Field Coordinator – Jimma, Shebe Sombo woreda

Job Description

ABOUT DIGITAL GREEN

Digital Green is an international non-government organization that empowers smallholder farmers to lift themselves out of poverty by harnessing the collective power of technology and grassroots-level partnerships. We join forces with governments, private agencies, CSOs and, most importantly, rural communities themselves to co-create digital solutions that help smallholder farmers increase productivity and income. In Ethiopia, Digital Green is working in five regions in introducing and scaling video-extension approaches, supporting farmer organizations to use their collective power for improved income opportunities and leveraging data to provide location specific agricultural advisories to farmers. Digital Green works in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Regional Bureaus of Agriculture and Natural Resource. For more information, please visit Digital Green’s website: www.digitalgreen.org. Rigorous data analysis and farmer feedback continually challenge our assumptions and identify new ways that technology coupled with local knowledge can push the needle on agriculture, food and nutrition security.

Digital Green is entering an exciting phase of development as it expands to additional digital solutions, agricultural commodities and geographies. As part of this expansion, Digital Green is building a team of exceptional individuals with a passion for finding solutions to pressing development problems. This is an exciting opportunity to join Digital Green’s growing team in Ethiopia, supporting our ongoing and new programs.

Job Title: Field Coordinator

Location: Jimma, Shebe Sombo Woreda 

Job Summary

The Field Coordinator, reporting to the Project Manager, will be in charge of executing and organizing initiatives focused on enhancing the incomes of coffee farmers in Jimma Zone. This position requires close collaboration with local partners, cooperatives, local bank for facilitating credit, agricultural extension workers, and farmers. The position provides guidance and technical support and ensures that program objectives and targets are met. Other responsibilities include training and capacity building for local intermediaries, overseeing farmer training video productions, ensuring quality of project activities, data management, facilitating input credits and access to inputs, supporting women self-help groups, and assisting other producer groups.

Job Purpose

To ensure timely, cost effective and efficient delivery of Digital Green Ethiopia‘s services in the designated area of operation.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy & Work plans

• Work directly with the Project Manager to execute annual work plans and achieve targets and deliverables;
• Ensure progress and achievements are tracked against established work plans;

Provision of Video-Based Agronomy Training

• Train and coach woreda partner staff on producing quality videos related to coffee and maize agronomy.
• Coordinate the development and production of video-based training materials.
• Support training sessions for smallholder farmers on coffee and maize agronomy using video-based materials.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the video-based training program.

Facilitation of Input Credits and Access to Inputs:

• Identify and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to facilitate input credits for coffee and maize farming.
• Develop and implement strategies to ensure smallholder farmers have access to quality inputs.
• Provide guidance and support to farmers on proper utilization of inputs for improved productivity.
• Monitor the distribution and utilization of inputs and provide regular reports.

Formation and Technical Support to Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Honey Producer Groups(HPGs):

• Facilitate the formation of women self-help groups and honey producer groups in collaboration with stakeholders
• Facilitate technical support and training to the groups on various income-generating activities related to agriculture for the SHGs and on honey value chain for the HPGs.
• Foster entrepreneurship skills among the groups to enhance their economic empowerment.
• Monitor the progress and impact of the groups and provide necessary guidance.

Quality Assurance and Supporting Impact Assessment

• Ensure quality assurance by gathering data captured through observation sheets while observing video disseminations and video content and technical quality audits at Kebele level;
• Coordinate field travel for Digital Green team members as well as external stakeholders;
• Support the implementation of the various monitoring and evaluation methods determined by the Digital Green Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) team.

Reporting, Data Management, and Documentation

• Ensure Partners complete necessary documentation and enter data acquired at Kebele level
• Document case studies, best practices, and success stories at Kebele level
• Ensure accurate and proper data management processes at Woreda and Kebele levels
• Report on challenges and difficulties encountered during program execution to Digital Green Program Team to resolve issues on time
• Regularly review Digital Green’s data management system to monitor project deliverables, achievements, and regularly report to the team on activities, milestones and accomplishments

Job Requirement

Qualifications and Experiences

• Bachelors or higher degree, in Agriculture, Agricultural Extension, Rural Development, or related agricultural fields.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in project implementation, preferably within an NGO setting
• Knowledge of coffee and maize agronomy and experience in providing agronomy training.
• Some experience in domains related to ICT for agriculture/health and nutrition/ will be preferred
• Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders, including local communities, government officials, and NGOs
• Strong organizational and coordination skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Fluency in Afaan Oromo and English
• Basic knowledge of using internet/cloud applications, MS word, MS PowerPoint, etc.
• Basic skills for using data analysis tools like Microsoft Excel

To be successful as a member of the Digital Green team, you will also:

• Have a passion for our mission and a strong desire to impact an up-and-coming non-profit organization.
• Be an innovative and creative thinker – you are not afraid to try something new and inspire others to do so.
• Have a very high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness.
• Have a strong work ethic, take initiative, and require minimal direction.
• Work well independently as well as part of a team.

Compensation

Digital Green is a great place to work and prides itself on a competitive and comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Digital Green is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Application timeline – until August 27,2023