Field Coordinator at Sahel Group

About the Program
Sahel, in collaboration with other partners, seeks to catalyze the local dairy sector in Nigeria in an inclusive way through a program that will improve the livelihoods, productivity, nutrition, and empowerment of smallholder female dairy farmers and the communities in which they live. The program will span 5 years and will:

• Advocate for an enabling environment for local sourcing through engagements with the government and relevant private sector stakeholders.
• Increase demand for locally sourced milk through partnerships with dairy processors currently or interested in sourcing locally.
• Improve smallholder dairy farmers’ productivity by increasing their access to technical support services and appropriate inputs.
• Empower women dairy farmers and enable them to improve their livelihoods and that of their households.
• Improve nutrition outcomes among smallholder dairy households through innovations in food systems.

Primary Purpose

• The Field Coordinators will ensure high quality implementation of Sahel projects in Northern Nigeria
• He/she will lead the planning, coordination of, management and reporting of project activities at the state and local level, engaging with key stakeholders on the one hand and reporting to Sahel’s Program Management Office (PMO) on the other hand with the objective of achieving projects’ goals.

Program Implementation:

• Farmers’ Organization:
  • Monitor the farmer identification process to ensure compliance with program requirements
  • Collect and upload verified data on farmers’ organization in accordance with the requirements of ALDDN
  • Provide weekly reports on milk collection activities in project states.

Infrastructure Development:

• Select and share borehole locations based on program selection criteria with the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer
• Collect and act on borehole checklist information to ensure compliance with borehole management plan and hygiene
• Conduct scheduled visits to ALDDN borehole locations to verify the borehole checklist information
• Submit key documents such as borehole management plans, evidence of communal land ownership and other relevant documents to the ALDDN M&E officer
• Monitor the distribution of milk can distribution and submit updated milk can distribution register to the ALDDN M&E officer at the end of every month.

Productivity Improvement:

• Artificial Insemination and Animal Health:
  • Monitor the Artificial Insemination Technicians/ Veterinarians to ensure project timelines are met
  • Interface with vendors to obtain and verify supporting documents and data on progress of field activities
  • Maintain an inventory of project assets that are purchased by the program for artificial insemination/animal health services in Project State.

Training and Extension Services:

• Maintain and upload an updated list of trained farmers to the online data portal or any other medium specified by the ALDDN M&E officer
• Receive and monitor compliance of extension agents to weekly training plans
• Lead the training of trainers’ session for extension agents
• Work with Livestock Associate to review training content and plan training calendar
• Plan video shooting, select and mobilize dairy farmers that will serve as actors in the training videos under the supervision of the Livestock Associate
• Support the ALDDN M&E officer in preparing enumerators’ monthly payment based on satisfactory and verified milestone completion in Project State.

Feed and Fodder:

• Track the progress of implementation activities against targets
• Maintain a list of beneficiaries of the feed and fodder intervention in Adamawa State
• Share weekly progress updates on field activities with the Project Management Office (PMO)
• Store key project documents including evidence of land ownership, input distribution register, sales record, in a safe and accessible platform.

Financial Inclusion & Income Diversification Support:

• Maintain a list of trained farmers, beneficiaries of income diversification support and financial services as provided by Technoserve
• Verify uploaded data though scheduled field visits to benefiting communities.

Policy Advocacy:

• Support the Policy Advocacy Coordinator in organizing state steering committee meetings and stakeholder convening
• Assist in the mapping of stakeholders and dairy related policies in the project state
• Alert the Policy Advocacy Coordinator when there are changes in policies, security challenges and other issues that are relevant to the program

Human Resources:

• Work with the Sahel Human Resource Associate to identify and engage qualified driver in Project states.
• Ensure that the project vehicle, laptops and phones that were purchased as part of ALDDN implementation are used for intended purpose and are always in good working condition
• Support the driver in preparing budgets for car maintenance, fueling and providing supporting evidence for expenses made and fund retirement
• Participate in the recruitment and deployment of extension agents, animal health/artificial insemination service providers and community health workers

Communication:

• Support quarterly program implementation plan including activities, targets and deadlines
• Provide quarterly reports on program accomplishments against targets, challenges and mitigation strategy
• Upload key project data across all interventions in Adamawa state to the ALDDN online data portal and submit supporting evidence to the PMO
• Submit weekly reports on accomplishments, challenges and mitigation strategy to the ALDDN Livestock Associate
• Share monthly travel log, fuel and project vehicle maintenance information and supporting evidence with the PMO
• Provide weekly plans and progress updates on key activities, challenges and mitigation strategies to the National Team Leader or senior team members delegated by Sahel
• Participate in weekly project review meetings with the ALDDN team while assuring action-oriented dialogue and productive use of time
• Participate in ALDDN State Steering Committee meetings and provide reports to the PMO
• Other duties as assigned and agreed upon by the National Team Leader (NTL).

Required Skills & Experience

• University Degree in Agriculture or related field with 3 years relevant experience at field level of community development with a strong understanding of social development
• Strong networks with key stakeholders in the agriculture landscape in both the public, private and development sector. Experience in collaborating and managing relationships with federal and state governments, donors, private sector and other key stakeholders
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, training and facilitation skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel and Outlook
• Excellent personal organizational skills and ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• High level of interpersonal skills with the ability to work across cultures and religions, with strong communication and listening abilities, good problem-solving approach and conflict resolution at individual and community level
• Strong program management skills and high level of analytical skills in planning and project implementation
• Ability to be flexible, respond professionally, and establish priorities in often fluid, changing, and challenging situations with little clear guidance is necessary.
• Ability to work calmly, tactfully, and effectively under pressure and to demonstrate extreme flexibility in managing more than one activity.
• Sound knowledge of local environment
• Willingness and enthusiasm for working with rural and vulnerable communities living in remote areas of the country.
• Proficiency in the English language (required) and Hausa (preferred).