Intern - Animal Health - Illeret at Catholic Relief

WHY?

Nawiri is building capacity of vulnerable households in Illeret ward on improved livestock production and management practices to increase milk production and consumption and thereby reduce persistent acute malnutrition among Under 5 (U5) children, Pregnant and Lactating Women (PLW). These practices include improved livestock disease identification, reporting and management, livestock feeding and linkages to markets.

Illeret ward is about 520 kilometres from Marsabit town and consequently has had limited support on livestock production and veterinary service provision from county government private actors and development partners. In collaboration with the county departments of veterinary and livestock production, Nawiri plans to engage an animal health intern to support animal health service delivery and other livelihood activities in Illeret ward, North horr subcounty. The engagement of the animal health intern will add value to livestock diseases reporting system and livestock production services to improve animal health and hence increased livestock production. S/He will closely work with community disease reporters on disease surveillance and reporting and will sensitize herders on zoonotic diseases as well as emphasizing on the need of seeking professional veterinary advice regarding their livestock disease management.

HOW

The Intern - Animal Health will support the project in the implementation of livestock health interventions in Illeret ward with close supervision and guidance from the Nawiri production (livestock & agriculture) officer and County Department of veterinary services. S/he will support a variety of livestock health and production -related activities, including training pastoralists on improved animal health practices, strengthening CDRs on participatory disease surveillance and reporting and facilitating private sector partnership and engagements. The engagement will provide learning and development opportunities to the intern by providing a platform for on- job-training and mentorship by project staff, partners, communities, and the relevant county government departments and equip young professionals with relevant skills and experience to enhance their employability and capacity to deliver quality services to communities, county department, private sector, and other development agencies. 

ROLE

In close collaboration, and reporting to the Project Officer – Production (Livestock and Agriculture), the intern will support in:  

• Building and maintaining close coordination and co-operation with county departments of livestock and veterinary services, to ensure synergy and improved coordination of interventions in Illeret ward.
•  Coordinating with public and private service animal health providers to reach Nawiri participants with livestock services and products. 
• fFollow-up, CDR in collaboration with Government counterparts, LIPs, and partners.
• Facilitating livestock producers to have improved knowledge and skills and to adopt practices that are nutrition sensitive and support resilience.
• Monitoring and measuring of outputs related to production interventions and in liaison with the accountability and learning team, ensure community feedback is monitored and acted upon and that learning around production interventions is documented and shared at all levels.
• Compilation of activity reports and field visit reports at end the of each activity using standard tools including weekly progress reports.
• Participate in team meetings as part of learning. 
• Any other activities assigned by the production (livestock & agriculture) officer.  

Personal Skills 

• Strong relationship management abilities. 
• Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally.
• Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Excellent negotiation skills.
• Strong communications and presentation skills.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.
• Capable of working in a dynamic, results oriented environment; ability to multi-task across various work streams/priorities.
• Team player with a positive attitude who can work independently while also being highly collaborative and open. Capable of building relationships and influencing the opinions of others.
• Demonstrated Commitment to respect, equity, diversity, and inclusion including gender equality.

Required/Desired Foreign Language: English, Swahili and Dassanach language is an added advantage.

Travel Required: 90% of the time to targeted sub-counties of Marsabit as per the role. 

Key Working Relationships: 

• Supervision: Reports to Project Officer Production
• Internal: Nawiri production officer (agriculture & livestock), SPO livelihood, Nawiri Markets Systems and Value chain officer, Caritas Production officers and Caritas Markets Systems and Value chain officer.
• External: Local implementing partners, government departments at different levels and local communities.

QUALIFICATIONS

WHO?

Basic Qualifications

• At least a diploma in animal health from a Kenyan recognized institution
• Be registered by Kenya Veterinary Board (K.V.B.) or be a member of a relevant professional association.
• Completed studies in the relevant field within the last two years.
• Demonstrated ability to be collaborative, creative, and innovative. 
• Willingness to work in the field with, veterinary officers, CDRs, SILC and AN-GM Business Saving Groups 
• Should be computer literate from a recognized institution. 
• Willingness to learn new things in a rapidly changing context.