Fairtrade Africa
ABOUT FAIRTRADE AFRICA
Fairtrade Africa (FTA), a member of the wider Fairtrade International movement represents Fairtrade certified producers in Africa and the Middle East. We operate four regional networks: Eastern and Central Africa Network (ECAN) based in Nairobi, Kenya; West Africa Network (WAN) based in Accra, Ghana, Southern Africa Network (SAN) based in Blantyre, Malawi and the Middle East and North Africa Network (MENA).
Fairtrade Africa is owned by its members, who are African producer organizations certified against Fairtrade International Standards producing traditional export commodities such as coffee, cocoa, tea, flowers, cotton, bananas, cane sugar, wine, fresh fruits, herbs and spices and non-traditional commodities including shea butter and rooibos tea. Currently, the organization represents over 1,083,139 producers across 28 countries in Africa. Fairtrade Africa secretariat is located in Nairobi, Kenya, and has 50% ownership of the Fairtrade system
ABOUT THE ROLE
Fairtrade Africa is looking to hire a Côte d’Ivoire (CDI) Programme Manager (Livelihoods Ecosystem Advancement Programme) to lead in-country coordination and strategic oversight of an ambitious new programme, the Livelihoods Ecosystem Advancement Programme (LEAP), aiming to address the root causes of market failures which keep Ivorian cocoa farmers in poverty traps. The programme will deliver tailored interventions across three key areas: cooperative strengthening; access to finance; and income diversification. By the end of the programme, it is anticipated that over 5,200 Ivorian cocoa farmers will benefit from increased incomes. The programme will also test and seek to understand which interventions and/or combination of interventions drive farmers closer to reaching a living income in CDI. We are looking for a candidate with experience in economic growth, agricultural value chains and market systems approaches applied in Ivorian contexts. The candidate must be familiar with the Ivorian cocoa sector or similar agricultural value chains. The candidate must have extensive programme management experience, with the complete package of skills needed to ensure programme delivery runs smoothly, including managing a workplan, oversight of the CDI programme budget, managing a team of programme staff, stakeholder management, and managing the work of consultants and/or organisations contracted on the programme.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Management
• Work closely with the Programme Management Unit Lead (UK-based) to co-lead an effective Programme Management Unit, with staff split across the UK and CDI.
• The applicant will lead the CDI-based team of a Programme Management Unit comprising technical and operational staff.
• Manage, coordinate and supervise staff within the team in accordance with FTA’s policies and procedures. This will include recruitment, induction, training and support of team members, and staff appraisals and performance reviews as appropriate.
• Lead the CDI-based Programme Management Unit staff through day-to-day problem solving, showing resilience and promoting new ways of working and innovation as required.
Programme delivery
• The applicant will be tasked with co-managing the successful delivery of a 5-year, multi-million dollar living income programme.
• Responsible for leading the in-country team and implementation partners to ensure effective delivery of planned programme interventions at cooperative and farmer household level, as well as ensuring smooth delivery of workstreams related to income diversification, organisational strengthening and access to finance.
• Provide significant inputs into the programme reporting structure, supporting the PMU Lead in presenting to the programme steering committee and governance structure on a regular basis, as well as providing inputs into programme reports to those funding the programme.
• Responsible for overseeing the financial management of the programme at country level, managing programme finance staff and reporting internally (including to Fairtrade Foundation on a monthly basis) and externally on programme expenditure. Ensure adherence to FTA finance procedures e.g. for expenditure approval and internal reporting.
• Provide quality assurance of technical work carried out under the programme.
• Responsible for maintaining appropriate risk management mechanisms to be agreed with the PMU Lead
• Responsible for maintaining appropriate safeguarding procedures on the programme to be agreed with the PMU Lead
• Manage a wide range of consultants and third-party organisations with the appropriate skillsets to deliver on high impact pieces of work.
• Ensuring that appropriate data protection procedures are in place, aligned with CDI legal requirements.
Stakeholder Management
• Responsible for leading key relationship management at country level including with partners, government and funding organisations.
• Liaise regularly with the CDI lead contact from the programme funder, organising monthly meetings and providing updates in between.
• Liaise regularly with Ecookim lead contact to ensure smooth coordination throughout programme delivery and to be kept updated on any challenges that arise during implementation.
Ensure effective stakeholder management at country level e.g. ensuring government stakeholders are kept informed about the programme and a suitable contact is invited to take part in the Steering Committee.
• Coordinate field trips for the project team, partners and other stakeholders.
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
Academic Qualifications
• Master’s degree in Economics, Management, Agriculture or another related field
• Technical background relevant to development economics, agricultural value chains and market systems approaches
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office
Experience and Knowledge
• Good understanding and applied experience in development economics, agricultural value chain development and market systems approaches, and previous experience of applying such approaches in Ivorian contexts
• At least 5 years of programme management experience • Familiar with the Ivorian cocoa sector or similar agricultural value chains
• Knowledge of access to finance and/or gender analysis is also desirable
• Proven experience managing a team
• Significant experience coordinating the operations of large-scale complex programmes
• Knowledge of best practice in project management and familiar with all aspects of project cycle
• Excellent relationship management with programme stakeholders at funder, partner and government levels
Skills
• Full professional proficiency in written and spoken English and French
• Excellent client-facing communication skills
• Good negotiation skills
• Solid organizational skills including attention to detail and multitasking skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Project management skills
• Sound budgeting skills
• Ability to be creative and think flexibly
How to apply
APPLICATION DEADLINE 20th May 2022
An application form (CVs will not be accepted) can be found on the jobs and volunteering page of our website https://fairtradeafrica.net/vacancies-2/
Completed applications should be saved in the applicant’s name and the position of Côte d’Ivoire Programme Manager (Livelihoods Ecosystem Advancement Programme.)
All applicants should state how they meet the essential requirements of the post and include their email address, telephone contacts and three referees with contact details on the application form and email to [email protected].
If you have any queries, please call +254202721930 and ask to speak to a member of the HR team. Qualified applicants will be subjected to background checks as condition of employment. Only Shortlisted Candidates will be contacted.