Advisor Agronomy & Agribusiness

SNV currently seeks applicants for a full-time position of an Advisor Agronomy & Agribusiness. The positions is based in Sefwi Essam, Bia West District (Western North Region), Ghana

SNV is a not-for-profit international development organization that applies practical know-how to make a lasting difference in the lives of people living in poverty. We use our extensive and long-term in-country presence to apply and adapt our top-notch expertise in Agriculture, Energy and WASH to local contexts.

SNV has an annual turnover of €130 million, over 1,250 staff in more than 25 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. We are proud to be a not-for-profit organization that uses project financing to implement our mission. This requires us to work efficiently and to invest in operational excellence.

SNV currently aims more explicitly for systems change during project preparation and implementation – by strengthening institutions and kick-starting markets that help many more to escape poverty beyond our projects. We continue to position ourselves as a premium organization, with decentralized management. Our Global Support Unit (70 staff) backstops our teams around the world. For more information on SNV, visit our website: www.snv.org

SNV has been present in Ghana since 1992, and is currently implementing the Collaborative Learning for Climate Smart Cocoa (CLCSC) project. This is a partnership between CIFOR, SNV, ICRAF, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and Forestry Commission.

The Project will assist ongoing Climate Smart Cocoa (CSC) input and service delivery initiatives and contribute to Government of Ghana’s climate change mitigation and adaption strategies by using a Collaborative Learning Platform (CLP) development approach to help resolve the barriers to smallholder CSC adoption. This approach is built on principles of collaborative learning and shared value to formalize a space for learning and adaptive management between science, policy and planning spheres. The CLPs will be established in ten Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs) in the two priority districts of Ghana Cocoa-Forest REDD+ program (GCFRP), Juabeso and Bia West.

SNV currently seeks applicants for a full-time position of an Advisor Agronomy & Agribusiness. The positions is based in Sefwi Essam, Bia West District (Western North Region), Ghana

The main duties of the Agronomy & Agribusiness Advisor will include the following: assist in management and coordination of field activities including capacity building in climate smart cocoa practices, promoting sustainable community land use practices; support implementation of project monitoring and evaluation framework, ensure high quality and timely reporting; ensure project visibility in line with SNV and donor standards; and provide ground level.  administrative support to project implementation:

 Specific Duties and Responsibilities include:

• Support the establishment of demonstration sites for climate smart practices including smallholder cocoa agroforestry systems, community-based land use planning, and other sustainable intensification measures etc;
• Assist in relevant baseline studies, smallholder adoption behaviour mapping, and improvement of enabling environment for climate smart agriculture practices among smallholder cocoa farmers;
• Support the implementation of enhanced models to facilitate access to farm management services and inputs schemes to smallholders;
• Support the development and delivery of capacity building programmes aimed at promoting climate smart cocoa practices among beneficiary smallholder farmers;
• Assist in the monitoring and evaluation of adoption of climate smart practices among target smallholders;
• Assist in making logistical arrangements and coordinate all resources required for activities, such as Meetings, training, workshops, consultants, field surveys, etc;
• Provide ground level administrative support to project team and overall project implementation.

Job Requirements and Minimum Qualifications

• A university degree in Agriculture, Natural Sciences, Natural Resource management, or Development Studies.
• At least three (3) years of demonstrated experience in community engagement in cocoa landscape, preferably within the NGO sector.
• Have good communication and interpersonal skills and able to engage with traditional leaders and other stakeholders.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Twi with excellent reporting writing skills.
• Maintain good appearance and professionalism.
• Has the ability to manage pressure and conflicting demands; and prioritize tasks and workload to deliver effectively.
• Good sense of duty, able to work with minimum supervision and willingness to undertake additional task when needed.