Field Officer

Reports to: Country Coordinator-Egypt
Location: Cairo, Egypt

Purpose of the position

The Field Officer will oversee the implementation of projects’ activities and initiatives, monitor technical progress in the field, and facilitate coordination among ICARDA scientists to ensure complementarity and seamless execution of activities. The role will also support collaboration between ICARDA scientists and national partners, helping to strengthen partnerships and ensure effective knowledge exchange. Within ICARDA’s venture model where ICARDA manages expenditures on behalf of national partners the Field Officer will play an important role in ensuring the efficient, transparent, and accountable management of financial resources allocated to project activities. This includes supporting smooth implementation, proper documentation, and compliance with organizational procedures to achieve the targeted project results and impacts. Key responsibilities also include organizing capacity development events, training sessions, and field days; managing logistical arrangements and procurement processes; and overseeing field-level financial transactions and cash advances related to project implementation.

In close collaboration with the ICARDA Country Coordinator, the Field Officer will help develop operational roadmaps and provide a strategic overview of ongoing activities to ensure alignment with high-level goals, timelines, and expected outcomes.

About ICARDA

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is a treaty-based international non-profit research organization supported by CGIAR.
ICARDA’s mission is to reduce poverty, enhance food, water, and nutritional security, as well as environmental health in the face of global challenges including climate change. We do this through innovative science, strategic partnerships, linking research to development and capacity development that take into account gender equality and the role of youth in transforming the dry areas. ICARDA works in partnership with governments, universities, civil society, national agricultural research organization, other CGIAR Research Centers, and the private sector. With its temporary Headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, ICARDA operates in regional and country offices across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. For more information: www.icarda.org.

Main responsibilities

Oversight of Projects, Initiatives, and Field Activities in Egypt

• Follow up on the implementation of field activities carried out by ICARDA.
• Monitor the technical progress of activities implemented by national partners to ensure alignment with approved work plans and the timely submission of technical reports.
• Maintain adequate oversight to ensure quality implementation and the achievement of planned deliverables.
• Support the Country Director in developing roadmaps and a strategic overview of all ongoing activities to define high-level objectives and timelines.
• Coordinate among ICARDA teams to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure complementarity and seamless execution of activities.

Strengthening Technical and Financial Integration

• Act as a central liaison between the ICARDA Finance Department and national partners on financial matters.
• Support technical teams in planning and implementing field activities, allowing researchers and technical staff to focus on scientific work without additional financial or administrative burdens.
• Monitor the allocation and use of financial resources for field activities, ensuring compliance with ICARDA policies and procedures.
• Address operational challenges that may arise during implementation, including financial or logistical issues, to ensure smooth project delivery.
• Work closely with Grant Finance Officers to monitor expenditures related to grant agreements.

Administrative and Logistical Follow-up

• Coordinate with administrative officers to ensure alignment between technical implementation requirements and ICARDA’s financial, human resources, and procurement procedures.
• Support administrative teams in organizing and managing field events, maintaining close coordination between technical and administrative teams.
• Assist scientists with logistical arrangements for field activities, including distributing invitations, maintaining attendance records for seminars and capacity-building events, administering per diems and other approved payments in accordance with ICARDA policies, and collecting supporting documentation.
• Coordinate with the Procurement Team to ensure that supplies and materials required for field activities are procured and delivered on time.

Field Cash Advances Management

• Receive and manage field cash advances on behalf of ICARDA to facilitate activity implementation, relieving researchers and technical staff of this responsibility.
• Manage expenditures related to field activities in compliance with ICARDA financial policies.
• Reconcile field cash advances with the Finance Department upon completion of activities and ensure proper documentation.

Requirements

Education, qualifications, and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in agronomy, agricultural engineering, irrigation, or other related fields
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in agricultural research and practices in Egypt.
• Good experience in on-farm water management, crop management, pest control, soil health, and sustainable farming practices.
• Excellent teamwork, interpersonal and ability to work effectively with multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams.
• Capable and willing to work in a fast-paced and time sensitive environment, and able to adapt to unforeseen challenges and tasks that arise.
• Excellent organizational and time management abilities with demonstrated skills in prioritizing tasks effectively.
• Able to travel extensively within Egypt.
• Fluency in English and Arabic are required (oral and written).

Benefits

Terms of appointment, salary, and benefits

This is a nationally recruited staff position open for Egyptian nationals for which ICARDA offers an attractive compensation package including a competitive salary, medical insurance, 30 days of annual leave, five months’ maternity leave, 15 days’ paternity leave. The successful candidate will be offered an initial contract of 3 years, renewable subject to continued need for the position and satisfactory performance. The first 3 months will be a probationary period.

Please be advised that ICARDA accepts applications only in English, as per the organization's standard communication language. Applications in other languages will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.