Project Officer (Dairy Value Chain Development Project) at Future Resilience and Development Foundation (FRAD)

Purpose of the Position

• The Project Officer will support day-to-day implementation of all project activities in Mafa LGA, ensuring alignment with project objectives, donor requirements, and FRAD’s operational standards. The officer will coordinate with community structures, government partners, cooperatives, and technical teams to ensure timely, high-quality delivery of project outputs.

Key Responsibilities

Project Implementation & Coordination

• Support planning, coordination, and execution of all field activities across dairy production, fodder development, AI services, biodigester installation, and market linkage initiatives.
• Work closely with livestock officers, extension agents, and consultants to deliver technical training on animal husbandry, milk hygiene, fodder production, and feed formulation.
• Facilitate distribution of cows, feed starter packs, seeds, tools, and dairy equipment to selected households.
• Support establishment and strengthening of dairy cooperatives, VSLAs, and producer groups.
• Coordinate community sensitization, beneficiary selection, and mobilization in collaboration with RUGA management and local authorities.

Monitoring, Reporting & Documentation

• Track progress of project activities using FRAD’s MEAL tools and templates.
• Collect field data on milk yield, fodder production, AI success rates, training attendance, and market engagement.
• Prepare weekly, monthly, and quarterly activity reports for internal and donor use.
• Support MEAL teams during baseline, midline, and endline assessments.
• Document success stories, challenges, and lessons learned.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Maintain strong relationships with community leaders, dairy farmers, cooperatives, and youth/women groups.
• Liaise with Borno State Ministry of Livestock, BOLMA, AI Centre, and other partners to ensure smooth coordination.
• Facilitate market linkage activities with traders, processors, and distributors in Maiduguri and surrounding markets.

Training & Capacity Building

• Support delivery of training sessions on:
  • Dairy farming and milk handling
  • Fodder production and seed multiplication
  • Financial literacy and bookkeeping
  • Cooperative governance and VSLA management
  • Biodigester operation and eco-friendly briquette production
• Assist in developing training materials and ensuring inclusive participation (women, youth, persons with special needs).

Logistics & Operational Support

• Coordinate field logistics, including transport, venue preparation, and distribution planning.
• Ensure proper documentation of all distributions and activity attendance.
• Support procurement processes in line with FRAD and donor guidelines.

Required Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Doctor of Veterinary medicine, bachelor’s degree in agriculture, Animal Science, Rural Development, Environmental Science, or related field.
• Minimum of 3–4 years experience in project implementation within NGOs, especially in agriculture, livestock, livelihoods, or resilience programming.
• Experience working in humanitarian or development settings in Northeast Nigeria.
• Strong understanding of pastoralist/Agro-pastoralist systems, livestock management, or dairy value chains.
• Experience in community mobilization, training facilitation, and stakeholder engagement.
• Ability to collect and manage field data accurately.
• Proficiency in English; knowledge of Hausa and/or Kanuri is an added advantage.
• Willingness to work in remote, hard-to-reach areas under challenging conditions.

Desirable

• Experience with GIZ-funded projects or similar donor-funded programs.
• Knowledge of fodder production, AI processes, or dairy processing.
• Experience supporting VSLAs, cooperatives, or market linkage activities.
• Familiarity with safeguarding, protection mainstreaming, and gender inclusion.

Key Competencies

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Problem-solving and adaptability
• Community engagement and conflict-sensitive approaches
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Good organizational and time-management skills
• Commitment to FRAD’s values, safeguarding, and accountability standards