The National Programme Coordinator Transforming Agriculture through Diversification and Entrepreneurship (TRADE)
Background
Transforming Agriculture through Diversification and Entrepreneurship Programme (TRADE) Programme is a Government of Malawi 6-year initiative funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) whose overall goal is to contribute to improved sustainable livelihoods of rural people in Malawi through Value Chain commercialisation and resilience of rural poor and smallholder’s producers”.
TRADE Programme specifically seeks to:
(i) increase production and productivity by smallholder farmers;
(ii) functionally upgrade smallholder farmers and the rural poor to undertake new functions such as processing, storage, packaging to capture more value;
(iii) improve horizontal linkages by strengthening the capacities of cooperatives to provide market access functions to smallholder farmers; and,
(iv) improve vertical linkages between stakeholders at different functional levels of the commodity chain, including private sector.
TRADE intends to support rural entrepreneurs, focusing on youths and women to develop and sustain their agribusiness enterprise opportunities and ensuring that commodities are nutrition sensitive. This objective will be achieved through targeted support to smallholder farmers and non-farm actors to benefit from commodity markets, improved access to rural financial services, market and business development services and partnerships with the private sector. The programme directly contributes to Pillar 1 of MW 2063 and Strategic objective 2 of the Malawi Country Strategic Opportunity (COSOP 2016-2021) “Smallholder households access remunerative markets and services”.
It also contributes to Strategic Objective 1 of the COSOP “Smallholder households become resilient
to natural shocks” by focusing on the promotion of climate-smart agriculture and the mainstreaming of nutrition in all project activities. Under the Ministry of Local Government as lead agency, TRADE will be implemented under 3 interlinked components namely:
sustainable producer-private partnerships; enabling environment for smallholder commercialization and component; and, institutional support and programme management. With a total target of 300,000 households, TRADE will initially cover 11 districts (Mchinji, Ntchisi, Dedza, Blantyre, Kasungu, NkataBay, Rumphi, Karonga, Lilongwe Rural, Thyolo and Chitipa) focusing on 7 commodities (groundnuts, soybean, sunflower, Irish potato, dairy, beef and honey).
It is in view of this background that TRADE is looking for highly motivated and experienced candidates to fill the 2 positions tenable in Lilongwe as follows:
Number of Positions: 1
Reporting to: Administrative Officer
Job Purpose
The key role of the position is to provide administrative and secretarial support to the programme. The position holder will be part of the PMU team and provide administrative functions to ensure that administrative support is adequate at all times and that the programme is not hampered by administrative hiccups. The officer will work closely with the administrative officer, Agribusiness Specialist, Procurement and Contracts Specialist and Finance Management Specialist
Duties, Roles and Responsibilities
Specific functions of the administrative assistant shall include but not limited to the following:
- Office management including ensuring that office equipment is in good working order at all times;
- Management of office supplies;
- Managing cleaning and guarding services;
- Management of travel schedules and diary of Technical personnel in the PMU
- Organisation of programme functions including meeting, workshops, trainings and any other
business forums for Technical staff - Making logistical arrangements for workshops, trainings and TRADE functions.
- Establishing and maintaining effective filing system for the office.
- Managing and ensuring that stores are adequate at all times.
- Managing the reception and switchboard of TRADE’s PMU
- Attending to TRADE PMU office’s visitors
- Ensuring proper coordination and logistical support of field activities
- Any other duties as assigned from time to time by relevant authorities
Qualification
- Degree in Business Administration or related field or advanced Diploma in Office Management and Administration plus 120 Words per minute typing speed. Those with a Degree in any Social Science (Public Administration, Business Administration, Community Development) or General Management field but with extensive experience in administration shall also be considered.
- Competence in the use of word processing, power point and excel spread sheets.
- At least five years’ experience as an administrative assistant or personal secretary in a busy office with similar arrangements.
- Sound public relations and interpersonal skills.
Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their applications together with copies of certificates, CVs and names of three traceable referees clearly indicating the position being applied for on the email heading (for emails) of envelopes (for hard-copies) not later than 27th September 202 to:
The National Programme Coordinator Transforming Agriculture through Diversification and
Entrepreneurship (TRADE)
P.O. Box 2135
LILONGWE
Or Email: administration@tradeprogramme.org
Area 9 Plot Number 328
TRADE is an equal opportunity employer. Women candidates are encouraged to apply.