VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT – AGRONOMIST

Position title         :      Agronomist 

Working location     :      Burco with travels to Project locations

Duration             :      10 Months

Closing Date         :      26/5/2024

Context of the Organization

SOS Children’s Villages International (SOS CVI) is a non-governmental and non-denominational organization working with communities, partners, and states to ensure that the rights of all children are fulfilled in every society. SOS CVI is a global federation working to protect and care for children who have lost parental care, or who stand at risk of losing the care. Everything we do is made possible through the generous support of sponsors and donors, institutional and corporate partners, and loyal friends worldwide. 

Envisioning that every child belongs to a family and grows up with love, respect, and security, we exist to build families for children in need, we help them shape their own futures, and we share in the development of their communities. Everything we do is guided by the firm belief that no child should grow up alone and that we need to improve care for children who are at risk, enabling them to overcome precarious conditions and to succeed in life. To achieve our mission, our strategy for the upcoming decade focuses on ensuring the best care of children, innovation, and effective collaboration with more partners. Our core values guiding who we are and what we do include the courage to take action, commitment to keep our promises, trust to believe in each other, and accountability to be reliable Partners.

SOS Children’s Villages in Somaliland is seeking to recruit agronomists who will work on our Climate Smart Agriculture Project in Burao. The Agronomist will be responsible for the capacity building of smallholder Climate Smart Farmers on different forms of climate-smart and urban farming techniques. He will also provide coaching and mentoring support the project startups and smallholder Climate Smart Farmers and contribute to the overall implementation of the project.  In addition to that, he will manage climate smart demonstration and production farms in Burao IDPs and the University of Burao.

The agronomist is required to focus on developing and promoting better farming practices, and he/she should be self-motivated, detail-oriented, and analytical with excellent listening, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Agronomist Job Descriptions 

The Agronomist will have the following key responsibilities.

·         Building capacity for project participants on climate-smart farming including, different forms of hydroponic:

a)   deep water culture hydroponic systems.

b)   aeroponic or vertical hydroponic systems.

c)   drip hydroponic system.

·         Provide technical advice to the project participants in the areas of green farming inputs and supplies and checking in the technical specifications of the inputs.

·         Developing better planting, cultivation, and harvesting techniques, improving crop yield, and solving problems for clients.

·         Researching and promoting agricultural strategies to counter the effects of changes in soil, climate, weather, and pest damage.

·         Testing samples for nutritional deficiencies, diseases, or other changes.

·         Conduct market assessment and smallholder farmer capacity assessments on agricultural farming methods use, productivity scale, market value chain, and their business plans.  

·         Facilitate and support Climate Smart Farmers in the analyzing of agricultural crops value chains and the identification of value chain strategies and activities!

·         Developing better planting, cultivation, and harvesting techniques, improving crop yield, and solving problems for clients.

·         Researching and promoting agricultural strategies to counter the effects of changes in soil, climate, weather, and pest damage.

·         Monitor the project activities and achieve results as per the result framework at both output and outcome levels through weekly and monthly monitoring.

·         Organize and facilitate the follow-up of the trainees together with other partners.

·         Generating reports and presenting findings to management, clients, or other interested parties.

·         Generates monthly and quarterly reports on project progress and produces case studies, success stories, and learning from the participant’s various forms of businesses and farms·

·         Establishes, maintains and nurtures collaborative relationships with Program Participants, including identifying challenges, mutual solutions, and actions that are accurately tracked and attributed to the efforts.

·         Minimum Requirements

·         Bachelor’s degree in agronomy, agriculture, or a related field.

·         Further education and experience may be preferred.

·         Additional certifications may be required.

·         Ability to work outside, stand, walk, kneel, and stoop for extended periods.

·         Proficiency with computers, especially MS Office and diagnostic scientific software.

·         Exceptional active listening and verbal and written communication skills.

·         Strong research, decision making, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

·         Awareness of industry trends, technology, and developments.

·         Sales and presentation skills.

Language Skills:

§  A good level of written and spoken communication skills in English and Somali languages is mandatory.

To apply, indicate the title of the job being applied for on the subject of the e-mail.

Interested applicants should send their applications with scanned copies of academic and professional certificates indicating telephone numbers and three referees to: [email protected]. The closing date is 26th May 2024. SOS is an equal employer; female candidates are encouraged to apply. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

We are committed to safeguarding and protecting children in our programmes by having a zero-tolerance policy in this regard. We are further committed to providing a safe environment for staff and children, young people and adults with whom we work, where human rights are respected and upheld, and healthy relations are fostered by building organizational systems, capacity, and awareness on PSHEA (prevention and protection against sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse) guidelines. All our co-workers are obliged to follow our policy on Child Safeguarding and Protection, PSHEA and Code of Conduct.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.