Project Officer | Admin Finance Officer | Agriculture Technician

Aasaman Nepal (ASN) ‘A pioneer organization for education and nutrition’, is one of the leading Terai based NGOs led and managed by social activists since its establishment in Dhanusha, Janakpur in 1999. ASN has been engaged in developing and implementing programs aimed at protection, promotion and fulfillment of child rights in Nepal. Currently ASN has been working in 17 districts under 6 Thematic Areas as: Education/Child Protection, Women Empowerment, Livelihood/ Natural Resource Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, Health/ Nutrition and Good Governance.

Aasaman Nepal in partnership with Good Neighbors International Nepal is implementing the “Building Climate Resilience and Reintegrating Economically Displaced Workers through Climate Smart Agriculture in the Terai Flood Plain, Nepal (CSA project)” in the Dhanusha and Mahottari districts of Madhesh province. The project aims to support the widespread adoption of climate-smart agriculture to reduce vulnerability and improve food and job security, especially for women and returned migrant workers.

The Aasaman Nepal is looking for the self-motivated, result oriented and hard-working Nepali citizen for the following positions:

 Position 1: Project Officer – 1

Job Description

The Project Officer will be based in the project office, at Janakpur with frequent travel to the working areas in Dhanusha and Mahottari districts. He/she will be responsible for planning, implementing, and management of the CSA project through ASN. The Project Officer shall coordinate with stakeholders and take lead in the delivery of project activities and ensure technical qualities in project implementation from ASN.

Duties and responsibilities:

A. Planning and Implementation

• Work closely with provincial and local governments for planning and implementation of the activities of the CSA project
• Mobilize local stakeholders and community for the promotion of Climate Smart Agriculture Practices in the targeted Municipality/Rural Municipality of Dhanusha and Mahottari district
• Provide technical support to M/RM to execute long-term “CSA plan”
• Identify interventions on climate-smart agriculture and agro-value chain development
• Develop standard operating procedures and training packages (including trainer and participant manuals) based on the contents, methodologies, tools, and approaches to capacitate Self-help Groups (farmer groups, user committees, cooperatives, etc) and entrepreneurs
• Deliver technical trainings on CSA and agro-enterprise development to self-help groups
• Identify opportunities for the institutionalization of livelihoods initiatives in collaboration with the local authorities, cooperatives, and farmer’s groups.
• Ensure capacity building of staff for effective implementation of project activities.
• Liaise continuously with GNI Nepal to implement the CSA project with higher technical accuracy
• Provide technical backstopping and supervision to the field staff members.

B. Coordination and Liaison

• Coordinate with funding agency for effective designing, planning, implementation, and reporting of the project.
• Coordinate with local government line agencies to enhance functional relationships and collaborations
• Seek and materialize opportunities for financing and market networking of local agro-businesses

C. Supervision and Monitoring

• Develop guidelines and field-based tools for monitoring and evaluation of the project.
• Track/monitor progress against targeted indicators in order to meet the objectives and goals of the project.
• Review all project documents and reports to ensure that technical quality is ensured.
• ­Be responsible for arranging input/data from the field for monthly, quarterly and annual reporting on project development activities to the Project Coordinator

D. Financial Management

• Be accountable for project funds, preparation, and monitoring of budgets, and management of cash flow.
• Maintain an overview of all project expenditures and consolidate the financial report in cooperation with the Finance Officer.
• Ensure full compliance with the Finance Guidelines of funding agency

E. Documentation and Reporting

• Document case studies, good practices, and lessons learned in a timely manner and share those with funding agency and other stakeholders
• Prepare and submit the project’s progress report to ASN’s management and funding agency on a monthly and quarterly basis
• Develop IEC/BCC materials and training manuals as per the need of the CSA project

F. Others

• Take any other duties as per the project’s need

Qualification and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Science (Master preferred), Agri-business Development, or Crop Sciences
• Minimum five years of experience taking a supervisory role in the execution of Climate Smart Agriculture or agribusiness development-related development project through I/NGO
• Hands-on experience in implementing eco-friendly agricultural interventions, agro-value chain development, and access to finance
• Experience in upgrading the agro-value chain through private-sector engagement.
• Professional knowledge of business plan development for agro-enterprises.
• Demonstrated technical and interpersonal skills.
• Fluent in written and spoken English and Nepali.
• Ability to speak local languages will add value to the candidate

Position 2: Admin Finance Officer – 1

Job Description

The Admin and Finance Officer will be responsible for both financial and administrative works of the organization. The major financial duties and responsibilities of the AFO include accounting, software operation, reporting and documentation, cash flow/fund management, compliance. And, administrative duties and responsibilities are to conduct works related to general administration, assets management, coordination, procurement function, inventory management, etc.

Duties and responsibilities:

A. Financial Management and Reporting:

• Maintain accounting software, transactions and supporting document
• Handle cash and treasury operations with advanced use of spread sheets for tracking expenses and payroll system with tax applications, controls for ensuring proper transactions
• Prepare and confirm monthly finance report
• Share monthly report and its findings
• Track and record advance and payable

B. Budget and Financial Planning:

• Periodically monitor budget vs expenditure
• Share budget vs expenditure to supervisor for planning of activities
• Maintain cost effectiveness and keep track of budget allocation as per activities

C. Administration

• Manage administrative function and establish internal administrative systems and controls
• Maintain updated documentation, filing, folders and administrative data management in both hard copy and soft copy version
• Maintenance of attendance register, contracting, logistical arrangement, maintaining of project document folders (staff, contracts, incoming and outgoing letters, etc.)
• Keep records of the office supplies, materials and equipment
• Keep track of proper use, maintenance and repair of physical assets and office including vehicles, equipment, furniture, etc. as necessary

D. Procurement Function:

• As a member of project procurement committee, engage in local procurement process as per procurement guideline
• Roster management of all the materials and service to be bought by project

E. Compliance:

• Implement financial policies, procedures and directives of the organization
• Comply with the national accounting and financial policies and procedures

F. Coordination:

• Coordinate administrative activities and maintain monthly and yearly timetable
• Support in recruitment process locally and keep the employee records by coordinating with project management team
• Keep track/record of the training and workshops attended by staffs

Academic Qualification and Work Experience

• Bachelors level in management
• At least two years of experience working in the sector of finance and administration in I/NGOs/ audit firm
• Preference will be given to female and local candidate with knowledge of using FAMAS software and KOICA Reporting.
• Ability to speak local language of the project area will add value to this position

Position 3: Agriculture Technician – 6

Job Description

Agriculture Technicians will be based at different Municipality/Rural Municipality (M/RM), in the Janakpur and Mahottari districts with frequent travel to the target communities of the CSA project. He/she will be responsible for community mobilization, implementation, and coordination of the CSA project in the assigned M/RM. Under the direct supervision of the Project Officer, he/she shall deliver project activities with a higher level of technical accuracy in the field.

Duties and responsibilities:

A. Planning and Implementation:

• Prepare monthly work plan based on the Detail Implementation Plan of the project
• Execute the activities mentioned in the plan of action in coordination with the Project Officer;
• Mobilize the community and ensure local participation and ownership of the project’s interventions
• Identify the potential Climate Smart Agriculture interventions
• Suggest value chain interventions for the high haue agro-commodities
• Select site and community for the implementation of project activities in close coordination with M/RM and Project Officer;
• Support to prepare and execute business plans of agro-entrepreneurs;
• Support Project Officer to identify business service packages for the agro-enterprises

B. Training and Development:

• Provide regular business counseling to agro-entrepreneurs
• Provide on-site technical backstopping to farmers;
• Support institutionalizing self-help groups in the community
• Facilitate field-based workshops and training as per the requirement of the project;

C. MEAL:

• Assist in the carry-out periodical assessment of the project in order to assess the gap in operational practices of project interventions;
• Conduct field visits to observe, monitor, and evaluate the project interventions and utilization status;
• Provide accurate data and information required for the project reports;
• Collect relevant information and prepare case stories, best practices, and lessons learned.
• Keep a record of production and sales data of the individual entrepreneur(s) and self-help groups;

D. Collaboration and Coordination:

• Coordinate with the M/RM and ward-level stakeholders for the quality implementation of the project activities and building synergy at the local level;
• Facilitate to conduct a regular meetings of self-help groups
• Encourage the community to strengthen self-help groups and make them self-inspired, self-reliant, and self-sustained;

Qualification and required skills

• Minimum Technical SLC-Agriculture (Plant Science) (After SLC) with at least five-year of experience or Intermediate in Agriculture with at least three-year of experience in community mobilization and implementation of agricultural development projects
• Hand-on experience in eco-friendly and climate-smart agriculture will add value to the candidate
• Should have community mobilization and communication skills;
• Candidate with two-wheelers driving license will get priority;
• Fluency in the local language (Maithili) will add value to the position

Languages: Strong command of Nepali, English (oral and written) and local language preferred/required.  

Aasaman Nepal has zero tolerance of abuse and exploitation of vulnerable people. We expect all our employees/volunteers to ensure we are protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults from harm and abide by our safeguarding policy.

Other Attributes for all positions: Excellent quality of work and commitment to high standards, strong communication skills, team building and willingness and motivated for good service delivery with strong networking and interpersonal skills and comfortable to work under stress and emergencies.

Age Limit: Candidates between 21 years to 45 years are only eligible to apply for the above positions, depending upon the nature of job they will carry.

All employees must adhere to child safeguarding in person’s provisions covered in the project agreement.

Monitor staff and partners’ and ensure adherence to Aasaman Nepal’s policies and internal procedures, protocols, Aasaman Nepal’s code of Conduct with special attention to Safeguarding Standards and Procedure, Case Handling Framework, Child Protection and Do No Harm Policies. Also, immediate reporting and redress of any complaints and issues based on its severity.

Notes:

• Locals, especially women and members of ethnic or marginalized communities are encouraged to apply for this position.
• Applications received after the deadline will not be considered and only shortlisted candidates will be notified for the further process.
• Canvassing at any stage of the recruitment process shall lead to automatic disqualification of the candidate

Interested candidates are requested to submit their application filled by downloading the link below along with an updated CV by 7 days 23/12/2022.

https://forms.gle/8yfb7zXiHg3V9een7

*Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for participation in the recruitment process. No telephone enquiry is entertained. ASN reserves the right to qualify/disqualify any applications without any reason.