Established in 1990, Relief International (RI) is a leading global change organization that transforms adversity into renewal for the world’s most vulnerable populations.  RI bridges the gap between immediate humanitarian relief and long-term community development.  RI also comprises EnterpriseWorks/VITA (EWV) to expand its work to combat poverty by helping small producers and other entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses that create jobs and increase productivity, market opportunities and incomes.  The merged organization is currently working in more than 30 countries to combat global poverty through humanitarian and economic development programs based on sustainable, enterprise-oriented solutions.

Job Summary

Program Summary:
RI/EW is currently seeking advisors and experts for key positions in the upcoming 5-year USAID Ghana Agricultural Technology Transfer Project (ATT) Project.  The overall goal of the ATT Project is to provide technical assistance and capacity building for increasing the availability of agricultural technologies for smallholder farmers in Northern Ghana to focusing on improved seed technologies, including biotechnology; managing soil fertility; agriculture sector communications and knowledge management tools; strengthening capacity for agricultural research for technology development and transfer; and to strengthen public and private sectors to disseminate such technologies.  The project will focus on maize, rice, and soya and will be closely integrated with other USAID Ghana Feed the Future (FtF) and Government of Ghana’s projects and programs in the seed and soil fertility sectors.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties:

•  The Integrated Soil Management Advisor will support research on integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) to address issues of declining fertility and severe soil degradation in Northern Ghana.
•  He/she will contribute to advancing ISFM technology that supports agricultural productivity and yields and finds new conservation agriculture and agro-forestry techniques, and contribute to them available for dissemination through ICT solutions.
•  The Advisor will work with the fertilizer sector in Ghana to strengthen their technical and business management skills, access to finance, and other constraints in the agro-inputs supply chain. The Advisor will also support the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority’s (SADA) objective for the northern regions to maintain a forested, green sustainable resource base in northern Ghana.

Qualification Required & Experience

Qualifications & Requirements:
RI/EW seeks a dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results through teamwork for this anticipated program.

•  Master’s degree in an agriculture relevant field;
•  Minimum of 7 years’ professional experience in developing countries, some of which should be in Africa, in increasing the availability of soil fertility management technologies for smallholder agriculture. Soil fertility management experience should include several of the following: soil nutrient management, conservation agriculture, minimum tillage, cropping systems and rotations, agro-forestry, chemical fertilizer, including tailored blends, and soil amendments (e.g., lime);
•  Experience with value chain approaches in developing fertilizer sectors, including fostering vertical and horizontal relationships in the industry to increase quality of services and products, especially for smallholder farmers, and promote competitiveness of the industry;
•  Experience in building capacity of both public and private sector actors in the fertilizer sector in carrying out regulatory requirements for the fertilizer industry including quality assurance, establishment and use of grades/standards, packaging and labeling, and inspection/testing;
•  Solid background and knowledge of USAID Rules and Regulations;
•  Excellent interpersonal, communication, public speaking, and strategic planning skills required;
•  Strong English writing skills required;
•  Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, tasks efficiently;
•  Excellent time management skills and resourcefulness with strong attention to detail;

How To Apply For The Job

To be considered for this recruitment, please submit a cover letter, resume, salary history, 3 professional supervisory references (whom we may contact after a second interview) with the date of availability to: hrdevelopment@ri.org.

OR

To apply, please click on this link:

http://ch.tbe.taleo.net/CH07/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=RI&cws=4&rid=285

Closing Date: 23 December, 2012