About US:
Mercy Corps is an international non-profit organization which implements high-quality, analytical development work in very difficult places. We have been operating in Uganda since 2006 and currently implement development programs in the Acholi and Karamoja sub-regions of Uganda with funding from USAID, EC, SDC, and USDA.
About USAID GHG Programme:
Mercy Ccorps is currently implementing a market-development focused 5-year USAID/Food for Peace-funded program, North Karamoja Growth, Health and Governance (GHG) programme, working in the northern half of Karamoja region. GHG works through partners with private, public and civil society sectors to support immediate needs of program beneficiaries while promoting long-term development by spurring systemic improvements in key economic sectors of northern Karamoja.
Job Summary: The Poultry Production Officer will be in charge of identifying, testing and refining viable poultry livelihood options and to improve the economic and nutrition status of program beneficiaries. The ability of the Poultry Advisor to push forward market-driven approaches at all stages of programming, the degree to which the person promotes and captures learning within her/his team, institutionalizing activity reviews, identifying and evaluating preconceptions and promoting a culture of inquisition, and her/his passion to drive results, make critical decisions and produce scheduled outputs at deadline and to the expected quality will be the position’s three success factors.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
· Work closely with the Mercy Corps livestock team to improve the productivity of poultry, and poultry’s contribution to household income and nutrition.
· Work closely with national veterinary pharmaceutical companies, feed processors, research institutions, district veterinary officers, agro vets, poultry vaccinator.
· The incumbent will strengthen the supply chain of poultry veterinary products (vaccines & drugs), poultry feed, poultry-raising equipment or cages, and embedded services.
· Routinely monitor intervention activities and collect beneficiary qualitative and quantitative information, document success stories and maintain proper records and filling systems;
· Prepare and submit periodic work plans and activity reports;
· Apply a gender and youth lens to activities in the program cycle;
· Identify, assess and develop networks and strategies for potential private, public and civil society sector partnership with GHG program
· Regularly analyze project implementation strategies to identify constraints to program success and provide timely recommendations;
· Provide data in support of team’s submission of timely weekly, monthly and quarterly reports that will be indicative of program progress during implementation.
· Make on-site field visits regularly to monitor progress of activities and provide strategic measures for progress to maximize the programmes’ economic and social impacts to the community
· Work with team leader(s) and Mercy Corps technical staff in order to bring synergy among different components of the project
· Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
· Perform any other duties as assigned
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
· The ideal candidate must hold a degree in Livestock production or Veterinary Medicine, with classwork including poultry production, or its equivalent;
· A minimum of three years’ experience working with women poultry farmers, especially on a small scale level in a rural context.
· Prior experience providing direct training to small scale women farmers.
· Working knowledge of private-sector poultry markets, including supply chain and poultry/egg markets.
· Willingness to work in rural areas with farmers, poultry traders, agrovets shops, community animal health workers in northern Karamoja.
· Ability to interact effectively with a wide range of partners; private sector, government and civil society;
· Skills in team work, holding community consultations and organizational development;
· Excellent reporting, communication and representation skills.
· Good spoken and written English. Fluency in Ngakarimojong and/or Ethurr is required.
How to Apply:
All suitably qualified and interested Ugandan candidates should send their applications including a cover letter clearly stating the salary requirements, updated CV (with three professional referees), and copies of academic qualifications/certificates to the HR/Admin Manager, Kampala Head Office on 4th Floor Embassy Plaza, Plot 1188-1190 Ggaba Road. The E-mail applications with cover letter should be sent to: mcjobs@ug.mercycorps.org
Deadline: 16th October 2015