Vetworks Eastern Africa is a Kenyan organisation founded in 2007 and has wide experience in livestock programming.
Vetworks Eastern Africa works in livestock sector enhancing capacities of communities, institutions and governments in reducing vulnerabilities of the livestock keeping communities and supporting improvement and investments in livestock based livelihoods.
Vetworks believes in practical applications of sustainable livelihood approaches.
Animal Welfare Officer
Reports to: Project Manager
Location: Based in Narok town. To support project in Narok and Kericho Counties with occasional travel for meetings in Nairobi.
Hours: Normal working hours plus out of hours work as required
Conditions: Local appointment. One year with possibility of extension.
Closing date: 20th April 2013
Roles
To implement, monitor, supervise and provide technical support to the animal welfare activities of the project in a culturally appropriate manner and in accordance with standards and guidelines agreed by Vetworks Eastern Africa and its partners.
Responsibilities
Project implementation
- Be at all times a role model for sympathetic and humane handling, treatment and management of working equine animals
- Implement the principles of applied animal (equine) behaviour and welfare, humane handling and compassion building, ensuring that the welfare needs of working donkeys are understood and prioritised within communities and livestock service providers.
- Cultivate and encourage learning amongst the communities and livestock service providers in animal welfare, ethical decision-making, equine behaviour and humane handling of working donkeys and their application in practice.
- Provide animal welfare/ veterinary knowledge and skills wherever needed to support livestock service providers with animal health and welfare strategy, policies, action plans and activities.
- Plan, facilitate, and monitor any capacity building/ training on animal welfare and related topics,
- Monitor animal welfare groups to ensure the welfare standards of working donkeys are adhered to using such tools as clinical assessments and audits, and support livestock service providers to utilize findings and feedback to improve welfare in their activities
Project finance management
- Ensure adequate use of finances allocated to project activities
Communication and network
- As required, work closely with the Research Team to support the identification, development and implementation of relevant animal welfare research issues in the project area
- Representing and communicating the interests of the Vetworks animal welfare work internally and externally
- Promotion of the Vetworks animal welfare expertise at animal welfare, health, veterinary and other appropriate events and forums
Minimum requirements
- At least a first degree (Bachelors) in a relevant livestock development discipline; such as veterinary degree, livestock health or livestock production
Knowledge and Experiences
- Knowledge of basic animal welfare concepts and an understanding of the importance of working equines to the economies of developing countries
- An understanding of the evidence-based approach to veterinary medicine and animal welfare
- Experience and field practice in animal welfare or working with equines especially working donkeys
- Experience in developing and implementing projects through partners at grass roots
- Knowledge and experience in building professional external networks
Skills and Altitudes
- Clear strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem solving skills.
- A culturally sensitive communicator and excellent negotiation skills
- Motivation to engage and learn and be at all times a role model
- Strong and engaging communication and presentational skills to a variety of audience
- Have training and facilitator skills
- Good organisation, planning and follow up skills
- Ability to prioritise and handle a diverse and heavy workload, working under pressure and often to tight dead line
- Strong IT skills
- Fluent in Swahili and English
- Good information management skills including the ability to write clear concise reports for a variety of audiences in Swahili and English
- Willingness to work flexibly and, on occasions, outside of office hours
- Committed to the aims of the Vetworks, animal welfare and community development
Please send your application and CV with three Referees Reference “ANIMAL WELFARE OFFICER” to fredme2013@live.com