Livestock Farm Officer
FJD 30,720 per year
Closes today
About the company
Fiji National University (FNU), through its College of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (CAFF), runs initiatives in agricultural extension, sustainable rural development, applied research, and community capacity building across Fiji and the Pacific. CAFF has established the South Pacific Extension and Development Institute (SPEDI) as a regional platform for extension leadership, applied research, training, partnership development, and knowledge exchange.
About the role
This role sits within SPEDI and is advertised as a Development Officer position, reporting to the Acting Director, SPEDI. The officer leads the on-the-ground establishment of three flagship initiatives: an innovation incubation hub, a model farm to trial and demonstrate innovations, and three climate-smart model villages in Fiji. Work includes taking these initiatives from concept to operation, coordinating stakeholders, managing resources, and reporting on progress. The role also supports delivery of the ACIAR-funded Fiji Landcare Project and other SPEDI initiatives, covering stakeholder engagement, training coordination, reporting, partnership development, and institutional capacity building, plus other duties assigned by the Acting Director as the work program evolves.
Key responsibilities
- Establish the Innovation Incubation Hub: develop a concept and governance plan, set up facilities, and onboard the first cohort of innovators (Months 1-6).
- Establish the Model Farm: prepare the site, agree a trial plan with researchers, and complete and document the first trial cycle (Months 1-6).
- Select and assess 3 Climate-Smart Model Villages: complete needs assessments and co-design intervention plans with communities (Months 1-4).
- Roll out climate-smart interventions in all 3 villages, deliver community training, and document progress (Months 4-12).
- Submit quarterly progress reports to the Acting Director, SPEDI, covering all workstreams including budget and resource use.
- Support delivery of ACIAR-funded Fiji Landcare Project activities, including stakeholder engagement, training coordination, reporting, and partnership development.
- Scope and deliver additional deliverables as agreed with the Acting Director as tasks arise.
About the successful candidate
- A Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as agricultural extension, development studies, rural sociology, or agribusiness.
- At least 3-5 years of leadership experience in academic, research and development, or extension-related institutions.
- A Post Graduate Diploma in a relevant field is desirable.
- Proven experience establishing or coordinating programs, hubs, farms, or field sites from concept to operation is desirable.
- Strong stakeholder engagement skills with government, community, and private sector partners is desirable.
- Working knowledge of climate-smart agriculture and community resilience approaches is desirable.
- Proficiency in MS Office Suite and project management tools is desirable; data analysis skills (e.g. SPSS, NVivo) are an advantage.
- Sound financial and administrative skills to manage budgets and resources, plus excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.