Syria: Agriculture Officer (National Position)

Aug 5, 2025 (Deadline: 2025-08-17) | Near East Foundation
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Near East Foundation (NEF) works with local partners to enable innovative, sustainable, and community-led economic and social development across the Middle East, Africa and the Caucasus to realize more prosperous, inclusive and resilient communities. NEF supports marginalized people and communities in cultivating new skills and accessing resources, networks, and opportunities to shape a future where they can overcome vulnerability to poverty, economic and social inequity, conflict, climate change, and environmental degradation.

The Agriculture Officer prepares and coordinates the requirements of training and capacity building activities for the RCF borrowers, including providing direct support through frequent field visits to their business sites (farms) to provide the best agricultural guidance methods, establishing events and training meetings at the Siraj Center, and the establishment and support of model farms, it is necessary that these events to be coordinated by the employee with his counterparts in other Siraj centers. The Agriculture Officer will also work with the loan officer and the other Siraj centers teams including the team of field associates who carry out the project outreach work, managing the project relationship with borrowers, and works with specialists in the agricultural field to raise the efficiency of field researchers to provide the best means of technical support and training for small farmers.

Responsibilities:

The Agriculture Officer will perform the following tasks:

• Conduct field visits to monitor project implementation activities.
• Coordinate closely with partner staff to ensure proper implementation of project activities.
• Provide technical assistance on climate-smart agricultural practices at the demonstration site.
• Deliver technical agricultural training sessions when needed.
• Maintain close follow-up with beneficiaries, partners, and local staff to support activities and provide necessary introductions or guidance.
• Submit weekly progress reports.
• Collaborate closely with the MEAL department for any related tasks.
• Carry out any other tasks as requested.
• Contribute to the selection and recruitment process of the project field assistants in cooperation with Siraj Center Manager.
• Provide effective coordination of the field assistants’ team to ensure the proper follow up of producers’ borrowers’ concerns, needs, and requirements, working to raise their efficiency through training, as well as ensuring the completion of work progress reports according to deadlines and without delay.
• Work with local experts, agricultural guides, and specialists in the field of agriculture to develop a technical team that contributes to raising the technical and knowledge level of the RCF borrowers.
• Provide the necessary technical advice to field assistants during the preparation of credit reports related to agricultural projects to enable them to verify the validity of the information contained in the reports and their conformity with reality so that they can produce the reports in the required technical form.
• Provide and coordinate various training activities and technical support and guidance services, in addition to coordinating with his counterparts of the same position in the surrounding Siraj centers.
• Coordinate and provide courses for training of trainers with the agencies specified by the program in the agricultural field.
• Ensure communication with all project management teams and those who are interested in the project for the purpose of sharing information regarding work progress, documenting obstacles and challenges associated with project work, as well as motivating and developing issues related to supporting the role of women and equality in all activities.
• Monitor the RCF non-financial component outcomes implemented by the agricultural cooperatives.

Qualifications and requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in agricultural science, agriculture engineering, agricultural production or relevant fields(s) from a recognized university.
• Eight years of practical and documented agricultural experience in the field of agricultural soil assessment and protection, irrigation methods, agricultural pest control, dealing with agricultural crops after harvest, or any similar work.
• Three to five years of experience in the field of preparation and ability to give agricultural training in all its topics and technical and logistical requirements.
• Documented record in team management and leadership.
• Proven experience as an effective member of a team, able to maintain effective and professional working relationships in conditions that include different geographical coverage, to include assigning job roles in balance with the required tasks.
• Ability to identify problems, brainstorm and analyze answers, and implement the best solutions.

NEF will accept rolling applications until the position is filled. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

To apply:

Please apply by submitting the following documents to https://neareast.bamboohr.com/careers/465?source=aWQ9OA%3D%3D :

1. Cover letter outlining all relevant experience, how you meet the essential criteria.
2. Curriculum Vitae.
3. List of three references (including one from current, or most recent, employer). You will be given further notice prior to us contacting references.

NEF welcomes and encourages applications from all genders, backgrounds, religions, cultures, nationalities and abilities.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Near East Foundation by visiting the NEF website at www.neareast.org.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Pre-employment Checks

Any Employment with the Near East Foundation will be subject to the following checks before start date:

• A satisfactory Restricted Party Screening.
• Receipt of satisfactory references.
• Workplace Verification Check.

NEF's strength is its people. Our team is our fuel to achieving innovation, quality programming, community focus, mutual trust, sustainability, and learning needed to realize our mission. To help our team thrive, we support a working structure that prioritizes flexibility, personal commitments, and staff well-being while promoting a work culture of teamwork, collaboration, respect, integrity, and excellence.

As an international organization, we value a truly diverse workforce and prioritize a culture of inclusivity and belonging. We strive to create a high-achieving work environment informed by different cultures, perspectives, and experiences. With a commitment to diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion in all we do, our aim is to ensure that people feel heard, protected, and empowered to contribute to NEF's mission from day one.