Job Purpose:

Under the general direction of the Senior Director, Extension Education and Technology Division, the officer is responsible for the planning, coordination and implementation of technical training programmes throughout RADA. Specifically s/he will ensure the required technical competence and professional development of both technical and field staff to effectively train farmers in efficient and sustainable agricultural production practices and systems.

Key Outputs:

• Clearly articulated and agreed performance targets;
• Approved Annual Work Programme and Budgets;
• Well coordinated training programmes for in house staff and farmers;
• Technical and logistic support for the certification/re-certification programme of the Authority
• Comprehensive evaluation of the impact of training programmes on internal and external clientele documented and entered in Extension Education database.
• Comprehensive evaluation of training programmes summarised in the Annual Report.
• Liaison with educational institutions towards ensuring relevance of their programmes to needs of the sector.

Key Responsibility Areas:

Management/ Administrative Responsibilities

• Plans, coordinates and implements the Authority’s extension training by:-

1. Conducting training needs assessment for extension staff and facilitating same for farmers. This is done in conjunction with technical specialists, Zonal and Parish Units.
2. Reviewing training opportunities offered by local and overseas entities to identify suitable programmes for RADA extension personnel.
3. Ensuring the exposure of all technical staff, and members of the farming communities to appropriate training and development opportunities by making recommendations to the Divisional Head;
4. Oversees the planning and execution of needs assessments in collaboration with heads of Units, Departments, Divisions, and other relevant persons, to determine the needs of the extension staff, farming and other clientele communities;
5. Ensuring the relevance of training programmes to identified needs;
6. Coordinating training schedules to ensure timeliness and harmony with other activities within the annual extension calendar as well as overall impact.
7. Coordinating the review of training programme plans to ensure technical adequacy
8. Reviewing  training programme plans to ensure logistic fit
9. Planning and conducting national monitoring & evaluation programmes and reviewing national and sub-national plans to ensure that training programme plans facilitate the achievement of stated outcomes.

• Participates in and executes other essential activities  that facilitate the effective and efficient functioning  of the Authority by;

• Preparing budgetary notes  on the work of the Training Unit  for inclusion in the Authority’s budget presentation;
• Allocating funds from budgetary provisions for extension training programmes to parishes and Units, based on approved work programmes
• Undertaking periodic review of expenditure and performance s under each training programme;
• Preparing monthly, annual and special training reports;
• Assisting in preparing yearly action plans for the Training Division;
• Attending seminars, conferences  and keeping abreast with training and development theories , concepts and techniques and activities in other training organisations;
• Pursuing a continuing programme of self development.

• Gives advice and sees to the professional development of trainers in the Authority by:

1. Conducting a training needs assessment to identify areas of training  in order to upgrade the professional and instructional competence of the technical staff;
2. Designing and implementing a “Training of Trainers “ programme to meet the needs of technical staff
3. Identifying the resource persons where necessary, to carry out the necessary training programmes.

Technical/ Professional Responsibilities

• Identifies and defines programme objectives within parameters of RADA’s national training objectives by:
• Interacting with the Senior Director, Extension Education & Technology to ensure compatibility in the implementation of policy and programme objectives;
• Reviewing and revising objectives as the situation demand;
• Interpreting national policy on Agricultural Training;
• Formulating training goals consistent with the concepts and policy directives of the Authority;

• In collaboration with the Human Resources Division facilitates on the job training of staff by:

1. Liaising with the Director of Human Resources Department on extension staff training programme schedules and achievements;
2. Providing feedback on extension and other staff performance in training programmes.
3. Recommending non-technical training programmes for specified extension personnel, based on observations during extension training assessments.

• Supervises the work of the Parish staff as it relates to training by:

1. Receiving information from offices in the thirteen (13) Parishes and addressing problems as they arise;
2. Assisting parishes in making decisions and /or in structuring on alternatives to be taken;
3. Planning work schedules  in consultation with Parish Agricultural Managers and Zonal Directors;
4. Evaluating, in conjunction with technical specialists and Parish/Zonal management, the performance of extension officers and their agricultural assistants and making suggestions for improvements where weaknesses are detected;
5. Liaising with Parish Agricultural Managers and Zonal Directors in the selection and organisation a of audio- visual aids for use at seminars and workshops;
6. Assisting in the organization and implementation of seminars, workshops, and demonstrations in different agricultural topics from time to time.
7. Undertaking, in conjunction with all extension personnel, a constant evaluation of all farmer training programmes to ensure that the training needs of farmers are adequately met.

Performance Criteria

1. Percentage of agreed performance targets achieved;
2. Percentage of Expenditure compared with Estimates;
3. Quality of Annual Reports and Evaluations of Training programmes and Staff;
4. Success in disseminating documentation supporting training programmes.

Required Competencies (Core and technical to be specified):

The post-holder will be able to demonstrate:

1. Knowledge of the principles, concepts, and practices of adult learning and training;
2. Ability to plan, implement and evaluate training programmes;

• knowledge of corporate planning, financial management, budgeting and procurement procedures;
• sound analytical and strategic thinking;
• an ability to exercise sound judgement;
• an ability to prioritise amongst conflicting demands and make rational decisions in limited time based upon a sound understanding of the facts;
• good knowledge of information technology and the scope it offers for supporting management and operations;
• Strong competence in Microsoft Word, Excel and Access software programmes
• an ability to manage limited resources in order to achieve challenging output targets;
• sound personal and professional integrity;
• strong customer orientation skills;
  
  

Minimum Required Education and Experience

B.A or B.Sc. degree in Agricultural Education or a related area

Post Graduate qualification in Adult Education, Curriculum Development,

Extension Approaches and Methodology

OR

An equivalent combination of training involving Agriculture, Mass Communications, Curriculum Development, Adult education and Business Management.

PLUS

A minimum of three (3) years’ experience in the design and implementation of adult training programmes.