New vacancies YEP programmes

There are nine new Young Expert Programmes (YEP) job opportunities available. Main goal of the YEP Programmes, consisting of YEP Agrofood and YEP Water, is to offer young Dutch and local professionals the opportunity to take their first steps in an international environment. The current vacancies, of which six in YEP Agrofood, in Zambia, Bangladesh, Mali, Kenya, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, and Ethiopia, are open for Dutch nationals only.

Application for the new YEP-positions is open until August 2, 2017. Applicants need to submit their CV and a cover letter, which should explain their reasons to apply for the position, as well as their motivation for joining YEP. After the initial selection, candidates will be invited to the speeddate session in the morning of August 11, 2017. When the process is completed, selected candidates will be suggested to companies for a specific project. Those who are selected in this round are required to attend the training week from October 2 till October 20, 2017 or from November 13 till December 1.

If there is no match, candidates will be added to the pool of potential young professionals, which means they have passed the selection process and might be suggested for future project proposals.

Please find below the current vacancies for which candidates can apply. More specific job details and information on the application and selection procedure are available at the YEP website.

YEP AGROFOOD POSITION VDS ACAMPO B.V. – Business Developer

Country: Zambia
Project title: Increase horticultural production and quality by offering superior inputs and services to Zambian farmers
Duration: 2 years

Background
The demand for horticulture commodities and products has increased drastically due to increase in population in the cities such as Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe and Chingola. Notably Solwezi town in North Western Province has experienced a population boom mainly due to 3 mines which have been commissioned in the last 10 years. Coincidentally, during the same period, Zambia’s GDP has been growing at an average of 6% earning its self the low middle income status by the World Bank in 2010. This economic growth has translated into increased incomes among the middle class further increasing demand for fruits and vegetables.

YEP AGROFOOD POSITION MDF Training & Consultancy BV – Trainer/Consultant

Country: Bangladesh
Project title: Capacity strengthening and skills development in the private, public and civil society’s water and agricultural sectors
Duration: 2 years

Background
MDF Bangladesh has started its operation in 2014 and has a fully fledged-office in Dhaka. MDF is very active in providing training and consultancy services and support to water and sanitation, food security and other sectors. MDF intends to further build onto the water and agro food sectors in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is still receiving much support from international multi-and bilateral partners including the Netherlands Government. Water management, food security and private sector development (besides health) feature high on the development agenda. Large grants are available to improve integrated water resource management (IWRM), water infrastructure, WASH, achieve food security and promote inclusive and sustainable growth in the agro food sector. The Netherlands Government mainly focuses on IWRM, WASH and achieving food security for both sectors in Bangladesh. Ranging from large water management projects in the coastal belt to access to sanitation in Dhaka slums and from supporting farmers to grow better produce with higher yields and behave like entrepreneurs to enhancing the capacity of Agricultural Universities to promote interdisciplinary food security research.

YEP WATER POSITION WORLD WATERNET – Project coordinator

Country: Mali
Project title: Waternet Operator Partnership SOMAGEP
Duration: 2 years

Background
Since October 2016, SOMAGEP and WATERNET are engaged into a Water Operators Partnership (WOP) that focuses on the improvement of the Laboratory of SOMAGEP. The lab is responsible to ensure drinking water quality throughout the entire production and distribution process. Besides the Bamako Laboratory, the laboratory department is responsible to supervise all (22) other satellite labs of SOMAGEP. In our WOP, we work on the improvement of working procedures in the laboratory: Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), work safety, training & coaching of operations and maintenance of the laboratory. We are working towards a ISO-certification in 2019, so that the SOMAGEP laboratory can assure quality of their results towards its customers.
Also, will we work on a quicker and cheaper model for water quality data gathering. Together with AKVO, we are working on a project to register over 250 sample points in Bamako alone by using AKVO-flow and AKVO Caddisfly. This will enable SOMAGEP to obtain the results faster and more accurate. By improving working processes between the laboratory and the production and distribution departments, SOMAGEP will be able to reduce the frequency and duration of non- conformities of the system (from a water quality perspective).

YEP AGROFOOD POSITION Tropenbos International – Post-Doctoral Fellow Impact assessment

Country: Kenya
Project title: The inclusive and sustainable development contributions of smallholder-inclusive business models and financing scheme
Duration: 2 years

Background
The CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) aims to enhance the management and use of forests, agroforestry and tree genetic resources across the landscape from forests to farms. CIFOR leads FTA in partnership with Bioversity International, CATIE, CIRAD, INBAR, Tropenbos International and the World Agroforestry Centre, see: http://foreststreesagroforestry.org

YEP AGROFOOD POSITION Rotterdam NUT Trading B.V. – Operational Manager

Country: Tanzania and Burkina Faso
Project title: Develop Sustainable Nuts from Tanzania and Burkina Faso
Duration: 2 years

Background
Rotterdam Nut Trading (RNT) is a trading company in nuts and dried fruit, established in Moerwijk, The Netherlands. It’s a profit social enterprise. The main activities are import and export (B2B), local production and packaging. The global market for nuts and dried fruits is still growing every year. RNT is in the business for more than six years now, operating as a ‘besloten vennootschap’ as per 01.01.2017. The management of RNT is assisted by people with a track record in the sector of over 35 years in the trade of nuts and dried fruits. Based on this experience and knowledge, RNT is an ambitious nut trader, taking up the challenge to source from various countries, with a focus on Tanzania (East Africa) and Burkina Faso (West Africa). Its mission is to invest in and improve the supply chain of nuts in emerging markets, promote and support sustainable development towards healthy soils, healthy products and healthy people. RNT will expand the coming years and is planning to add value to establish strong and long term ties with local partners and smallholder farmers through local presence.

YEP WATER POSITION IRC WASH – Research Advisor

Country: Ethiopia
Project title: Ethiopia Country Programme
Duration: 2 years

Background
Guided by the SDG’s and government plans (Growth and Transformation Programme 2 and the One WASH National Programme) IRC’s Ethiopia Country Programme seeks to achieve universal access to sustainable WASH services in focus woredas (districts) by 2030. At the same time, demonstrate to the WASH sector how this can be done with convincing evidence on the effective strengthening of WASH systems. The focus is on building systems, or the enabling environment, rather than directly providing infrastructure, guided by our ‘Agenda for Change’. Activities include: partnership building, technical assistance, capacity building, research, solution finding and testing, communications and knowledge management activities. IRC Ethiopia works through long-term partnerships with national, regional and woredas governments as well as with other agencies, programmes and projects. IRC Ethiopia is a leading provider of knowledge management services for the WASH sector, a hub organisation servicing the sector to strengthen its overall learning and performance.

YEP WATER POSITION EUROCONSULT MOTT MACDONALD B.V. – Junior Civil Engineer

Country: Bangladesh
Project title: Detailed design engineering coordination, construction supervision and project management support to water projects in Bangladesh
Duration: 2 years

Background

The Young Expert will be involved in three major water sector projects, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) of the EMM Bangladesh branch office, namely:
– Irrigation Management Improvements Projects (IMIP)
– Dhaka Environmental Sustainable Management Investment Project (DESWSP)
– Flood and Riverbank Erosion Management Investment Project (FRERMIP)

The Young Expert might also support in project management of a limited number of EMM’s projects in the water and infrastructure sector in Bangladesh. For the purpose of this proposal, these other minor projects are not described in detail, but data can be supplied by EMM upon request.

YEP AGROFOOD POSITION WUR-CDI – Agro Economic Expert

Country: Ethiopia
Project title: BENEFIT – Sesame Business Network (SBN)
Duration: 2 years

Background
SBN is a (large informal) innovation network that is driven by local entrepreneurs and other stakeholders, who work together with the aim to move forward in their respective sesame related business ventures. Local Sesame Business Cluster (SBC) are the building blocks of the SBN.

YEP AGROFOOD POSITION AGRIPROFOCUS- Business Developer

Country: Mali
Project title: AgriProFocus West-Africa Network
Duration: 2 years

Background
AgriProFocus is an international multi-stakeholder network consisting of farmer organisations, private sector enterprises, government, knowledge institutions and civil society organisations, working together to create collective impact and transform agrifood systems.

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The YEP Programmes are carried out jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP) and the Food & Business Knowledge Platform. Young Dutch and local professionals are employed through Dutch organizations in a number of eligible countries. The programmes aim to rejuvenate the Agrofood and Water sectors and ensure the continued availability of expertise for these sectors.