VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Capacity Development Officer-Build Uganda Program

A. Position Summary

Project: BMZ Funded BUILD Uganda Project

Department: Program

Country: Uganda

Duty Station: Field based roving assignments – Uganda

Expected Start Date: 15^th of March 2020

Duration: 44 months

Reporting to: Project Technical Manager

B. Brief Overview of VSF Germany

VSF Germany is an International Non-Governmental Organization, providing humanitarian assistance and development aid to agro-pastoral and pastoralists and vulnerable communities in areas where livestock is of importance. In the Horn of Africa region, VSF Germany has been implementing programmes in South Sudan, Sudan, Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia since 1998. Effective from January 2019, VSF Germany has expanded its programme scope to Uganda. VSF Germany programmes focus on Food Security and Livelihoods, Nutrition, Natural Resources Management, Peace-building, Water and Sanitation, Protection and Response to Disasters and Emergencies. Each country program is managed through the country offices and country teams. Country programmes are coordinated and facilitated from the Regional Office Nairobi (RON). The organization is a registered charity in Germany with its headquarters in Berlin.

C. Brief Overview of the Project

VSF Germany is a member of the ILRI led consortium that has received funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to implement a five year Research for Development project in Uganda under the Framework of investment package for improving animal health in Africa. Uganda is chosen as a key focus country in the sub-Saharan Africa on the account that around 70% of all households keep at least one kind of livestock (inclusive of poultry). Livestock production is however limited by pathogens including parasites that cause losses due to diseases or death of animals, threatening food security, balanced diets as well as the livelihoods of animal keepers. Zoonotic diseases also threaten the health of producers but also processors and consumers. Widespread use of antibiotics to manage animal health conditions and poor hygiene and safety of animal sourced foods also pose a threat to human health due to Antimicrobial Resistance.

The goal of the project– “Boosting Uganda’s Investments in Livestock Development” (Build Uganda) is therefore to improve the health of food producing animals and as a consequence, improve the health of those people who work in the production and processing of animal sourced food. The investment package will be implemented under four different components in line with, and as per the recommendations of the OIE GAP analysis of the performance of veterinary services in Uganda. This will form the basis of a holistic approach to improve animal health and includes: support ongoing campaigns to eradicate trans-boundary disease (e.g., pest des petits ruminants, PPR), control of zoonotic diseases (e.g., Rift Valley fever, RVF), control of antimicrobial resistance (AMR); and improved Veterinary Public Health (e.g., food safety and occupational health).

Key target beneficiaries will be women and men livestock producers, private animal health service providers, students, training institutions, the Government of Uganda, and livestock traders, butchers and meat vendors. The project is being implemented by multiple partners playing different roles in research and development activities. These include ILRI as the Consortium lead, VSF Germany, The German Federal Institute of Risk Assessment (BfR), the German Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, the Ugandan Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF) and the National Agricultural Research Organization in Uganda (NARO-NaLIRRI) among other several partners and collaborators.

It is against this background that VSF Germany seeks to recruit an experienced Capacity Development Officer based in Uganda. He/she will be responsible for assisting the planning and implementation of capacity development activities in the BUILD-Uganda Program, providing assistance in the planning, implementation and documentation of training activities, workshops, and community engagement activities and of extension messaging materials and tools appropriate for communication with rural small holder farmers with limited literacy to communicate research outputs in order to enhance knowledge, influence practices and attitudes and behavioral change. With minimal supervision, he/she provide administrative, logistical and documentation assistance in the delivery of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities.

D. Reporting Lines and Collaboration

The Capacity Development Officer reports to and works under the technical, functional and administrative supervision of the Project Technical Manager, and in collaboration with BUILD Uganda Program Coordinator and ILRI Component Leads, and all other project partners and student fellows across PPR and RVF, AMR and VPH components of the project. S/he also liaises with the designated component Focal Points of the Ugandan Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF), including the national district veterinary services authorities.

E. Tasks and responsibilities

• Assist in the planning and implementation of capacity needs assessment activities.

• Contribute to development of training materials, extension communication materials and content creation for digital agricultural services.

• Contribute to the design, delivery and documentation of different training programs, meetings or workshops.

• Develop training materials and tools based on the guidance provided by his/her supervisor.

• Plan and facilitate specific capacity development training activities, including budget estimates

• Provide support to prepare meeting reports or other relevant documents.

• Develop and maintain electronic record keeping and database of capacity development outputs

• Contribute to development of blog stories, case studies or briefs showcasing impact of capacity development activities

• Maintain liaison and communication with different stakeholders for successful implementation and follow-up of capacity development plans and activities.

• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside project

• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more practice areas and acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

• Prepares materials (abstracts, posters, fliers, short articles, power point presentations etc) for use in seminars, workshops, conferences to disseminate project outputs

• Contribute to the development of bi-annual project reports and any other ad hoc reports as assigned

• Perform any relevant tasks relevant to the skill sets and the achievement of project goals as may be assigned from time to time.

F: Essential Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field with at least 7 years of field practice and experience. MSc degree in Extension, Rural Development, Education or related fields is preferred.

• Experience in adult education will be an added advantage

• Team player, self-motivated, ability to work with little supervision

• Ability to prioritize, problem-solve and meet agreed deadlines

• Understanding of capacity development and adult-learning principles

• Experience in mobile learning and creation of online learning and sharing platforms.

• Ability to multi task under tight deadlines

• Ability to think quickly and improvise when necessary

• Creative self-starter with an ability to work independently and as an integral part of a team to deliver results

• Focuses on results for the client and responds positively to feedback

Other requirements

• Results Focused

• Teamwork

• Effective Communication and focus in building Effective Relationships

• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

• Creativity and self-driven passion for the job

Technical/Functional Skills and Requirements

• Practical hands on work experience and knowledge of the target districts and regions.

• Ability to write briefs and concise reports

• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines

• Familiarity with Uganda national livestock sector policies and strategies.

Selection Criteria

• Selection will be based on requirements, competencies and skills outlined above.

• Shortlisting of candidates will be done on a rolling basis

• VSF Germany is an equal opportunity employer however female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.