Background of the Organizations

GOPA AFC GmbH is a private German consulting firm based in Bonn, founded in 1973, that works on agricultural, agribusiness, and financial development projects in developing and transition countries. It has implemented projects in more than 120 countries for clients including the EU, AFD, GIZ, KfW, the World Bank, and several development banks. The firm has worked extensively on the cassava value chain in Nigeria and Ghana, including the GIZ-funded SEDIN and AgriBiz programs. Part of the GOPA Group and certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015, it serves as the lead partner for this consortium.

IRAM (Institut de Recherches et d’Applications des Méthodes de Développement) is a Paris-based associative consultancy firm that has worked in international development since 1957, operating in about 40 countries with a multidisciplinary team of agronomists, economists, sociologists, and development specialists. It has a record of Expertise France contracts, including the AFIDEC project in Comoros, the PGE Gabes in Tunisia, and the PAGOF project in West Africa, as well as extensive technical assistance for AFD and the EU. Its cassava work includes value chain analysis and extension strategy development in the D.R. Congo. IRAM is the consortium partner.

BASA Development Initiatives (BDI) is a legally registered Liberian non-profit and non-governmental organization with a mission to empower women, youth, and communities through sustainable, locally led development that improves livelihoods, strengthens resilience, and advances inclusive social and economic growth. Its main intervention areas are agribusiness, environmental sustainability, education, youth and women empowerment, and health and nutrition. BDI has implemented work funded by the Global Environment Facility, the European Union, and GIZ. The EU-funded Cassava Transformation Project in southeast Liberia provided business support services and training in climate-smart agriculture and good agricultural practices across Maryland, Sinoe, and River Gee counties. BDI is built on the principle of local ownership, with Liberians championing their own development.

Project Background

The GOPA AFC–IRAM consortium, with its Liberian sub-contractor BASA Development Initiatives (BDI), is being awarded “Strengthening the cassava value chain in Liberia – boosting sustainable production, processing, and market access” (Lot 1), a technical assistance assignment tendered by Expertise France under the Liberia Private Sector Development Project and funded by the European Union. Cassava contributes about 23% of Liberia’s agricultural GDP, but yields are low. The assignment addresses these gaps through five results across the value chain. Results 1 to 3 target the core segments: production, processing, and marketing. Results 4 and 5 operate at the meso level, focusing on service provision and stakeholder organization. Cross-cutting attention goes to food security, poverty reduction, gender, youth, and people with disabilities. A team of seven subject-matter specialists will deliver the work, covering value chain development, production, processing, marketing, finance, social inclusion, and monitoring and evaluation, and will be complemented by local experts and facilitators. The GOPA AFC–IRAM–BDI team is now recruiting a Team Leader / Senior Value Chain Expert (Cassava) to lead a team of international and Liberian experts.

Job Title: County Field Officer
Location: Based in Gbarpolu, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Margibi, and Rural Montserrado — with frequent travel within the county (one officer per county)
Project: Cassava Value Chain Component under the EU-funded Private Sector Development Project
Reporting to: Team Leader, with day-to-day coordination through the relevant technical specialists
Status: National
Duration: 6 months with renewal based on performance

Job Overview

The County Field Officer is the project’s day-to-day presence in the assigned county, delivering on-the-ground activities and connecting farmers, processors, cooperatives, and local stakeholders with the project team. The role mobilizes and supports beneficiaries, organizes and facilitates training and demonstration activities, collects field data, and ensures that production, processing, market access, finance, and inclusion activities reach farmers and MSMEs at the local level. The Field Officer works closely with the technical specialists and the M&E Specialist and represents the project to county and district authorities and community structures. Five positions are available, one in each project county.

Key Responsibilities

• Implement and coordinate project activities at the county and community level in the assigned county.
• Mobilize and support farmers, processors, cooperatives, and MSMEs to participate in project activities.
• Organize and facilitate training, farmer field schools, demonstration plots, and other capacity-building events.
• Support the rollout of production, processing, market access, finance, and inclusion activities at the local level.
• Collect, record, and report field data for the project monitoring and evaluation system.
• Build and maintain relationships with county and district authorities, extension staff, and community structures.
• Support the formation and strengthening of farmer groups, cooperatives, and savings and loans groups.
• Facilitate buyer–seller linkages and the participation of local actors in market opportunities.
• Ensure inclusive participation of women, youth, and people with disabilities in all activities.
• Identify and report on field-level challenges, risks, and opportunities to the project team.
• Contribute to progress reports, documentation, and coordination with relevant stakeholders.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Degree or diploma in agriculture, agronomy, rural development, social sciences, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of field experience in agricultural or rural development projects, preferably in the cassava or wider agrifood sector.
• Experience working directly with smallholder farmers, cooperatives, and MSMEs.
• Experience organizing and facilitating training, demonstrations, and community mobilization.
• Familiarity with data collection and basic monitoring tools.
• Knowledge of the assigned county and its communities, including local languages, is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with donor-funded project environments is an asset.

Preferred Profile

• Hands-on experience delivering field-level agricultural extension and training.
• Experience supporting farmer groups, cooperatives, and savings and loans groups (VSLAs).
• Skills in community mobilization, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement at the local level.
• Experience with inclusive approaches targeting women, youth, and people with disabilities.
• Ability to work independently in rural settings with limited supervision.
• Strong reporting, record-keeping, and communication skills.
• Residence in or strong ties to the assigned county.
• Fluency in English and the local languages of the assigned county.

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit a CV and a cover letter to recruitment@basadev.org, with “County Field Officer – [County name]” in the subject line, naming the county you are applying for. The CV should detail relevant field experience in agricultural or rural development projects, and the cover letter should explain your suitability for the role, your connection to the county, and your availability. Please include the names and contact details of at least two professional references. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so early submission is encouraged. The deadline for application submission is 28 September 2026 at 5pm. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.