Note: Applications will be accepted & reviewed on a rolling basis.
About the Project:
Pakistan Agricultural Technology Transfer Activity (PATTA) is a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project designed to increase smallholder farmers’ access to markets, alongside their overall development impact and cost-effectiveness. Smallholders farmers in Pakistan use outdated and less effective technologies, leading to stagnant or dwindling productivity and returns, particularly in the horticulture and livestock sub-sectors. Because improved technologies that are affordable, impactful, and safe have not yet penetrated the vast smallholder market. PATTA will combat these challenges by galvanizing ongoing private-sector investment to commercialize the types of agricultural technologies that enable smallholders to increase their incomes, improve farm productivity, create jobs, and enhance economic growth and stability. These technologies include seeds, fertilizers, water pumps, improved plant and animal breeds, precision agriculture, and integrated soil fertility management, amongst others.
Position Description:
Working under the supervision of the program's Director of Business Development and Marketing Services, the Behavior Change Officer will be responsible for identifying barriers to access and uptake of improved technologies among subsets of smallholder farmers. The BC Officer will design participatory, evidence-based strategies for development of high-quality products, uptake of innovative dissemination practices, monitoring and evaluation of behavior change communications activities and impact, and adherence to USAID branding and marking guidelines.
The main duties of the Behavior Change Officer are:
- Develop an agriculture technology Behavior Change Action Plan with timelines, milestones and responsibilities.
- Implement and evaluate behavior change strategies with regards to agricultural technologies.
- Assess needs and trends in Agricultural Technologies.
- Contribute to the gender integration, market analysis, and technology and practice adoption.
- Conduct continuous formative research to identify barriers to access and uptake of improved technologies among subsets of smallholders and adaptations that meet their needs.
- Design focus group questionnaires and develop ToT trainings and manuals for facilitators and the conduct of IDIs.
- Share findings with technical staff to inform adaptations of technologies and marketing plans.
- Advise on and manage pre-testing of messaging for different subsets of smallholders.
- Builds the capacity of supply-side partners to use behavior change tools to develop resonant and relevant messaging for subsets of smallholders, particularly those with low literacy.
Qualifications/Requirements:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Agricultural Education, Extension Education, Rural Sociology Psychology, Communications, or similar Social Sciences area required; Master’s Degree preferred;
- At least 7 years relevant, professional experience in roles with increasing levels of responsibility required, Minimum of 2 years experience in a behavior change role.
- Demonstrated knowledge of Social Science research methods and design; 3 years experience preferred.
- Demonstrated experience in the use of new and emerging communication technologies to reach audiences effectively and at scale, and in assessing knowledge sharing needs and identifying appropriate dissemination activities;
- Ability to initiate and implement activities with minimal oversight and supervision.
- Team player, with excellent organizational, training design and delivery, time management, and communication skills in English, both written and oral. Excellent Urdu, with regional language capability desirable.
- Knowledge of SBCC and its application to development programs.
- Proven teamwork, partnering skills (facilitating dialogue and communications across diverse sectors, institutions, and geographic administrative levels)
- Pakistani national;
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe applications;
- Knowledge of international development, particularly USAID-funded initiatives preferred;
- Working knowledge of USAID policies, rules and regulations preferred;
- Previous project work experience in Pakistan;
- Strong communication skills;