Position Description
Working under the direct supervision of the Program Director, the Benin Country Representative will perform his assignments to ensure the smooth functioning of programmatic and operational functions of the project. The Country Representative will be responsible for supporting the Program Director and the Chief of Party (COP) with program and operational oversight. He will specifically be responsible for overseeing project areas related to administration, grant and contract management with stakeholders, local and international consultant assignments, and ensure that the project will achieve its targets, in close support of the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Director. He will be directly involved in the accounting and finance transactions of the PRO-Cashew Benin office in Parakou, working closely with the Director of Administration and Finance based in Abidjan.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
The Country Representative will highly contribute to the overall strategy and implementation for PRO-cashew project. She/He will provide an operational and programmatic overview of activities for its six programmatic components in Benin:
1- Capacity Building: Farmer Organizations and Agro-Food Companies
2- In-Kind Grants: Inputs, Equipment, and Technical Assistance
3- Inputs: Develop Agro-dealers and/or Other Input Suppliers
4- Integrated Data System Development
5- Public Information Campaign: Disperse Improved Market Information
6- Capacity Building: Promote Improved Policy and Regulatory Framework
PRO-Cashew requires frequent coordination with USDA, farmers, cooperatives, cashew associations, traders and exporters, agro-food companies, and government and government agencies organizations to fulfill host country compliance requirements. The Country Representative is expected to work closely under the Program Director and the COP in guiding PRO-Cashew program and operations staff in daily activities in Benin, and should specifically be able to excel in the following roles:
Benin Office oversight role:
· Contribute, develop and update the Life of Project Work Plan, and Work Breakdown Structure for Benin, on a yearly basis.
· Implement the activities and strategies to achieve the objectives and the targets of all indicators in Benin.
· Write the quarterly reports and semi-annual reports. Supervise and complete the reports in time and quality.
· Provide at least two Success Stories per semester.
· Identify issues and risks related to activity implementation in a timely manner, coordinate with the Program Director and COP to address and mitigate programmatic and administrative challenges as they arise.
· Other duties as required or assigned by the COP.
Financial, Procurement and Grant Roles:
· Represent the Grant Manager in Benin, from the RFA process to the grantee’s disbursements and activities in Benin.
· Ensure oversee of all project financial and administrative activities, including the monthly cash request submission, the approval of project procurement, the approval of project expenditures, the monitoring of expenditure levels against the budget, and the bank account monitoring.
· Submission to Abidjan office of monthly or quarterly financial reports (vouchers and recorded transactions) for consolidation.
· Ensure compliance with all USDA, CNFA, and federal and local Government reporting requirements.
Management Role:
· Supervise and manage the Program Assistant, and other staff of the Benin office, including the Short-Term Technical Assistance Consultants, the grantees and the subcontractors.
· Organize and lead events, like the introduction of the project in Benin to the stakeholders, like training for partners, steering committee on policy and management information system.
· Conduct field trips related to project monitoring and special assignments as advised from time to time by the Program Director or COP.
· Ensure quarterly collection of the M&E data tools among the partners, with training and coaching to partner’s M&E or agents, to result in high quality data collection.
· On a quarterly basis, complete at least one Data Quality Assessment (DQA) for one partner.
Technical Lead Role:
· Oversee and lead the technical work of all six related programmatic components of PRO-Cashew.
· Work closely with the partners under MOUs and Grant, to ensure appropriate activities based on the cashew season and availability of actors.
· Train the grantees and other partners in: Good Agriculture Practices, Harvest and Post-Harvest, Cashew as Business, Training of Trainers.
· Contribute to the improvement of the training materials, and creation of new training material as required by the partners.
Representative Role:
· Coordinate and maintain strong relationships with other ACA, GIZ ComCashew project, and other related stakeholders in the cashew sector.
· Maintain positive relationships with USDA and the US Embassy.
· Represent CNFA with partners and key stakeholders, at conferences, workshops, meetings, and other industry gatherings.
Key Qualifications:
· Master’s degree or higher in a field related to agriculture, economics, or business administration from an accredited college or university;
· Minimum of eight (8) years of international experience and expertise in agricultural development, successfully achieving meaningful and sustainable results;
· At least seven (2) years of experience in working with counterparts at various levels of government, as well as with non-government organizations (including private sector associations/organizations) in managing international development assistance activities;
· Experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders, such as the private sector, local NGOs, government officials, donor representatives, and local and international staff;
· In-depth knowledge of USAID/USDA policies, and regulations;
· In-depth knowledge of the Cashew sector in West Africa;
· Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead large teams and work effectively and collaboratively in team environments;
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status. CNFA takes affirmative action in support of its policy to advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.
Only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.
Please, refer to the KALETA.co job board as your source while applying.
Tagged as: Bénin, CNFA, Country Representative
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