International Potato Center
Field Coordinator
Field Coordinator
Ref: 2015/005/NRS/SSA
The International Potato Center (CIP)
is seeking a Field Coordinator for an upcoming seed potato value chain project
to be based in Eldoret, Kenya.
CIP is dedicated to achieving food
security, improved well-being, and gender equity for poor people in root and
tuber farming and food systems of the developing world.
CIP works with partners to contribute
high quality science, technology, and capacity strengthening for sustainable
science-based solutions.
CIP is headquartered in Lima, Peru,
with staff and activities in over 30 locations across Asia, Africa, and Latin
America. CIP is a member of the CGIAR Consortium. CGIAR is a global agriculture
research partnership for a food secure future.
Its science is carried out by the 15
research centers who are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with
hundreds of partner organizations.
The CIP Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) main
regional office is in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Position: The Field Coordinator will be responsible to coordinate and manage all field work and partners for an upcoming seed potato value chain project.
The position will be based in
Eldoret, Kenya. The Field Coordinator will be engaged primarily to implement
project activities to strengthen seed potato system development in a holistic
manner by interlinking relevant disciplines and actors from public and private
sectors.
The Field Coordinator will be
responsible for interventions to improve productivity of seed and ware potato
production and value chains, such as building capacity in seed and ware potato,
good agricultural practices, monitoring demonstration sites and farmers’
fields, and overseeing monitoring and evaluation activities.
The principal tasks and responsibilities include the following:
- Lead capacity building interventions in good
agricultural practices for seed and ware potato for farmers, extension,
private sector enterprises and partners;
- Coordinate and monitor demonstration and
training sites managed by extension agents;
- Coordinate and support planning and delivery
of field days;
- Seek collaborations with private sector
stakeholders to build effective seed potato value chains;
- Support extension to document and collect data
from demonstration plots to inform and improve delivery of project and
potato program interventions
- Organize marketing events with specialized
potato markets: processors, supermarkets, restaurants;
- Work closely with monitoring and evaluation
teams to coordinate, plan and execute monitoring and evaluation activities;
- Develop communication materials targeting
farmers and extension officers; and
- Contribute to planning, executing and
reporting on quarterly and annual work plans and reports consistent with
project objectives.
The successful Field Coordinator will
have:
- Ph.D. degree in agronomy, plant pathology,
seed systems or a closely related discipline;
- A minimum of three years’ experience in
implementing agronomy- and seed-system-related interventions;
- Strong technical knowledge of potato agronomy
and pathology;
- Background in field plant pathology if degree
obtained in agronomy or if degree obtained in plant pathology a strong
background in agronomy required
- Ability to work in an international
agricultural research center, interacting with its staff and partners in a
variety of institutional and ecological settings;
- Experience working with farmers, farmer groups
and extension;
- Strong and demonstrated expertise to design
and plan field activities;
- Good record of publications: reports,
extension documents, scientific articles;
- Aptitude for teamwork, leadership, training,
and communications;
- Excellent writing and communication skills;
- Fluency in English and Swahili required;
- Willingness to travel frequently and work
under field conditions
Conditions: The employment contract is subject to funding and
will be for a two-year term with the possibility of renewal.
Applications:
Applicants should apply through CIP’s
Job Opportunities website (http://cipotato.org/open-vacancies/),
including a cover letter summarizing their relevance to this position, a full
C.V. and the names and contact information of three referees knowledgeable
about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience.
Screening will begin on 22nd October,
2015 and will continue until the position is filled.
Only shortlisted candidates will be
contacted.
The reference name of the position should be clearly marked on the subject line of the email message.
CIP seeks diversity and gender balance in its staff.
Women are particularly encouraged to apply.
To learn more about CIP please visit http://www.cipotato.org/cip/jobs.asp