Job Purpose:

The Programme Officer, Livelihoods is responsible for the planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of livelihoods and resilience interventions in Tana River County. The role provides technical guidance in agricultural production, climate-smart agriculture, VSLA, apiculture, strengthens collaboration with government and other stakeholders, promotes community participation, and ensures programme implementation is delivered on time, within budget, and in accordance with Concern Worldwide’s quality standards and donor requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Provide technical leadership in agricultural production, climate-smart agriculture, value chain development, value addition and market linkages, ensuring farmers adopt improved production practices, post-harvest handling technologies, agribusiness approaches and sustainable market access to improve food security, livelihoods and household resilience.

Train, mentor and provide continuous technical backstopping to community-level agricultural resource persons, lead farmers, VSLA facilitators and apiculture champions on climate-smart agriculture, sustainable crop production, beekeeping, value addition, agribusiness, market linkages and financial inclusion to strengthen community resilience and sustainable livelihoods.

Support the establishment, strengthening and technical monitoring of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), ensuring adherence to methodologies, financial literacy, governance, record keeping and linkage to financial service providers.

Provide technical support for the establishment and promotion of apiculture enterprises, including participants selection, beekeeping training, apiary establishment, hives management, honey harvesting, post-harvest handling, value addition and market linkages.

In close consultation with the area manager, implement of the Tana River livelihoods program activities in the approved quarterly costed work plans.

Document case studies, success stories and activity reports on a weekly and monthly basis for all activities implemented.

Establish a working relationship with the Tana River County Government Departments of Agriculture, Lands, Livestock and Fisheries; Health, Water and Sanitation and engage them in the day-to-day implementation of activities

Advise the line manager on necessary changes as observed on the ground to improve implementation of planned interventions.

Network with like-minded partners to optimize programme delivery.

Represent Concern Worldwide at coordination and technical forums in: Citizen participation linked to areas of interest of livelihoods, Crop production forums, livestock production forums, natural resource management forums and others as will be specified by the line manager.

Foster linkages between target communities and community groups with the relevant government departments and the private sectors as appropriate and as will be defined in the annual work plan. This will entail mapping out and identifying the relevant government departments and private sectors that will be appropriate at Sub County and ward level.

Participate and contribute as necessary towards Concern’s Emergency response as and when necessary

Comply with Concern’s health, safety and security guidelines during emergencies.

To support and promote the standards outlined in the Programme Participant Protection Policy and Concern Code of Conduct to their team, partner organisations and beneficiaries, and be committed to providing a safe working environment.

Uphold and promote Concern’s values, including our workplace equality, diversity and inclusion, and safeguarding values.

Monitor monthly management accounts reports, track expenditure against approved budgets, and liaise with relevant teams to address variances and ensure optimal budget utilisation.

Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree in either of the following fields: Agriculture/Agricultural Economics, Environmental Science, Disaster Management, Social Sciences or any other relevant field.

At least two (2) years’ experience in a role involving technical extension service provision for agricultural production including irrigation agriculture.

A working knowledge of Project Cycle Management and Climate Smart Agriculture.

Candidates with working knowledge of Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction, Natural Resource Management, Agro-Pastoral Field Schools, Making Markets work for the Poor and Value Chains Development will be considered as an additional advantage.

Competencies required:

Managing Yourself

Individual Leadership

Communicating and working with others

Delivering results

• Provide technical leadership in agricultural production, climate-smart agriculture, value chain development, value addition and market linkages, ensuring farmers adopt improved production practices, post-harvest handling technologies, agribusiness approaches and sustainable market access to improve food security, livelihoods and household resilience.
• Train, mentor and provide continuous technical backstopping to community-level agricultural resource persons, lead farmers, VSLA facilitators and apiculture champions on climate-smart agriculture, sustainable crop production, beekeeping, value addition, agribusiness, market linkages and financial inclusion to strengthen community resilience and sustainable livelihoods.
• Support the establishment, strengthening and technical monitoring of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), ensuring adherence to methodologies, financial literacy, governance, record keeping and linkage to financial service providers.
• Provide technical support for the establishment and promotion of apiculture enterprises, including participants selection, beekeeping training, apiary establishment, hives management, honey harvesting, post-harvest handling, value addition and market linkages.
• In close consultation with the area manager, implement of the Tana River livelihoods program activities in the approved quarterly costed work plans.
• Document case studies, success stories and activity reports on a weekly and monthly basis for all activities implemented.
• Establish a working relationship with the Tana River County Government Departments of Agriculture, Lands, Livestock and Fisheries; Health, Water and Sanitation and engage them in the day-to-day implementation of activities
• Advise the line manager on necessary changes as observed on the ground to improve implementation of planned interventions.
• Network with like-minded partners to optimize programme delivery.
• Represent Concern Worldwide at coordination and technical forums in: Citizen participation linked to areas of interest of livelihoods, Crop production forums, livestock production forums, natural resource management forums and others as will be specified by the line manager.
• Foster linkages between target communities and community groups with the relevant government departments and the private sectors as appropriate and as will be defined in the annual work plan. This will entail mapping out and identifying the relevant government departments and private sectors that will be appropriate at Sub County and ward level.
• Participate and contribute as necessary towards Concern’s Emergency response as and when necessary
• Comply with Concern’s health, safety and security guidelines during emergencies.
• To support and promote the standards outlined in the Programme Participant Protection Policy and Concern Code of Conduct to their team, partner organisations and beneficiaries, and be committed to providing a safe working environment.
• Uphold and promote Concern’s values, including our workplace equality, diversity and inclusion, and safeguarding values.
• Monitor monthly management accounts reports, track expenditure against approved budgets, and liaise with relevant teams to address variances and ensure optimal budget utilisation.

• Project Cycle Management
• Climate Smart Agriculture
• Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction
• Natural Resource Management
• Agro-Pastoral Field Schools
• Making Markets work for the Poor
• Value Chains Development

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture/Agricultural Economics, Environmental Science, Disaster Management, Social Sciences or any other relevant field.
• At least two (2) years’ experience in a role involving technical extension service provision for agricultural production including irrigation agriculture.
• A working knowledge of Project Cycle Management and Climate Smart Agriculture.
• Working knowledge of Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction, Natural Resource Management, Agro-Pastoral Field Schools, Making Markets work for the Poor and Value Chains Development will be considered as an additional advantage.