Veterinarian or Veterinary Specialist

Shared Future is a 7.25-year project that receives funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The project has focused on repairing trust and creating income-generating opportunities for diverse groups in Ninewa Plains. Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Caritas Iraq, and the Iraqi Al-Amal Association (IAA) have implemented the Shared Future project in the Ninewa Plains since June 2018. After successful initiatives in the past years, the project aims to enable young individuals to launch small businesses and attain productive livelihoods this year.

The Shared Future project aims to promote youth entrepreneurship in Ninewa Plains through a multi-phased 10-month program specifically designed to support young individuals in developing their businesses. IAA, in partnership with CRS, will implement the project.

This role involves providing ongoing support to entrepreneurship participants across Ninewa who have successfully passed the Shared Future selection criteria and received the allocated business grants to establish or scale up their existing businesses. The hired veterinarian will mainly focus on offering technical solutions to participants managing livestock businesses. The veterinarian will provide technical solutions for improving livestock operations, including enhancing production and ensuring the health and condition of animals. Additionally, they will identify issues and provide solutions, ensuring participants can effectively manage and grow their businesses.

The ideal veterinary should help small business owners navigate livestock operations by identifying and addressing challenges, offering practical tips, and providing advice on improving breeding, animal health, and apiary work and management through Individual Coaching. They Offer personalized support to resolve specific issues such as disease management and feed efficiency and provide guidance on best practices and financial management.

The IAA Coaching support includes monthly phone calls, on-site visits, and group coaching sessions. The IAA staff will use phone calls to gather necessary project data and schedule site visits. They will also work with business owners to identify key discussion points in advance, which will be shared with the consultant before the site visits. The consultant will help youths identify gaps in their livestock and specific needs for support. Group coaching sessions will encourage sharing experiences and ideas, fostering relationship-building and networking among livelihood grantees. The group coaching will also be used to capture and compile participants’ challenges and gaps identified during one-on-one coaching visits. These sessions will be used to unify and share knowledge, raising awareness among all participants. Additionally, it provides the latest information on government-provided free assistance available to farmers based on their specific conditions.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in veterinary science or equivalent.
• The ideal candidate must have experience working directly with government departments related to agriculture or animal (livestock) and with other NGOs or private sector organizations in the field.
• A strong background and substantial experience in the agricultural sector are essential.

Timelines and commitments

Interested candidates must carefully read the points below regarding their level of commitment to this job and its operational and ethical aspects. Candidates must also be clear about their ability to adhere to and operate within the specified scope.

• Availability from October 2024 until mid-January 2025 (three months).
• The candidate is expected to work 8-12 days each month or more based on needs to be identified by the IAA leadership team.
• Working hours will vary based on tasks and field visits, ranging from 5 to 8 hours a day, with the potential for fewer hours depending on the plan.
• Assist participants during the coaching phase, which involves phone calls and monthly on-site coaching visits. S/he should conduct 5-6 visits per day over a period of 6-8 days, depending on the available business for coaching.
• Facilitate group coaching sessions, emphasizing knowledge sharing with business owners in line with the CRS and IAA coaching approach. Each monthly session will involve approximately 18-25 participants, with 1 to 3 groups per month depending on the number of passed participants.
• Agree on Iraqi Al Amal safeguarding policy, including consent for self-declaration and reference checks to review the candidate’s work history.
• Ability to travel between the Ninewa locations (Qaraqosh, Nimrod, Telkeif, Wanna, Bartella, Telskof, and Bashiqa) along with IAA field teams.