database and submit timely activity reports according to project reporting guidelines.
•   Represent Trias in relevant meetings as may be required.
•   Carryout any other task assigned by his/her superiors.

Qualification Required & Experience

•   A Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, preferably in Crop Science/Agronomy and/or Rural/Agricultural extension with at least 3 years’ experience with farmer organisations or in the field of agricultural extension.
•   A Degree in Development Studies with 5 years of relevant experience in working with farmer organisations would also be considered.
•   A Master’s degree in agriculture or development studies with at least 2 years of relevant experience.
•   Demonstrated experience in project cycle management.
•   Excellent presentation skills, both verbal and writing.
•   Demonstrated experience in working with Farmer Based Organizations and value chain development.
•   Experience in the rice, maize and soyabean value chain would be an asset.
•   Experience in monitoring and evaluation and proposal writing would be an asset.
•   Be pro-active, a team player, with good communication skills, able to work with little supervision and able to meet deadlines.
•   Computer literacy (Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and Internet Applications) is a Must.

Location: Bolgatanga

How To Apply For The Job

Interested candidates can send a cover letter and CV to: Trias Ghana, attention to the Country Director. Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:

triasghana@triasngo.be

Closing Date: 28 February, 2014

Only Shortlisted Candidates will be contacted.