Young Professional Officer (Plant Production and Protection)

Location: Accra, Ghana

Fixed-term staff appointment for two years, with a possibility of extension. The role is based in the hirify.global Regional Office for Africa.

Company

hirify.global is a United Nations specialized agency supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient agrifood systems and food security worldwide.

What you will do

• Provide technical support to regional, subregional, national, and local projects on sustainable crop production and plant protection.
• Support work on seed systems, soil health, irrigation, integrated pest and disease management, protected cultivation, soilless systems, digital agriculture, pollinators, and sustainable mechanization.
• Assess cropping systems and recommend validated technologies and practices for improving productivity, produce quality and safety, and smallholder livelihoods.
• Develop and review technical documents, training materials, and technical specifications for crop production inputs and equipment.
• Assist with project conceptualization, implementation, reporting, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Collaborate with hirify.global teams, governments, civil society, international organizations, private-sector partners, and academia.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in agriculture, agronomy, soil science, plant breeding and genetics, plant pathology, entomology, or a related discipline.
• At least one year of relevant experience in sustainable crop production, sustainable agriculture, plant genetic resources, soil or water management, integrated pest and disease management, plant nutrition, protected cultivation, digital agriculture, or sustainable mechanization.
• Working knowledge of English and intermediate knowledge of at least one other hirify.global official language: Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish.
• Experience collecting, analysing, and summarizing technical information and data.
• Experience with project implementation and partnerships with UN agencies, NGOs, donors, governments, or related institutions is relevant.
• Candidates should be 32 years old or younger as of 31 December of the year of application.

Nice to have

• Experience in more than one location or in field positions.
• Knowledge of crop improvement, agro-biodiversity, conservation of plant genetic resources, or digital agriculture.
• Intermediate knowledge of French.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive UN compensation and benefits package.
• Benefits may include dependency allowances, rental subsidy, education grant, home leave travel, and 30 working days of annual leave.
• UN pension fund entitlements and international health insurance are available subject to eligibility.
• Family-friendly policies and flexible working arrangements support an inclusive workplace.
• Appointment is subject to medical, residency or visa, accreditation, security, and reference checks.

Hiring process

• Submit a complete online profile, employment records, academic qualifications, language skills, and a motivation letter through the hirify.global recruitment portal.
• Applications may include performance assessments and verification of employment, education, character, and other records.
• Only applications submitted through the hirify.global recruitment portal will be considered.