Program Assistant at IITA - International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Ref:IITA-HR-NRS2018-0015
Locations: Jigawa and Yobe
Recruitment Type: National (1-year renewable contract)

Background

• International Potato Center (CIP) is a not-for-profit international agricultural research-for-development organization with a focus on potato, sweetpotato, and Andean roots and tubers. Its vision is roots and tubers improving the lives of the poor. 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, a network of 15 Research Centers and 16 Research Programs mostly located in the developing world and supported by more than 50 donor members.

The WINNN Program

• WINNN is an eight-year (September 2011-March 2019) program funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) to improve maternal and child nutrition in five states of northern Nigeria namely Jigawa, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, and Yobe.
• WINNN is designed to support the piloting of a set of evidence-based nutrition-specific interventions; micro-nutrient supplementation, community management of acute malnutrition (CMAM), infant and young child feeding (IYCF) counselling, and to support institutionalization of the interventions within routine healthcare.

The Project

• The overall goal of this orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) led garden product project is to improve food and nutrition security and livelihoods for women and children, especially improved diet diversity in two of the five WINNN states implementing during the cost extension period.
• The project seeks to catalyze broad support for OFSP and its use in strategic initiatives including Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) program (first cohort), mothers/care givers of recovered Severe and Acute Malnourished (SAM) clients in small scale food processing, school feeding, and wheat import substitution in commercial food processing in this region.

Job Description

• The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking to recruit an agronomist/seed system specialist Project Associate (PA) to implement ‘Nutrition Sensitive Kitchen Garden Interventions with Orange-fleshed Sweetpotato (OFSP) and Other Vegetables under ‘Working to Improve Nutrition in Northern Nigeria (WINNN) Program’.
• This PA will be based in Jigawa State, with occasional training and supervision duties in Yobe State.
• She/he will work under the supervision of the CIP Country Manager (WINNN-Kitchen Garden Coordinator) and co-report to the WINNN Deputy Chief of Party.

Duties
Successful candidate will among other things perform the following duties:

• Provide administrative, financial and logistical support to the WINNN Kitchen Garden Coordinator;
• Prepare monthly cash position and bank reconciliations;
• Maintain a ledger and monitor and analyze the budget;
• Liaise with the Procurement Officer, ensure that procurements and payments to local suppliers on behalf of the project are done expeditiously
• Implementation of CIP policies and procedures and also prepare regular financial report;
• Make travel arrangements for the project team and any other project partners / visitors in the country;
• Make arrangements for meetings, trainings and workshops for the national project team;
• Keep inventory of the project equipment and supplies;
• Handle telephone calls/faxes, receive and assist visitors to the office
• Organize and maintain the office filing system (manual and electronic) including backup, archiving and storage;
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications

• HND/B.Sc in Business Administration, Marketing, Accounting or other related with minimum of three (3) years’ experience performing finance and administrative roles.

Competencies:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including ability to write reports.
• Must be a team player accustomed to working in multi-cultural groups with good organizational skills.
• Fluent in English and Hausa language is an added advantage
• Willingness to travel when needs be.

Remuneration
We offer highly competitive salary with equally attractive benefits and excellent working conditions in a pleasant campus environment.