PROJECT OFFICERS (3 POSITIONS) SINGIDA

HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation is one of the most experienced and largest development organizations in Switzerland. HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation is a non-profit association working in development cooperation, anchored in Switzerland with a membership amongst the Swiss Public. It is denominationally neutral and politically independent, it operates in 33 countries. HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation offers services in five different working areas of development: Water and Infrastructure Environment and climate Change; Rural Economy, Skills Development and education; Governance and Peace

In Tanzania HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation has been active since the late 1970’s (at that time as Helvetas and Intercooperation). Today it implementing various projects in the two working areas of Rural Economy and Skills Development & Education: namely the Rural Livelihood Development Programme (RLDP), Grain Post-Harvest Loss Prevention (GPLP), Quality Education through Expert Teacher system (QUEETS) AND Empowering Women through irrigated vegetable and Marketing (Kuwaelewesha Wanawake katika Kilimo-KUWAKI).

HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation - Tanzania has its main office in Dar es salaam, in addition it has field offices in Dodoma, Arusha and Singida 

Project: Strengthening smallholder Producers’ Vegetable Production and Marketing
This is a 3 year ( January 2015-December  2017) project supported by the European Union and HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation with an overall objective of increasing agricultural production, development and trade in view of economic development and reduction, of rural poverty in Singida Region and at national level through increasing productivity, postharvest management, competitiveness and income in the horticulture subsector, with focus on tomato, onion and green leaf

2.    JOB TITLE: PROJECT OFFICERS (3 POSITIONS) SINGIDA
Primary Duties and Responsibilities for a Project Officer: The project officers (s) will report direct to the Project manager based in Singida. The responsibilities will be as follows:

Develop and strengthen partnerships/relationship
•    Cultivate and strengthen relationships with local government and program-related partners
•    Contribute building strategic and lasting partnership with community farmers groups, donor and private sector partners

Strategy development and implementation
•    Contribute to the design and implementation of the KUWAKI strategy annual operating plans and budgets
•    Contribute to expansion of project to serve an increased number of clients, new target groups and locations
•    Contribute to ensure high quality technical programming
•    Contribute participatory process of program/project design and annual planning among KUWAKI team and partners
•    Contribute foresting an environment of continuous learning and growth through regular reflection and documentation of lesion learned.
•    Networking with relevant potential partners (local government, NGOs, CBOs, and other CSOs
•    Community capacity building including support the community in community needs assessments, community development plans, and farmer’s group visits
•    Community awareness raising. Participate in public awareness campaigns and meeting those related to the project
•    Procedure progress reports (quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports) training reports, visits reports, quality case studies/success stories and project completions
•    Facilitation of women groups formation and strengthening through regular visits and technical support
•    Facilitating access of women group to markets and credit
•    Contribute to regular monitoring the intervention and reporting to the country office

Legal, Financial and Administrative accountability
•    Respect the HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Operation Manuals
•    Representing HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation to the local government ensuring the organization contributed good standing and adhen
•    ce to local laws, policies and reporting requirements of the government
•    Maintain financial control, procedures, and records, according the accountability standards of HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation government authorized and other partners
•    Contribute ot he provision of timely and accurate financial reports to Country Office
•    Promote effective financial administration within the organization through coaching and cooperation  with the managers and team leaders as appropriate
•    Ensure the cost-effective and transparent use of resources
•    Ensure quality file management through shared drive and protection and back up data
•    Contribute to periodic narrative and financial reports
•    Comply with marketing, branding, communications and reporting standards of the European Union and HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation.
•    Participate in financial forecasting at the project and organizational level to determine necessary funding and resource requirements
•    Contribute establishing and implementing transparent budget monitoring systems and upholding the highest level of transparency and accountability with donors.

Qualification and Experience
•    University degree on economic science, social science, rural development or related degree
•    Postgraduate in Project Management is an added advantage
•    Excellent command of English and Swahili language
•    3 to 5 years’ experience in rural financing schemes, such as Microfinance or VICOBA groups
•    Knowledge on Postharvest activities desirable
•    Experience on vegetable value chains particularly tomato, onion and green leaf is a must
•    Experience and postgraduate training in monitoring, evaluation and action research
•    3 to 5 years’ experience in the donor funded project in the international NGOs is a must
•    Good knowledge and relation with the public and private sector
•    Excellent skills on computer handling
•    Disposed to travel frequently in rural areas, especially in the central corridor in Tanzania

MODE OF APPLICATION 

Interested and qualified Tanzanians are invited to apply. If you feel that you meet the requirements and you are motivated enough to be part of the team, please send your application including your cover letter. Curriculum vitae of not more than 3 pages with copies of your education and professional qualifications with three referees to email: tanzania@HELVETAS.org

Closing date for application is 28th January 2015 Only short listed candidates will be contacted 

Source: Daily News 20 January 2015