The government of Lesotho through the Ministry of Trade and Industry has received financial grant amounting to 2.6 million euro under the EU-SADC Trade Related Facilities (TRF) to implement two projects namely ‘Formulation of a National Trade Policy; Development of Institutional Capacity for Standards and Quality Infrastructure; Improving Capacity for Trade and Tariff Administration; AND ‘Improving Capacity for Trade Facilitation; Upgrading of SPS and TBT facilities; and Enhancing the competencies Competitiveness of SMEs in the Horticulture Sector’ over a period of two and a half years. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Lesotho Revenue Authority (LRA) are two of the main institutional stakeholders in the above –mentioned endeavour.
Now, being one of the main stakeholders in the TRF project, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security through the Department of Agricultural Research (DAR) wishes to recruit suitable contractual inspectors to be placed on two official commercial borders of Lesotho for the inspection and regulation of the plants and plant products in the country. The staff will be recruited for a period of two (2) years.
JOB DESCRIPTION FOR PHYTOSANITARY BORDER INSPECTORS
Position : Phytosanitary Border Inspector
Number of posts : Two (2)
Contract duration : Two (2) years
Responsible to : Head of Plant Protection Department of Agricultural Research (DAR)
JOB SUMMARY
Under the supervision of the Head of Plant protection (Senior Research Officer), the incumbent is responsible for border Inspection of consignment of plants, plant materials and plant products for import into or export from the Kingdom of Lesotho. Keep records of inspected commodity and its associated pests, and compile reports.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Receive and examine the export/import documentation accompanying the consignment;
Verify the correct and completeness of the accompanying documents;
Quickly determine whether or not a commodity is authorized to enter into the country, as well as the general requirements for importation;
Record all problems associated with the Commodity;
Open and examine any container,conveyance, package or wrapping suspected to contain plant pests/diseases;
Check the registration of exporting enterprise;
Determine if the plant materials or plant products are allowed to enter regarding the importing country regulations;
Inspect any plant under cultivation in storage or in transit in order to detect pests;
Prepare a growing-season inspection schedule.
Check the growing inspection
Conduct sampling selection for laboratory testing (where necessary);
Monitor the calendar of the phytosanitary treatments applied or to be applied;
Officially approve the consignments that meet the requirements of the importing country. For prohibited articles, withdraw the approval for import/export;
Ensure that the content of the shipment match with documents from relevant authorities (integrity);
Intercepts, and order the destruction, or Re-export of non-compliant plant/plant material (when/where necessary);
Prepare and submit monthly inspection report.
Contract technical skills and knowledge Qualification:
Bachelor’s Degree with majors in Entomology/Plant Pathology/Microbiology or Laboratory technology.
With minimum of two (2) years of experience working in inspection area
Key Technical Skills & Knowledge required:
Laboratory skills will be added advantage;
Computer skills;
Organizational skills;
Communication skills;
High analytical skills;
Complex problem solving skills;
Time management skills;
Team working skills;
Fluency in Sesotho and English is a pre-requisite.
Submission of Applications:
Application must be accompanied by a detailed CV, e-mail and telephone contact details, certified copies of educational qualifications and three references one of which must be your last employer must delivered to:
Director of Agricultural Research or Human Resource
Department of Agricultural Research
P.O. Box 829
Maseru 100
On or before the 3rd November 2017 at 16:30 hours.
Late applications are highly discouraged. Should you have no response within two weeks of the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful in this instance, as correspondence will be limited to shortlisted candidates only.
