Program Officer – Post Harvest & Infrastructure / Grain Bank Officer at COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale

COOPI Cooperazione Internazionale is an humanitarian, non confessional and independent organization that fights against all kinds of poverty to make the world a better place. Founded in 1965 by Vincenzo Barbieri (Italian "father" of international volunteering), COOPI is based in Milan and it has 20 local offices in the South of the World.

It works to assist populations struck by emergencies (disasters and conflicts) and to facilitate their civil, economic and social development.

The association intervenes in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East in collaboration with local actors (civil society, public administration and so on). In 2013 it has implemented 160 projects.

COOPI works in different sectors: agriculture, water and sanitation, health care, humanitarian assistance, human rights, education, socio-economic services, migration. All sectors are related to one another in the programs launched by COOPI all of them interrelated.

COOPI is also committed to the Child Sponsorship programme in 8 countries (Perù, Haiti, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Uganda and DR Congo), and provides food, education, health and protection to 2.700 children.

COOPI also operates in Italy, through awareness and fund-raising campaigns, volunteering activities (almost 400 volunteers), the promotion of the Cooperation and Development Master course at the Institute for Advanced Study of Pavia, and finally the participation to several NGOs associations, among which Link 2007 and AGIRE (Italian Humanitarian Emergency Response Agency) are the most important. The organization is supported by important institutional donors, local institutions, foundations, companies and citizens among the main donors, the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) recognizes COOPI as an important partner.Overall Responsibilities

The Post-Harvest and Infrastructure/Grain Bank Officer will provide technical support for the operationalization, management, and sustainability for five Community Grain Banks (CGBs) and five post-harvest aggregation and processing hubs under the Agri-Food System Transformation and Innovation (AFTI) project in Bade LGA, Yobe State.
The position will support farmers, Producer Marketing Organizations (PMOs), Grain Bank Management Committees, youth operators, aggregators, and other value chain actors to improve grain aggregation, drying, storage, processing, quality control, and value addition.
The Officer will ensure that Community Grain Banks and post-harvest hubs are operated safely, efficiently, inclusively, and under appropriate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), user agreements, maintenance plans, and cost-recovery mechanisms.
The role will contribute directly to the project target of reducing post-harvest losses by at least 20%, increasing adoption of improved post-harvest technologies, strengthening aggregation systems, and ensuring sustainable management of community-owned agricultural infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities:

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager/Technical Lead the Post Harvest and Infrastructure/Grain Bank Officer will be responsible for:

Grain Bank and Infrastructure Management:

Support the operationalization and effective management of Community Grain Banks (CGBs) and post-harvest hubs.
Conduct routine assessments of warehouses, equipment, and facilities and identify maintenance and improvement needs.
Support the formation and strengthening of inclusive Grain Bank Management Committees.
Develop and implement SOPs, user agreements, safety procedures, and maintenance plans.

Post-Harvest Management and Technology:

Provide technical guidance on grain receiving, weighing, drying, cleaning, grading, packaging, storage, and stock rotation.
Supervise the installation, operation, and maintenance of post-harvest equipment, including dryers, cleaners, shellers, threshers, milling machines, moisture meters, and hermetic storage systems.
Train and coach community and youth operators on equipment use, occupational safety, hygiene, quality control, and routine maintenance.
Promote improved post-harvest practices, food safety, pest and moisture control, and value addition to achieve at least 20% reduction in post-harvest losses.

Aggregation and Market Support:

Support grain aggregation, revolving stock mechanisms, inventory management, and accurate stock records.
Mobilize farmers to utilize CGBs and post-harvest services in collaboration with Business Advisors and Community Mobilizers.
Work with the Market Linkage Officer to ensure aggregated commodities meet buyer specifications, quality, volume, and delivery requirements.
Support sustainable fee-for-service and cost-recovery models for CGBs and post-harvest hubs.

Monitoring, Coordination and Reporting:

Maintain equipment inventories, stock records, maintenance logs, and hub utilization records.
Monitor facility performance, service utilization, revenue, maintenance funds, and technology adoption.
Coordinate with government institutions, extension services, private-sector suppliers, processors, aggregators, and other technical partners.
Promote inclusive and safe access to infrastructure for women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
Ensure compliance with food safety, environmental, safeguarding, protection, and occupational health and safety standards.
Collect and report data on CGB utilization, post-harvest services, equipment functionality, and loss reduction.
Contribute to monitoring visits, technical assessments, success stories, lessons learned, and periodic reporting.
Identify technical challenges and recommend corrective actions.

Additional Responsibilities:

Stay abreast of developments in conflict sensitive programming and humanitarian response.
Perform other duties as necessary, commensurate with professional background and experience, as deemed by the supervisor.
This Terms of Reference outlines the key responsibilities and expectations for the Post Harvest and Infrastructure/Grain bank Officer under the WFP/BMZ-funded project.

Education & Qualification

Bachelor’s Degree or HND in Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Economics, Food Science and Technology, Post-Harvest Technology, Crop Production, Agricultural Extension, Engineering, or a related field.
Minimum of 3–5 years of relevant professional experience in post-harvest management, grain storage, agricultural infrastructure, warehouse management, aggregation, or agricultural value chain development.
Practical knowledge of grain drying, cleaning, grading, moisture management, storage, pest control, packaging, quality assurance, and post-harvest loss reduction.
Experience operating or managing post-harvest equipment such as solar dryers, grain cleaners, shellers, threshers, milling machines, moisture meters, weighing scales, and hermetic storage systems is highly desirable.
Knowledge of warehouse inventory management, stock reconciliation, commodity tracking, or warehouse receipt systems is an advantage.
Experience working with farmer cooperatives, PMOs, aggregators, community structures, government agricultural departments, private-sector actors, or NGOs.
Fluency in English and Hausa and/or relevant local languages spoken in Bade is essential.