Cooperative Development Advisor at GIZ

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is the implementing agency of the Federal Republic of Germany for technical and international cooperation. It offers flexible, sustainable and effective solutions in political, economic and social change processes. Most of the work of GIZ is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). GIZ also operates on behalf of other German ministries as well as public and private bodies in Germany and abroad. These include the European Commission, the United Nations, the World Bank and governments of other countries.

Under the Green Innovation Centres for the Agriculture and Food Sector project in Zambia (part of the Special Initiative ONE WORLD – No Hunger), GIZ provides support to the dairy value chain in Zambia’s Southern Province focusing on small-scale dairy farmers and their cooperatives. Key thematic areas are: animal husbandry and dairy management, feeding regimes and fodder production; breeding of dairy cows; access to financial services and access to markets. Cooperatives also play a major role in the chosen development approach. They receive support in Cooperative governance and developing cooperative-run enterprises reaching beyond milk collection by tapping into additional product and service requirements of their members such as fodder, dairy animals and training. The produced milk is mainly sold to the formal market. A small amount is processed locally into yogurt and ice cream. Through a newly added thematic focus (extension module) on animal health, increased importance will be given to issues related to dairy animal health and production management. This topic shall be tackled in a holistic approach focusing on: (1) Prevention of diseases through good dairy farming practices and (2) diagnostic and treatment of diseases.

By improving farmers’ skills and knowledge in dairy farming, the project aims to improve productivity and income levels as well as to prepare farmers to better cope with external threats.

The project is, therefore, seeking to recruit the following on a fixed-term contract:

Advisor: Cooperative development advisor (based in Choma)
REF: GIZ_GIC_CODE_CHOM

Responsibilities:

Engagement with dairy cooperatives

• Design an effective collaboration mechanism that is based on accountability, commitment and achievements of the supported cooperatives
• Maintain a close cooperation with cooperatives (but also demand driven)
• Provide input into communication and extension channels used by the project

Capacity development of dairy cooperatives

• Provide (demand driven) training and coaching/advice to selected cooperatives in areas such as governance, management and enterprise development
• Support cooperatives in developing and delivering services for members and member mobilisation
• Keep track and follow up on progress made and suggest redirective actions in the implementation approach if required (in close collaboration with the project coordinator)
• Introduce/strengthen process improvements using digital solutions
• Improve/adapt training materials and provide input in other communication/ extension channels used by the project

Collaboration with stakeholders

• Engage the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industries wherever needed
  Liaise with other relevant stakeholders and exchange experiences and lessons learnt

Required qualifications, competences and experience

Academic qualifications

• University degree in agriculture, animal sciences, business administration or a related field
• Certification in cooperative development

Professional experience

• 5 years’ professional experience in a comparable position
• Ideally min. 2 years’ experience in the working with cooperatives
• Preferably min. 2 years’ experience in business development of rural enterprises

Other knowledge, additional competences

• Driving licence minimum of a ‘B’ class
• experience with approaches for empowering youth and women
• excellent didactic and instructional skills and knowledge on adult learning concepts including coaching
• excellent networking skills, communication and writing skills
• good organisational skills
• excellent interpersonal skills and a good team player
• sufficient working knowledge of ITC technologies and PC applications
• fluent in English and in Tonga

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