Back Project Officer- Agronomy Iraq Ramadi

The Norwegian Refugee Council in Iraq is looking for a Ramadi-based Project officer for field implementation of agricultural livelihoods programming. This role focuses on providing support to agricultural value chains, technical training for farmers, and strengthening linkages between crop producers and local markets.

The South Area Office portfolio currently focuses on integrated livelihoods, legal assistance, and education programming. Livelihoods interventions include agriculture and water infrastructure rehabilitation combined with material and capacity support to farmers and business owners, and emergency cash assistance in areas with immediate needs. The legal assistance programme entails information, counselling, and legal assistance to individuals and households on legal civil documentation as well as housing, land and property rights issues. NRC’s education projects entail material support to schools, rehabilitation of key educational infrastructure, and capacity building of teachers, including in addressing children’s psycho-educational needs.

Generic responsibilities 

1. Ensure adherence with NRC policies, tools, handbooks, and guidelines.
2. Implement delegated Livelihoods project portfolio according to plan of action.
3. Prepare and develop status reports as required by management.
4. Ensure proper filing of documents.
5. Ensure that projects target beneficiaries most in need and explore and assess new and better ways to assist.
6. Promote and share ideas for technical improvement.

   Specific responsibilities 

   1. Provide crop and livestock extension services to targeted small holder producers in production technologies, collection and harvest, products handling, packing, processing and access to market through linkages to the value chains using market intelligence.
   2. Take the lead on planning agricultural extension services targeting small holder farmers within key agri-food (crop and livestock) value chains and local partners including extension services ecosystem.
   3. Participate in the selection process of agriculture inputs beneficiaries including active involvement in the applications’ evaluation committees and conducting the assessment field visits of possible beneficiaries.
   4. Take a lead in the establishment and running of farmer field schools (both crops and livestock) in coordination with relevant stakeholders to ensure sustainability of the approaches.
   5. Facilitate the establishment and strengthening of small scale on-farm processing, establishment and strengthening of short value chains and promoting innovative market linkages for agricultural products between producer groups and market actors.
   6. Establish and maintain strong working relationships with targeted communities, including local leaders, Project committees and business dealers ensuring that they are informed and participate in project activities through implementation of NRC Community Engagement Approach.
   7. Conduct market assessments and mapping to understand how local agriculture markets works and are linked to enable appropriate programming. Engage agricultural inputs and output market players to understand how they operate and involve them for the AMAL project.
   8. Plan and conduct agriculture inputs (both in-kind and cash-based) distributions as per the agreed SOP and guidelines.
   9. Conduct regular project monitoring and updating the Project Coordinator with the progress of project activities in the field.
   10. Ensure protection mainstreaming in implementation of AMAL project activities.
   11. Work closely with veterinary department and extension workers to provide the most proper extension services to the livestock and crop beneficiaries. 
   12. Any other related tasks required by the line manager.

       Competencies  

       Competencies are important in order for the employee and the organisation to deliver desired results. They are relevant for all staff and are divided into the following two categories:

       1. Professional competencies 

       These are skills, knowledge and experience that are important for effective performance. 

       Generic professional competencies: 

   13. 2-3 years’ experience of working Experience from working as a Project Officer in a humanitarian/recovery context.
7. Previous experience of working in complex and volatile contexts.

Context/ Specific skills, knowledge and experience: 

2. Behavioural competencies 

These are personal qualities that influence how successful people are in their job. NRC’s Competency Framework states 12 behavioural competencies, and the following are essential for this position:

3. Performance Management

The employee will be accountable for the responsibilities and the competencies, in accordance with the NRC Performance Management Manual. The following documents will be used for performance reviews: 

•             The Job Description 

•             The goals and performance plan

•             The NRC Competency Framework

Contract Duration: until 31st December 2023 - renewable based on funding and performance 
Duty Station: Ramadi - Iraq
Health Insurance is provided
Salary: G5/S1, According to NRC’s Iraq salary scale and terms and conditions.
Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply
NRC is an equal opportunity employer and aims to have staffing diversity in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, and physical ability.
For more information please read the job description The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee. We work in crises across more than 31 countries, providing emergencies and long-term assistance to millions of people every year. We stand up for people forced to flee, advocating their rights. NORCAP, our global provider of expertise, helps improve international and local ability to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from crises. NRC also runs the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre in Geneva, a global leader in reporting on and advocating for people displaced within their own country. Employment with NRC may lead to employment in or deployment to Regions, Countries, Areas or Offices that may be host to considerable health, safety and security risks. NRC takes this very seriously and we have procedures in place to reduce known risks, but will never be able to take away all risks. NRC is an equal opportunities employer and aims to have staffing diversity in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, nationality and physical ability.