Training Officer - Plateau

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture seeks suitable Nigerian nationals for the position below at the Institute’s Headquarters in Kano.

Position:      Training Officer

Contract:       2-year renewable contract                                            

Location: Plateau

Closing Date: 21 September 2026

DUTIES

·       Coordinate state-level training needs assessments and support adaptation of the program's technical, business and soft-skills curricula to the local context and value chains.

·       Plan and schedule training cohorts, mobilizing and confirming venues, facilitators, mentors and participants in collaboration with the State Admin and Logistics Officer.

·       Coordinate the identification, orientation and support of qualified local facilitators and mentors (experienced agribusiness professionals with a minimum of five years of relevant experience) to deliver training and ongoing coaching to participants.

·       Oversee delivery of training at Youth Agribusiness Parks and other designated centers, ensuring sessions are practical, hands-on and of consistent quality across cohorts.

·       Coordinate delivery of specialized, inclusive training for persons with disabilities using adapted tools and approaches, and for internally displaced youth using multilingual, context-specific methods, in line with program guidance.

·       Support implementation of the Start Them Early Program (STEP) in secondary schools within the state, including coordination with school administrators and state education officials.

·       Track participant attendance, progress and completion for each training cohort, and maintain accurate training records/data for the program's M&E system.

·       Coordinate distribution of training materials and starter kits to participants upon completion of training, working with the State Admin and Logistics Officer.

·       Support linkage of trained participants to mentorship, youth clusters/cooperatives, finance and market actors, and workforce placement opportunities, in coordination with relevant program teams.

·       Collect participant feedback and training outcome data and use it to inform continuous improvement of training delivery in the state.

·       Prepare periodic training reports (participation, completion rates, quality observations, challenges) for the State Field Coordinator and PMO.

·       Ensure all training activities comply with IITA's safeguarding, gender-inclusion and health and safety standards.

·       Perform other related duties as assigned by the supervisor.

QUALIFICATION

Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, Agricultural Extension, Agribusiness, Education or a related field with a minimum of 3–5 years of experience in agricultural training, extension services, vocational training or youth capacity-building programs is required.

COMPETENCIES

The ideal candidate must have:

·       Sound technical knowledge of at least one of the program's priority value chains (poultry, aquaculture, horticulture, rice, maize, cassava).

·       Demonstrated experience designing or delivering adult-learning and hands-on/practical training, including for diverse groups (youth, women, persons with disabilities, displaced persons).

·       Strong facilitation, coaching and mentoring skills.

·       Good record keeping and reporting skills, with basic proficiency in Microsoft Office.

·       Good understanding of the state's local context, communities and language(s).

·       Willingness to travel frequently within the state/district, including to Youth Agribusiness Parks and rural training locations.

·       Strong training coordination and facilitation skills.

·       Knowledge of adult learning principles and capacity development approaches.

·       Excellent presentation and communication skills.

·       Strong organizational and event coordination abilities.

·       Ability to manage multiple training activities simultaneously.

·       Strong interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills.

·       Good report writing and documentation skills.

·       Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and digital learning platforms.

REMUNERATION

We offer highly competitive salary with equally attractive benefits and excellent working conditions in a pleasant campus environment.

METHOD OF APPLICATION

Interested applicants should complete the online application attaching detailed cover letter and curriculum vitae saved with their names in Microsoft word format to IITA website: https://apply.workable.com/iita/#jobs no later than Two Weeks from the date of this publication.

IITA is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse workforce, particularly welcoming applications from women. While all applications will be acknowledged, please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.