Program Manager Animal Well-Being – Heifer International 47 views1 applications

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

Function:

The Program Manager – Animal Well-Being (AWB) will report to the Director of Programs and will lead and facilitate the well-being of all animals through the adoption of improved animal management, productivity practices and standards in all projects and program areas to ensure animal health, animal husbandry and product quality assurance is achieved. He/She will be responsible for ensuring that Heifer participants have knowledge and skills on how to maximize their animals’ productivity and reduce the cost of production. The Program Manager(AWB) will work in close collaboration and coordination with the Program/Project Managers to ensure successful, innovative, efficient, and effective functioning of all enterprise hubs in the program.

Essential Character Traits: 

The Program Manager AWB must be knowledgeable, organized and structured, accurate and detail oriented, enthusiastic, accountable, team player, creative and trustworthy, a good communicator, ethical, humble and flexible.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DELIVERABLES:

Facilitate the well-being of all project animals through the adoption of improved animal management and productivity practices and standards in all projects and programs (30%).

• Ensure quality and timely animal health and care delivery (prevention and treatment).
• Ensure good animal husbandry practices (breeding, nutrition, housing, feeding, watering, fodder, forage production, and animal waste management and other ecological production methods etc.).
• Ensure regular product quality assurance.
• Ensure regular checks on quantity and quality of animal housing.

Collaborate with technical partner(s) to design a training curriculum and develop training materials on animal health, husbandry and animal-related issues in coordination with the Training Coordinator and Program/Project Managers (20%).

• Prepare and design training curriculum and develop training materials on animal health, husbandry and animal-related issues.
• Improved animals’ health and husbandry through trained Community Agro-Vet Entrepreneurs (CAVES).
• Provide follow-up and backstopping to trained farmers, partners and Heifer staff.
• Mobilize CAVES and technical experts as appropriate for improving livestock management practices.
• Coach, guide and train the CAVES, farmers and partners in animal management.
• Arranging trainings and workshops for Community Agro-Vet Entrepreneurs (CAVES) and project partners on improved animal health and husbandry.
• Mobilizing CAVEs and technical experts as appropriate for improving livestock management practices by project participants including coaching, guiding and training farmers in animal management.

Support and provide oversight of the establishment of livestock producer hubs/veterinary care and breeding service entrepreneurship (35%).

• Ensure all project animals are selected for the purpose and profile of recipient communities.
• Ensure all imported and locally purchased animals are quarantined and certified free of diseases.
• Document productivity of animal in any given animal enterprise.
• Facilitate the engagement of private sector in the provision of Artificial Insemination (AI) Service.
• Ensure the adoption of improved fodder and pasture production.
• Coordinate supply of quality veterinary services, equipment, vaccines, medicines through the hubs as appropriate.
• Document any changes to feeding or health regimes and any other management changes that may occur.
• Track and document known diseases/infections and mortalities.
• Ensure records of animal health, breading and productivity are communicated between partners and CAVES.

Facilitate and develop strategies that will ensure environmental protection, conservation and infrastructure suitable for animal well-being (10%).

• Ensure reforestation programs to replenish the environment are executed in all project areas.
• Ensure the construction of environmentally friendly and appropriate low-cost livestock housing structures with proper ventilation/lighting and improved sanitation and hygiene.
• Proper manure management and utilization.
• Facilitate measure that will ensure sustainable management of grazing land.
• Promote fodder/forage massively as campaign so that communities will have abundant nutritious plants for animals.

May perform other job-related duties as assigned/requested (5%).

Required Skills

Most Critical Proficiencies:

1. Knowledgeable of and experience in working with livestock programs.
2. Knowledge of and experience with or within community organizations.
3. Fluent in national language(s) and English, spoken as well as written.
4. Good leadership qualities.
5. Good communication skills.
6. Have an interest in animal/agriculture Community development.
7. Excellent organizational skills including strong attention to details.
8. Strong computer literacy, preferably with Microsoft Office Suite.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands:

1. Motivated to work responsibly with little supervision.
2. Ability to meet and deal with others in a courteous and tactful manner.
3. Demonstrate a high degree of honesty and integrity.
4. Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the public.
5. Constant sitting, standing and walking, with occasional bending and lifting; may work at a computer for extended periods of time.
6. Ability to lift and carry up to 30 pounds (14 kilograms) floor to waist.
7. Ability and willingness to work with a flexible schedule.
8. Willingness and ability to travel extensively, both locally and internationally.
9. Ability to foster and maintain a spirit of unity, teamwork and cooperation.
10. Sensitivity in working with multiple cultures and beliefs, and to gender equity.
11. Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.

Required Experience

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor’s Degree in Veterinary Science or equivalent plus (5) years of job related experience is required.

Preferred Requirements:

Master’s Degree in Veterinary Sciences plus relevant experience.