Requisition ID: req59456 Job Title: Agriculture Assistant Sector: Economic Recovery & Livelihood Employment Category: Regular Employment Type: Full-Time Open to Expatriates: No Location: Al-Raqqa, Syria Work Arrangement:In-person Job Description Background/Context: The IRC has operated in Syria since 2012, providing protection, health, economic recovery, and early childhood development programs in Idleb, Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa, Hassakeh, and Deir ez-Zor, with new programs expanding into Hama, rural Damascus, and Homs. With a team of over 700 members, the IRC has established trust and strong community relationships, ensuring access and effective service delivery. It plays a significant role in Syria’s NGO, donor, and coordination forums, holding key positions and adapting to the evolving context. With the new realities under the new government, as of December 2024, the IRC has deployed a team to Damascus to set up operations and engage in coordination structures for newly accessible areas across Syria—including parts of NES, NWS, and other previously unreachable locations in South and Central Syria, adjusting operations to maximize coverage and efficiency. Economic Recovery and Development (ERD): IRC has over 10 years of experience in Syria implementing cash, agriculture, and livelihoods programming, and was one of the first organizations to use cash transfers, supporting vulnerable communities with MPCT since 2014 in the northwest, and 2015 in the northeast. Job Overview/Summary: The IRC is seeking a highly motivated Agriculture assistant to play a pivotal role in the successful implementation of our agriculture projects. The ideal candidate will be responsible for a diverse range of tasks, including field assessments, beneficiary selection, input distribution, training facilitation, and project monitoring. This role requires strong organizational, communication, and agriculture expertise to ensure the project's success. The agriculture assistant will be an integral part of the Syria response team. This position supports the delivery of agricultural assistance to those affected by the conflict in the target areas of Al-Hasakeh, and Der Ez Zor. Responsibilities: + Engage in field assessments and surveys to design project approaches, target groups, and beneficiary selection criteria. + Collect baseline data to inform project planning and development. + Conduct thorough verification and registration processes for farmers in targeted project locations. + Organize and supervise the distribution of agricultural inputs to beneficiaries. + Coordinate, implement, and closely monitor agriculture project activities at the local level. + Contribute to market assessments and vendor verification to enhance project effectiveness. + Facilitate farmer training sessions, field visits, and engagement through WhatsApp groups. + Provide guidance on cropping patterns and farming techniques to enhance agricultural practices. + A ssist the agriculture officer in training coordination, module preparation, and leading agriculture-open day training sessions. + Contribute to the development of agriculture messages and brochures. + Conduct frequent field visits to assess crop progress, monitor smart agriculture practices, and collect data from seed multipliers and testers. + Ensure transparency in accounting, reporting, and documentation of cash assistance and input distribution activities. + Adhere to donor policies and program standards. + Address questions and concerns from seed testers within WhatsApp groups, offering guidance on agricultural topics. + Foster engagement by posing challenges and questions for seed testers and multipliers to solve. + Follow up with seed testers to collect biweekly notes and progress updates, including measurements and crop photos. + Schedule regular one-on-one check-ins and field visits with seed testers and multipliers. + Provide constructive feedback on results and data submitted by seed testers. + Collaborate with safety and security focal points to ensure field activities align with safety protocols. + Prepare movement requests for field trips and report incidents promptly. + Generate weekly and monthly project progress reports. + M aintain comprehensive documentation of all agricultural activities using approved tools. + Maintain organized files for procurement and program distribution records. + Provide data and information for assigned projects in alignment with jointly designed MEAL plans with the MEAL department. Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development + Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies. + Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths the teams in Syria. + Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews. + Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions. + Approve and manage time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly, accurate timesheet submission and carry out probationary reviews. + Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, minimally on a monthly basis. + Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths. + As required, identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies. + Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions. + Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff. + Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate. As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train and develop capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition role and responsibilities, by the end of assignment. Required Experience/qualification/Skills: + Approximately 1 year of progressively responsible professional experience working with INGOs or local NGOs. + Institutional degree in agricultural studies. Demonstrated Skills and Competencies: + A commitment to IRC’s mission, vision, values, and IRC Way – Professional Code of Conduct. + Credible written, presentation and verbal communication skills; ability to convey information effectively and solid experience providing training and staff development + Validated sense of professional discretion, integrity, and ability to handle complex situations diplomatically and to effective resolution. + Excellent management and interpersonal skills and a solid ability to promote harmonious/cohesive teamwork, in a cross-cultural context. + Validated ability to plan long-term, organize priorities and work under administrative and programmatic pressures with detail orientation and professional patience. + Highly collaborative and resourceful; ability to establish positive working relationships with senior level management and all other partners to maximize cooperation and productivity. + Curiosity, a desire to continually learn and develop. + Analytical ability in creating effective solutions to complex matters while adhering to labor laws and internal policies. Language/Travel: + Arabicis required, whileEnglish desired. Key Working Relationships: + Position Reports to: Agriculture Officer. + Position directly supervises:Agriculture training facilitators. + Indirect Reporting (If applicable):Sr. seed security officer. + Key Internal Contacts:ERD team (livelihood, CFW and VSLA staff). + Key External Contacts: Community leaders, agriculture council and HAO. Professional Standards:IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and carries out policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation. Returning National Candidates:We strongly encourage national or returning national candidates to apply for this position. If you are a citizen of the country where this position is based and are currently residing outside of your home country, you may be eligible for an attractive relocation package. Eligibility is determined based on IRC's operational needs and specific role requirements. IRC strives to attract, motivate, and retain qualified national staff in our programs. Accountability to Clients:IRC staff must adhere to the commitment of contributing to the sustainability and development of its (CR) Client Responsiveness Mechanisms, preserving the culture of prioritizing the needs of our clients and affected communities by systematically listening to their perspectives and using their feedback to make programmatic decisions and give them greater influence over program design and delivery.