Agricultural Development Expert for Food Security (Victory Gardens) initiative at Alinea International (Ukraine Office)

Reform initiative and position summary:

To address the risks of food insecurity for Ukrainian citizens, SURGe has launched the initiative Food Security (Victory Gardens) to encourage Ukrainians to take the issue of food security into their own hands, and to produce food for themselves, their families, and their communities. The RI aims to ensure that every person in Ukraine has sufficient food during the war and afterwards.

SURGe Project is looking for аn Agricultural Development Expert that will be responsible for agricultural advisory to partner urban and rural communities, development of content for capacity building and communication activities for families and communities on food security, efficient gardening, supporting the needs assessment, managing delivery of agricultural resources for families in need.

Location: remote job position for now, with meetings in Ukraine once the security situation allows.

Reports to: SURGe Sector Lead managing relevant initiative and Team Lead of the reform initiative.

Employment type: full-time, Monday-Friday.

Remuneration: fees are subject to negotiation and must not exceed established market rates.

The duration of the contract is 6 months with a possibility of extensions (subject of approval and implemented deliverables during a previous deployment).

For contracting (after the job offer is made), the selected candidate is expected to be registered as a Private Entrepreneur of the 3d group (consultancy services).

Indicative duties and responsibilities (scope of work):

• Provide agricultural advice to local communities and households in the production, processing and distribution of food.
• Provide content on food security and agriculture for communication materials of the initiative.
• Monitor food security situation in the country.

• Conduct assessment of learning needs of families and communities on efficient planting, growing, harvesting and long-term storage of grown food; design and plan capacity building activities and support implementation in cooperation with other team members.
• Identify families in need and assess their specific needs for planting, growing, harvesting and long-term storage of grown food to ensure their food security, identify possible national and international partners to provide the needed resources to these families.
• Provide technical support for pilot urban and rural communities with development and implementation of their food security plans, tools, capacity building activities according to their specific regional needs.
• Provide technical support for pilot communities in launching urban gardening.
• Provide recommendations as for the improvements of regulatory framework in the food security area.
• Contribute to the development of recommendations and tools for communities on mechanism to distribute food within the community, based on the needs of vulnerable groups; inter-municipal food supply mechanism; mechanism of domestically produced food usage for provision of humanitarian aid.

• Maintain excellent working relations with selected pilot urban and rural communities.
• Identify and contribute to success stories and good practices in food security.
• Adhere to the principles of RBM, GBA+ and environmental sustainability in preparation of the deliverables.
• As agreed with SURGe, ensure visibility of the Government of Canada support to this initiative in conferences, meetings, seminars, working groups, interaction with public authorities, non-governmental organizations, and other international technical assistance projects.
• Prepare and draft other documents as requested by SURGe and GoU stakeholders, related to Food Security initiative.

Preferred qualifications and skills:

• University/Master’s degree in agronomy, food security, agro-food engineering, agribusiness, rural development or other relevant discipline.
• At least 3 years of experience in agricultural advisory, agribusiness (mid or senior management level), food security.
• Professional and practical experience in the planning and implementation of rural development programmes/projects.
• Experience in advisory to the national, regional or local government on agricultural process and practices is preferable.

• Knowledge of local self-government bodies functioning and regulations.

• Technical knowledge of rural and urban development regulations and practices.
• Strong analytical, capacity development and communication skills.
• Fluent in Ukrainian, highly proficient in spoken and written English.
• Citizen of Ukraine.

Application Instructions:

1. Cover letter is mandatory to be considered. Cover letters should detail how you fit the opportunity, your daily fee and current availability.
2. Alinea International accepts electronic submissions only. Send your cover letter and CV till indicated deadline for applications.

Please note, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for follow-up. We do not welcome unsolicited phone calls.

Applications received after the indicated deadline and/or without letter of interest will not be reviewed and considered.

The interview process might start before the vacancy deadline.

2022-06-10 2022-06-24T00:00:00+03:00 Full time TELECOMMUTE Україна Alinea International