Job Opportunity at VSO, Agronomist Adviser

Agronomist Adviser  

VSO is the world’s leading international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty. Working in 24 countries around the world, our unique role in international development is to place committed volunteers with carefully selected organisations where their skills can have the greatest impact. As a VSO volunteer you’ll live and work in some of the world’s poorest communities. By sharing your unique skills and experience you’ll help generate new ideas and new ways of doing things, helping the communities you work in lift themselves out of poverty. We’re not about delivering quick fixes, but instead we focus on long-lasting, sustainable change, that will impact generations to come. Join us as a VSO volunteer and help us work towards our vision of a world without poverty.

Role overview
To build the technical capabilities of local partner organizations (Milele Zanzibar Foundations) in designing and leading good agricultural practices for organic farming and conducting value chain analysis that builds the competitiveness of smallholder producers in specialty market of organic and fair trade, providing technical assistance to local partner organizations in strengthening technical capacity of farmers on horticulture production.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

Minimum of 9 years relevant work experience.

Teamwork, with the ability to work collaboratively in diverse groups.

Experience and knowledge in Micro Finance, Business and Institutional Environment general.

Knowledge/qualifications:

Bachelor Degree in Agriculture/ Horticulture or related subjects with at least 9 years of experience in agricultural development ideally supporting producer groups/ associations

Experience in crop husbandry in the agricultural sector

Have at least 7 years’ experience in running saving and loan schemes

Skills/Abilities:

Ability to work in an institutional environment, hospital and Loans Facilities settings and in the community.

Effective communications skills (report writing, verbally

Proven coaching and mentoring skills

S’/he should have a flexible personality, adapting easily to new situations, and be able to set realistic expectations regarding working in institutional in the tropics.

The volunteer should have a pro-active attitude, enabling him/her to create practical solutions to challenges and demands of a highly frequented hospital.

Good experience in establishing and or supporting organization development.

Fluent in English language

Desirable Criteria: (skills that could be an advantage in the role)

Master’s degree is added advantage

Have skills in Horticulture and experience in saving and credit operations.

Patience, tolerance and resilience will be essential requirements for building mutual understanding with colleagues.

The volunteer must be a team worker with good social and interpersonal skills and networking abilities. S/he should be able to handle conflicts in a constructive consultative way

Competencies and Behaviour

At VSO we believe progress is only possible by working together. Whether you want to join us as an employee, or as a volunteer working in your own country, overseas or online, our selection process includes an assessment based on these core competencies:

Ability to be open minded and respectful

Ability to be resilient and adaptive to new situations

Ability to facilitate positive change and build sustainable working relationships

Ability to seek and share knowledge

Equal Opportunities

VSO promotes equal opportunities and values a diverse workforce.

NOTE: This is international Volunteer role, NOT for national, but start of the Project is upon fund Confirmation.

Allowance

As a VSO volunteer, you will be sharing your skills with local communities on a full time basis. VSO will cover your travel, vaccinations, accommodation, and medical insurance costs, along with a local living allowance which will be paid in local currency. This allowance meets reasonable living expenses in country, but will not be enough to send money home. You will also receive some financial support to contribute to your on-going expenses at home.

Accommodation

VSO works with some of the poorest communities in the world which means accommodation varies and will be basic.

Some background about VSO

Much has changed since VSO started 60 years ago. We’ve gone from being a UK charity to a truly global development organisation. In 2016/2017 alone, we worked with over 7,000 volunteers from all over the world and from all backgrounds to deliver services that had an impact on the lives of almost 2.6 million people in the 24 countries where we work. Our programmes focus on the areas of health, education and livelihoods, with an increasing emphasis on resilience building, social accountability, gender and social inclusion. We believe progress is only possible when we work together and that strong partnerships are crucial to delivering positive change. That’s why we work with over 500 partner organisations, from local and national governments, to businesses, NGOs, funders, charities and community groups. Currently, over 30% of our people are recruited from within the country in which they work, and we continue to grow the share of community and national volunteers involved in our programmes. We also send increasing numbers of volunteers from one developing country to another. However, our vision has remained the same; to build a world without poverty.

If you’re interested in applying for this role, please download the job description for more information.

To submit your application, click on ‘Make an application’ and complete all relevant fields on the online application form.

Application Closing Date: 25 Dec 2019

CLICK HERE TO APPLY