RESEARCH INTO USE PROJECT (RIUP) IS A RESEARCH PROJECT FUNDED CENTRALLY BY THE UNITED KINGDOM’S DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (DFID-UK). THE GLOBAL ACTION RESEARCH MANDATE OF THE PROGRAMME IS TO ACCUMULATE, EVALUATE AND COMMUNICATE EVIDENCE ON HOW AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH OUTPUTS CAN BE ACCESSED BY, OR DELIVERED TO, INTENDED USERS THROUGH INNOVATIVE, COST-EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT APPROACHES, TO ADDRESS LOCAL LIVELIHOODS, SOCIOECONOMIC AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES.

RIU-NIGERIA PROGRAMME WORKS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF NIGERIA (ARC N) WHICH HOUSES THE RIU-NIGERIA COUNTRY OFFICE IN ABUJA.
APPLICATIONS ARE INVITED FROM SUITABLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE POSITIONS OF SECRETARY (TO BE BASED IN ABUJA), AND SENIOR CONSULTANTS, CONSULTANTS AND FIELD RESOURCE PERSONS WHOSE TIME WILL BE DRAWN UPON AS AND WHEN NEEDED,

SECRETARY
• DUTIES WILL INVOLVE WORKING WITH THE CORE PROGRAM ME PERSONNEL, SCIENTIST/CONSULTANTS AND VARIOUS PROGRAMME PARTNERS: PROVIDING NECESSARY ADMINISTRATIVE BACK-UP TO THE TECHNICAL SERVICES OF THE PROGRAMME; ASSISTING WITH PROCUREMENT AND TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FUND MANAGER;
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• 5 YEARS OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE IN A REPUTABLE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION OR PROGRAMME;
• EXPERIENCE OR FORMAL TRAINING IN AGRICULTURE OR LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: .
• ADVANCED USER SKILLS ON THE COMMONLY USED BUSINESS APPLICATION SOFTWARE, INCLUDING MS ACCESS, MS OFFICE EXCEL 2007, WORD 2007 AND A WIDELY USED STATISTICAL SOFTWARE PACKAGE;
• HIGH PROFICIENCY IN THE USE OF COMPUTERS
• POSITIVE AND PLEASANT INTERPERSONAL AND SOCIAL SKILLS
• ABLE TO HANDLE FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES IN A TEAM CONTEXT
• ABLE TO FUNCTION CONFIDENTLY IN ORAL AND WRITTEN ENGLISH
• ABLE TO ORGANIZE MULTIPLE TASKS AND WORK EFFECTIVELY WITHIN A DIVERSE TEAM
• AN ADVANCED ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION FROM A RECOGNIZED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
• FORMAL OR PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION AS A SECRETARY

SENIOR CONSULTANTS
• APPLICANTS FOR SENIOR CONSULTANT POSITION MUST HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE INITIAL RIU PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES (E.G. COUNTRY ASSESSMENT, COUNTRY STRATEGY, STAKEHOLDER SELECTION OR PREPARATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN)
• THEY SHOULD ALSO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION, POST-HARVEST VALUE ADDITION AND INTER-LINKAGES OF THESE COMMODITY VALUE CHAINS.

CONSULTANTS
• APPLICANTS FOR THE POSITION OF CONSULTANT SHOULD BE WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THE NIGERIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION SYSTEMS AND POLICIES, INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND MARKET INSTITUTIONS RELEVANT TO CASSAVA, COWPEA, SOYBEAN AND AQUACULTURE SECTORS.
• THEY SHOULD ALSO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION, POST-HARVEST VALUE ADDITION AND INTER-LINKAGES OF THESE COMMODITY VALUE CHAINS.

FIELD RESOURCE PERSONS
• APPLICANTS FOR THE FIELD RESOURCE PERSON POSITION SHOULD BE ACQUAINTED WITH THE MANDATE UNDER THE ONGOING INTER-PROGRAMME COLLABORATION INVOLVING RIU-NIGERIA, THE PURDUE IMPROVED COWPEA STORAGE (PICS) PROGRAMME AND THE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES IN BAUCHI, GOMBE, JIGAWA, KADUNA, KANO AND KATSINA STATES,
• THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE EXTENSION SYSTEM IN EACH OF THESE STATES, BE EXPERIENCED IN TRAINING OF TRAINERS (TOT) AND ABLE TO FUNCTION PROFESSIONALLY IN HAUSA AND ENGLISH.

METHOD OF APPLICATION:
INTERESTED PERSONS SHOULD SEND A LETTER OF APPLICATION AND CV TO SCREENER AT WORKATRIUNOW@GMAIL.COM
IN ANTICIPATION OF MANY CANDIDATES RESPONDING TO THIS ADVERTISEMENT, PLEASE BE HEREBY INFORMED THAT, WHILE ALL RECEIVED APPLICATIONS WILL BE FAIRLY AND EQUALLY CONSIDERED, SCREENER WILL SEND A REPLY TO SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES ONLY.

CLOSING DATE: 5TH JANUARY, 2009.