Job Description

Field Officer/Coordinator

(Bonthe, Kenema, Port Loko and Pujehun Districts)

EU-Funded Oil Palm Value Chains Improvement Project (led by FAO), Sierra Leone

About the Opportunity

Solidaridad Network West Africa is seeking experienced and community-oriented Field Officers/Coordinators to support implementation of the EU-funded Oil Palm Value Chains Improvement Project at district and community levels. The Field Officer/Coordinator will be the main day-to-day link between the project team, participating cooperatives, farmer groups, local authorities, traditional leaders, service providers and other stakeholders in the assigned district.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate district activities in line with approved workplans.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with district authorities, local councils, traditional leaders, farmer organizations and community representatives.
• Support community entry, sensitization, stakeholder mapping and regular engagement with participating farmer groups and cooperatives.
• Organize and facilitate district meetings, workshops, training sessions and consultations.
• Support cooperative formation, registration, governance strengthening and member mobilization.
• Assist technical specialists with assessments, business-plan development, by-laws drafting and governance audits.
• Coordinate delivery of farmer business schools, farmer business field schools and other capacity-building activities.
• Mobilize farmers and ensure that activities are inclusive and accessible.
• Support district value-chain coordination platforms and facilitate linkages with buyers, suppliers, financial institutions and extension services.
• Collect field data using approved digital or paper-based tools and maintain complete participant, attendance and activity records.
• Conduct routine monitoring visits, verify outputs, document progress and report challenges and opportunities.
• Report safeguarding, protection, fraud, conflict or other serious concerns through appropriate channels.
• Promote gender equality, youth participation, disability inclusion and conflict-sensitive engagement.
• Prepare weekly, monthly and activity-specific field reports and share success stories and lessons learned.
• Coordinate field logistics in accordance with organizational procedures.
• Reside in the assigned project implementation district throughout the contract period.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in agriculture, rural development, community development, sociology, cooperative development, agribusiness, natural-resource management or a related discipline.
• At least three years of experience in field coordination, agricultural extension, community development, farmer organization support or NGO project implementation.
• Experience working with farmer groups, cooperatives and rural communities.
• Experience organizing community meetings, trainings, consultations and stakeholder events.
• Demonstrated ability to collect, verify and report field data; experience with ODK, KoboToolbox or similar mobile data-collection tools is desirable.
• Knowledge of the agricultural and socio-cultural context of the assigned district.
• Experience engaging local councils, district authorities, traditional leaders and community structures.
• Strong written and spoken English; fluency in Krio and the dominant local language of the assigned district.
• Ability to travel frequently and work in remote field locations; a valid driving licence and motorcycle-riding experience are desirable.

Core Competencies

• Community mobilization, field coordination and stakeholder engagement.
• Facilitation, communication and agricultural extension support.
• Data collection, documentation, problem-solving and follow-up.
• Cultural sensitivity, teamwork, reliability and ethical conduct.
• Safeguarding awareness and commitment to inclusive programming.

What success looks like

The position will be expected to demonstrate:

• Timely implementation of district workplans and field activities.
• Quality and inclusiveness of community mobilization and participation.
• Accuracy and completeness of field data, reports and supporting documentation.
• Effective coordination with district stakeholders and follow-up of implementation issues.
• Evidence of participation by women, youth and other underrepresented groups.
• Compliance with safeguarding, financial, logistical and reporting procedures.

Common Employment and Safeguarding Statement

Solidaridad Network West Africa is an equal-opportunity employer. Recruitment decisions will be based on merit, qualifications, experience and organizational requirements, without discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, age, marital status, pregnancy, political opinion, sexual orientation or other protected status.

All successful candidates will be required to comply with Solidaridad’s policies and procedures, including its code of conduct, safeguarding, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, anti-fraud, anti-corruption, confidentiality, health and safety, and data-protection requirements. Employment will be subject to satisfactory reference checks and any other pre-employment screening required by the organization.

We encourage applications from qualified women, young professionals and persons with disabilities who meet the requirements of the job.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit:

• A cover letter explaining their suitability for the position.
• An updated CV, including contact details for at least three professional referees.
• Copies of relevant academic and professional certificates, where requested.

Applications should be submitted to vacancies.GH@solidaridadnetwork.org by 6 November 2026, using the position title as the email subject line. Applicants must clearly indicate the district in Sierra Leone for which they are applying from.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.