Background:

SWISSAID is a non-government organization headquartered in Switzerland with operations in nine countries. It operates in Tanzania since 1972 with a focus on small scale farming, gender equality and extractives. Swissaid Tanzania has joined hands with other likeminded AE stake holders to support efforts of the government of Tanzania to promote Bihawana FTC to become a center of excellence of Ecological Organic agriculture. Together with other supports, Swissaid Tanzania will station one Project Officer to be part of the implementing team for Bihawana FTC.

The overarching objective of Swissaid Tanzania is to improve sustainable rural livelihoods of smallholder farmers.

Regions of operation:

Field operations are mainly taking place in the regions of Mtwara, Lindi, Ruvuma, Morogoro but also to a limited extent in Pwani and other regions.  The intended project officer will be responsible for selected districts in Dodoma

Further information on SWISSAID is available at www.swissaid.ch ; and on agroecology at www.fao.org/agroecology/en/

Mode of application:

Candidates should submit a letter of intent describing how they qualify for this position, a CV, two referees including contact phone numbers and email address at their earliest convenience.  

Join other staff at Bihawana FTC to promote the center and become Ecological Organic Agriculture credible training center.

Some of the key duties and responsibilities:

Take a leading role in the coordination and implementation of activities related to agro-ecological farming but not limited to, the implementation of project “Enhancing agro-ecological demonstration & training capacity of the BFTC

• As part of this project, coordinate the implementation of a training plan across selected EOA farming communities
• Organize and conduct training sessions and contribute to the production of training materials
• Provide technical backstopping on agro-ecology and conduct regular field visits to farmer groups, including in remote areas.
• Promote and use new technologies, in particular dedicated smartphone applications.  
• Foster good coordination and synergies with other elements of the EOA imitative in the country. 

• Hold a first university degree in the area of agriculture, preferably in agronomy/horticulture, with a minimum of three  years working experience.
• Hold a certificate or diploma and/or a significant experience in the area of ecological agriculture / agro-ecology.
• Demonstrated experience with project management and leadership, with capacity to effectively manage multi-years projects and lead a team of up to 10 people.
• Interest and experience with grassroots communities in the agriculture sector.
• Practical experience and interest in working with multiple partners including the government, civil society organizations, academia and the private sector.
• A commitment to equal opportunities and promotion of gender equity.
• High level analytical and report writing skills in English.
• Fluent in English and Swahili and Must be computer literate.
• Ability to work independently, multitasking and under pressure, be focused on results, with strong work ethic and self-motivation.
• Be a team player.