FCO Coordinator (FCOc)

Ploughman Agro; Balangir; On-site; INR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Ploughman Agro seeks an FCO Coordinator to oversee the Field Coordinating Office, guide agronomists and field staff, and ensure timely delivery of sustainable agriculture projects. You will manage certifications, reporting, and stakeholder coordination.

The role requires strong leadership, experience in organic farming or related programmes, and willingness to travel within project areas. Fluency in Hindi and good English are expected.

Qualifications

• M.Sc. Agriculture from a reputed institute or university.
• 5+ years of relevant experience, including leading field teams or project office.
• Experience with organic certification, ICS management or sustainable agriculture programmes.

Responsibilities

• Lead implementation of sustainable agriculture activities across clusters under the FCO.
• Track progress against targets and take corrective actions.
• Coordinate with certification bodies for inspections and audits.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Planning & execution

Problem solving

Documentation & reporting

Data analysis

English proficiency

Hindi proficiency

Education

M.Sc. Agriculture

Tools

MS Excel

MS Word

PowerPoint

Job description

About the Role

The FCO Coordinator (FCO-C) will be in overall charge of the Field Coordinating Office (FCO), including its office, team and all sustainable agriculture clusters under it. The role is responsible for making sure project activities are completed on time, targets are met, certification requirements are fulfilled and farmers stay actively engaged in organic, regenerative and sustainable farming practices.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Implementation & Target Achievement

• Lead implementation of all sustainable agriculture project activities across the clusters under the FCO, as per the annual plan.
• Track progress against targets regularly. Identify gaps early and take corrective action and field interventions so that targets are achieved on time.
• Make sure organic, regenerative and conventional (sustainable practice) interventions are of good quality in the field.
• Support scoping, planning and expansion of programme outreach within the FCO area.

Certification & Compliance

• Make sure the FCO meets all organic certification andICS (Internal Control System) requirements.
• Oversee timely farmer registration, internal inspections, risk assessment and compliance monitoring.
• Coordinate with certification bodies for external inspections and audits, and make sure non-conformities are closed on time.
• Ensure third-party evaluations of organic crop production are completed as per protocol.

Documentation & Reporting

• Make sure all project andICS certification documents are complete, accurate and on time, including farmer records, field diaries,ICS documents and training records.
• Prepare and submit monthly progress reports, season-end reports and donor/buyer reports.
• Maintain data quality and support smooth fund flow through timely reporting and compliance with financial requirements.

Team & Office Management

• Manage the FCO team, including agronomists,ICS staff, field coordinators and grassroots trainers. Assign responsibilities, review performance and provide day-to-day guidance.
• Build the teams technical capacity through training, field mentoring and review meetings.
• Manage FCO office operations, administration and the FCO-level budget.

Farmer Engagement

• Ensure regular, meaningful engagement with farmers through trainings, field days, demonstrations and farmer meetings.
• Build farmers' trust and commitment to sustainable practices, and support their retention in the programme.
• Address farmer grievances and field-level issues promptly.

Procurement Planning & Market Linkage:

• Update the field with the season-wise procurement plan in alignment with the HO team, covering farmer-wise and cluster-wise production estimates, quantity, quality and timelines.
• Share yield and production estimates of certified farmers with the HO team.
• Coordinate with the HO team and FPOs on logistics, and quality checks.
• Monitor procurement against the plan and resolve field issues to meet procurement targets.

Stakeholder Coordination

• Liaise with FPOs, government departments, certification bodies, buyers, donors and other partners at the FCO level.
• Coordinate with PAPL's central teams on procurement, market linkage and value chain activities.

What You Bring

• M.Sc. Agriculture from a reputed institute or university.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience, including at least 3 years leading field teams or a project office.
• Hands-on experience with organic certification,ICS management or sustainable agriculture programmes. Experience with cotton is preferred.
• Strong track record of achieving targets through planning, follow-up and problem-solving in the field.
• Good knowledge of documentation and compliance requirements for certification and donor-funded projects.
• Fluency in Hindi (spoken and written) and good working English. Knowledge of the local language is an advantage.
• Good skills in MS Excel, Word and PowerPoint, plus data analysis and reporting.
• Strong leadership, communication and team management skills.
• Decision-making ability, time management and attention to detail.
• Integrity and discretion in handling confidential information.
• Willingness to travel extensively within project areas.