Background
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is a regional economic community founded and maintained by countries in Southern Africa. It aims to further the socio-economic, political, and security cooperation among its Member States and foster regional integration in order to achieve peace, stability, and wealth. SADC currently has sixteen (16) Member States with a population of approximately 340 million and a combined GDP of US$720 billion.
The Secretariat is currently recruiting for various positions to enhance its capacity to deliver on the above mandate. The Secretariat is therefore inviting suitably qualified and experienced citizens of SADC to apply for the following positions tenable at its Headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana or as stated in the job advert:
Programme Officer – Crop
Primary Purpose of the Job
Facilitate and coordinate policy development, planning, implementation, and monitoring of programmes aimed at improving crop production, productivity, and competitiveness in the region.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain annual activity plans
- Coordinate policy development, harmonisation, and implementation
- Support programme development for:
- Crop disease control
- Increased productivity and competitiveness
- Agro-business value chains
- Facilitate market access through information sharing and SPS compliance
- Organise technical meetings and workshops
- Manage consultancies and supervise consultants
- Conduct monitoring and evaluation of programmes
- Prepare reports and technical documentation
- Promote SADC programmes and stakeholder engagement
- Conduct research and data collection
- Maintain regional databases
- Integrate cross-cutting issues (e.g., gender, HIV/AIDS, poverty)
- Liaise with Member States and directorates for coordinated implementation
- Perform any other duties as assigned
Qualifications and Experience
Education
- Master’s Degree in Crop Science or related technical field
Experience
- At least seven (7) years relevant experience in public, private, regional, or international organisations
Skills Requirements
- Communication and presentation skills
- Interpersonal and networking skills
- Organisational and planning skills
- Research and analytical skills
Competencies
- Ability to work independently and under pressure
- Strong organisational and professional standards
- High level of attention to detail
- Team player with strong interpersonal skills
- Results-driven and innovative
Remuneration
The SADC Secretariat offers a competitive package for the positions as outlined below.
Job Grade Salary range per annum (US$)
Job Grade 2 US$138,450.80 – 154,176.70
Job Grade 4 US$ 99,643.00 – 93,097.00
Job Grade 6 US$77,084.20 – 72,589.00
Eligibility
The positions are open to qualified applicants who:
- Are 52 years old or younger. This requirement is based on the Organisation’s need to recruit staff who can serve for a reasonable period of time before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60 years.
- Are from the following eligible Member States (Positions 2-3): Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
- Due to the SADC recruitment policy, nationals of Angola, Eswatini and Seychelles are eligible to apply for the Director Social and Human Development position because of the rules on representation at the management level and the availability of quota points.
Closing Date and Submission of Applications: Applications must be submitted to the SADC National Contact Point of the eligible Member States not later than or on 05 June 2026.
Applications should be accompanied by the following:
- a cover letter stating the position that you want to be considered for and describing how your qualifications, experience, and competencies are relevant to the position;
- not more than five (5) pages of updated curriculum vitae;
- certified copies of your degree(s), Diploma(s) and Certificate(s); and
- duly signed and completed SADC Application Form.
Should you be shortlisted, you will be required to produce evidence of educational and professional qualifications supporting your application, on the day of your interview.