JBC BLOG & NETWORK: Livestock Officer at COOPI

COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts and natural disasters. For 50 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economical Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

COOPI started its operations in North-East Nigeria in July 2014 to carry out a rapid evaluation of the most relevant constraints suffered by the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) displaced by the food crisis and the Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin.

The COOPI Nigeria Field Office is located in Yobe State, in order to cover intervention LGAs in Yobe State and to provide direct assistance to the IDPs and their hosting communities, through a multi-sectorial programme covering Food Security, Social protection, Early Recovery and Livelihoods, Nutrition and Child Protection interventions. COOPI's capacity to respond to the humanitarian situation in the country is confirmed by its experience in providing humanitarian aid in more than 24 other Countries around the World, in over 50 years of operations.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Livestock Officer

Location: Damaturu, Yobe

Employment Type: Full-time

Overall Description of Role

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, The Livestock Officer is responsible for the management and the proper implementation of Livestock component of COOPI’s Livelihoods project in Yobe State.
He coordinates and monitors the work of other staff field officers dedicated to these activities and he/she is responsible for a qualitative and regular reporting on the Livestock components of the project.

Specific Responsibilities

Formulate the strategy for and subsequently implement innovative actions for livestock market systems development, both in building the capacity of local livestock actors, crowding-in additional actors, and ensuring an enabling environment for pro-livestock growth in the community.
Work with the Program team to develop livestock related research and monitoring of livestock market systems analyses, business cases and intervention plans in the selected sectors to improve impact.

Activities Supervision:

Work with traditional committees to ensure the identification and selection of the most vulnerable beneficiaries for the identification, selection and registration of Livestock beneficiaries.
Work in consultation with State and Local Government livestock health Production and Marketing teams, national drug companies, district veterinary officers and other key partners
Planning and implementation of veterinary service extension activities of the Project according to the approved work plans and budget Work with livestock producers
Work closely with farmers to commercializing livestock value chains and live animal trading and profitable provision of community animal health services and increasing fodder production.
Work with Livestock output markets to facilitate strengthening and expansion.
Work with youth to improve on and off farm livelihood opportunities in the livestock sector
Work with partners to facilitate creation of an enabling environment in the project implementation arear for livestock, also to support target markets and improved nutrition and security.
Work closely with agro-vet shops and livestock traders to identify capacity gaps of CAHWs and farmers’ challenges and provide technical support, design tools and activities for improvement and follow up the implementation.
Build and maintain close coordination and co-operation with district veterinary department, ministry of agriculture, research institutions, sector working groups and development agencies to ensure synergy and improved coordination among programs/interventions.
Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
Supervise and compile information to ensure that the surveillance of the livestock adn animal farming situation in the area of implementation of the program is achieving the expected result, when required.
Implement field activities for targeted communities about Livestock activities and strengthening nutrition sensitive agriculture with support from relevant State, LGA and community stakeholders at LGA level.
Supervise and organize all assessments for the projects or for new projects especially monthly price and market assessment.
Analyze the humanitarian situation, taking protection problems into consideration/Do no Harm Principle. Propose action plan to ensure that beneficiaries and local populations both understand the project goals and actively participate in their implementation.
Act as a liaison with the local population and authorities in order to identify the needs, grievances and major events that could have potential consequences for COOPI activity.

Technical Support:

Support stakeholder mapping of agricultural and resilience stakeholders.

Support the identification and registration of vulnerable smallholder animal rearers. Contribute to the development of project community mobilization strategies for targeting and registration of beneficiaries for the agricultural production activities.
Identify/create farmer and livestock associations/cooperatives for strengthening
Facilitate training-of-trainer modules for the States ADP extension services and vet services of Yobe state Government.
Premium-priced traders are linked to mature associations
Provide business support services and facilitate business linkages for improved seed suppliers to increase ease of access and availability of improved seeds for smallholder farmer.

Knowledge Management, Communication and Reporting:

Support resilience teams including the COOPI Program in collection and or publication of good practices, success stories, project outcome documents, etc. in resilience work with Communication, Learning to develop knowledge products, communication materials and other IEC materials to promote awareness raising about Resilience for schools, farmers and communities.
Report to the Deputy Project Manager and Project Manager on the progress of activities, challenges encountered, lessons learned and good practices.
Collect and Compile collected data, pictures and collect information from the field to present weekly internal reports to the Project Manager.
Compile collected data and collect information from the team to present regular reports to the Livelihood-DPM on the progress of activities, problems encountered, the quality of relations with beneficiaries and propose actions to improve the project
Pass on any information or problems to his/her direct and/or indirect supervisor concerning his/her task, COOPI programs, or safety aspects
Report immediately any delay, problem or other relevant information to the Livelihood Project Manager.

Capacity Building:

Coordinates and prioritises relevant project activities at the local level in cooperation with the partners, as well as in organizational preparation and in the implementation of these activities.
Ensure the proper training and supervision of the community’s volunteers and daily workers who take part in the project. Training farmers and plantation staff in good agronomic practices.

Monitoring and Reporting:

Collect information and data on Livestock, Livelihoods and food security at LGA level through surveys, assessments and regular post distribution monitoring of beneficiary households
Collate information and data on livestock and agricultural activities through surveys, assessments, regular post distribution monitoring and field supervision visits of beneficiary households.
Collaboration with other partners including relevant stakeholders.
Participate in writing situation reports with information on food security, security information at the community when required.
Collect, enter and analyse information as requested by his/her supervisor.
Participate in the development of training curriculum and train beneficiaries according to the defined schedule.
Support the M&E team in analysis of beneficiary data collection through the various tools that the department uses.
Keep monitoring tools and files archived at the COOPI office, ensuring their availability to his/her Deputy Project Manager and Project Manager.
Coordinate closely with the Livelihood DPM to ensure that cross-LGA programs are being implemented in synergy.
Participate in inter agency coordination forums at LGA and State level as required.
Set agreed indicators and milestones based on the result framework developed.
Provide feedback to the programme team based on the field monitoring visits.
Support the project team in developing high quality project/programme reports regarding resilience perspective.
Liaise with COOPI MEAL Team colleagues and some project partners to ensure timely submission of contributions. Support the M&E team in analysis of beneficiary data collection through the various tools.

Networking, Mobilization and Coordination Support:

Mobilization and awareness raising about the organization, program objectives and activities to local authorities and the population, and act as a link between the organization and the beneficiaries (at LGA level)
Work closely with community structures to follow up on implementation of on farm and off-farm Income Generating Activities Especial General farm management, Animal health management, Veterinary medicines, Animal feeding and watering, Animal and product handling.
Support in the implementation of Livelihoods capacity building training for the target beneficiaries at the LGA level for General farm management, Animal health management, Veterinary medicines and biologicals, Animal feeding and watering, Animal and product handling.
Implement detailed work plan for Animal health management team at LGA level activities whilst respecting the timely planning and set-up of the activities
Contribute to the development of project community mobilisation strategies for targeting and new needs identification in the community.
Supervise the Implementation of sensitisation activities for targeted communities about strengthening livelihood restoration activities whilst collaborating with the State Emergency Management Authority (SEMA), Extension workers, Community Volunteers, traditional leaders and other key stakeholders in feasible livelihood restoration activities at LGA level.
Support the Supervisor to ensure that beneficiaries’ access to the service provider guarantees protection and gender sensitivity in the field key activities
Represent COOPI in coordination meetings and conferences as requested by the Program Manager.
Responsible for maintaining relationships with farmers and Institutions.

Team Supervision:

Participate to the recruitment of adhoc workers, field support staff and any other position that could be recruited on his/her team.
Organize the day-to-day schedule with the team to guarantee the smooth running of the project
Ensure the proper training and supervision of the daily workers who take part in the project

Logistic & Administration:

Under the responsibility of the Deputy Project Manager, Project Manager and Program Manager, contribute to logistical and administrative organization of the activities
He contributes to the definition of the needs in materials and tools regarding the program and the planning of interventions.
Ensure the safety and good condition of all material provided by COOPI.
Inform the Project Manager in case of security incidents, rumors or any security information.
Ensure the follow-up and the proper use of materials and tools used during on-site works.
Manage the supply of materials to the work site in collaboration with logistics department.
Analyse the security situation in the area and inform the project Manager and Head of Base in case of security incidents, rumours or any security information.

Professional Skills and Qualifications

Degree in Animal Health Management, Veterinary Medicines, Animal and Product Handling.
Experience in Farmers Training.
Two- three years’ experience in related work
Experience/knowledge in Climate-Smart Animal production.
Experience in participatory methodologies
Good computing skills, including MS Word and Excel
Experience in facilitating training of trainers
Knowledge in developing training curriculum
Experience working with International NGOs
Good communication skills, both oral and written
Strong initiative, flexible and able to plan and implement work plan with minimum supervision
Awareness of security matters and protocols
Willingness to take challenges and to work in difficult conditions
Courtesy and sensitivity in working with communities
Willing and able to be based and travel regularly within remote where services are limited
Experience in developing training module Good knowledge in project cycle management
Excellent attention to detail for providing accurate DRR capacity gap analysis, documentation and data.

Personal Qualifications:

Committed to rights based and gender sensitivity work, pro-poor policy, committed and strong civil society organizations and social mobilization.
Able, willing, and committed to work with people from different backgrounds.
Contribute constructively to a working environment based on mutual respect, trust, and commitment
Able to cope with stress and work under any challenging circumstances.

Preferred:

Knowledge of the local language (Hausa and Kanuri).
Proficient in data collection and handling bulk registers of beneficiaries.
Willing and able to be based and travel regularly within remote areas, where services are limited.

This ToR shall be inclusive of any other task specifically assigned by the Project Manager and direct supervisor for what concerns the implementation of the program activities.

Application Closing Date

23rd April, 2021.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should:

Click here to apply online

Note: Female candidates and candiates from Yobe are strongly encouraged to apply.