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Project or context description
The Strengthening of Artisanal Fisheries in Liberia (SAFish) project, funded by the European Union for €24,8 million, aims to unlock the full potential of marine artisanal fisheries by driving sustainable incomes, employment, social and economic inclusion and regional competitiveness, while protecting marine ecosystems.
The German Technical Cooperation (GIZ) (lead agency) and EF will jointly implement this 6-year programme.
The specific objectives (SO) of this action are to:
SO1 – Enhance the artisanal fish value chain and its sustainability.
SO2 – Expand equitable access to financial and non-financial services, with a focus on the empowerment of women, youth and persons in vulnerable situations.
SO3 – Promote sustainable, inclusive and participatory fisheries governance.
The outputs to be delivered by this action contributing to the corresponding specific objectives are:
SO1 :
· Output 1.1. Market access and potential is increased through improved product quality.
· Output 1.2 Fishing practices are improved for better product quality, increased income and resilience
· Output 1.3. Environmental custodianship is enhanced to promote productivity, resilience and responsibility.
SO2 :
· Output 2.1. Capacities of Co-management association (CMAs), fishing cooperatives and associations and small semi-industrial operators in the fish value chain are strengthened.
· Output 2.2. Access to green financial services for disadvantaged groups in the artisanal fish value chain is enhanced.
· Output 2.3. Professionalism and innovation in the artisanal fish value chain is increased.
SO3 :
· Output 3.1. Fisheries governance is strengthened to reduce IUU fishing and increase competitiveness of local fishers.
· Output 3.2. Quality standards for fresh and processed fish products are improved.
· Output 3.3 Transparency and public awareness of the sector’s economic importance is enhanced.
· Output 3.4 The regional fisheries policy framework in the West Central Gulf of Guinea is strengthened
Out of the total project budget, 9M€ will be implemented directly by EF, who will be in charge of implementing the following specific Outputs :
– Output 1.1. Market access and potential is increased through improved product quality.
– Output 2.3. Professionalism and innovation in the artisanal fish value chain is increased.
– Output 3.3 Transparency and public awareness of the sector’s economic importance is enhanced.
The Team leader will be supported by a Monrovia-based project team of 5 to 10 people, comprising both operational staff (technical, MEAL, etc.) and support staff (administration, finance, logistics, procurement, etc.).
Close collaboration with the GIZ project team will be essential, as GIZ serves as the lead coordinating agency for the SAFish project. Although Expertise France and GIZ will each have separate project teams, both teams will likely be co-located in the same offices in Monrovia to facilitate day-to-day coordination. The Team leader will need to ensure regular communication and alignment with the GIZ team on planning, implementation, and reporting, while also fostering synergies between the two agencies’ activities. This includes joint problem-solving, harmonizing approaches to technical assistance, and coordinating stakeholder engagement to maximize efficiency and avoid duplication. The Team Leader will also ensure the link with other EF projects in Liberia, in particular with the Private Sector Development project (based in the same building) and in the region, like the WASOP (Western Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme).
Mission description
As part of its future action to implement the SAFISH project, Expertise France is looking for a Team leader.
Reporting to the Project Officer of the Agriculture division of Expertise France at headquarters, the Team Leader will be responsible for:
Strategic and operational project management of EF outputs ;
Representation to the donor, national partners and institutions ;
Management of the project team and resources;
The specific role of the Team Leader includes:
1. Strategic and operational project management of EF outputs
The Team leader oversees and coordinates the implementation of activities related to EF outputs (see above).
Project management
o Lead the inception phase of the project on all operational, financial and HR aspects to ensure a quick start of the project;
o Define and manage the project intervention strategy in accordance with the guidelines defined in the financing contract in terms of objectives to be achieved, quality, costs and deadlines and in consultation with the project stakeholders;
o Lead the implementation of activities: lead the work within the project team to ensure the correct operational implementation of the project orientations in the multi-year planning of activities (schedule, budget forecasts, etc.);
o Oversee the successful implementation of events and activities, expert missions (mobilize technical experts, draft terms of reference, and supervise deliverables), study visits, and other project activities;
o Ensure the effective integration of gender equality and social inclusion in all project activities and outcomes;
o Identify and manage project risks and opportunities;
o Conduct regular field missions to monitor progress and resolve bottlenecks;
o Ensure that an M&E system is effectively implemented, that indicators are well documented and that the logical framework is updated;
Internal Coordination and Reporting
o Validate and submit to the headquarters of EF the annual technical and financial activity reports (contractual relations between EF, GIZ and the European Union) and coordinate the exercise with GIZ team in Monrovia.
o Oversee the preparation (planning and forecasting) and be responsible for the internal reporting exercises (annual and semi-annual reviews) within EF.
o Reporting to the Headquarter
o Coordination with EF and GIZ teams and international and national partners
2. Representation and facilitation of an institutional dialogue with partners
External representation:
o Represent the project in meetings with national authorities, the EU Delegation, and project partners;
o Maintain and strengthen working relationships with GIZ and other stakeholders;
o Ensure alignment of project activities with national policies and priorities;
o Establish and maintain relationships with other ongoing national or regional initiative and other stakeholders working on the same themes as the project in order to exchange information or identify synergies.
Institutional dialogue:
o Facilitate regular exchanges with partners ;
o Facilitate sectoral/cross-sectoral dialogue to discuss priority topics for national counterparts;
3. Management of the project team and resources
Human resources:
o Participate in the recruitment of the project team, define the operational objectives of each member, organize the division of tasks and responsibilities between team members
o Ensure the maintenance of a serene, dynamic and positive working atmosphere, facilitate working relationships as a team and ensure the flow of information between members as fluid as possible: organize, among other things, team meetings and work meetings with each member;
o Manage staff attendance, leave, and ensure compliance with safety and security policies.
Administrative and Financial Management
o In collaboration with the support team, supervise the project administrative and financial processes, ensuring compliance with EF procedures and donor requirements;
o Oversee execution of grants, contracts, and procurement.
This job description is not exhaustive, in general the Project Manager is in charge of the completion of the contractual objectives of the project and must carry out all activities necessary for the proper execution of the project.
How to apply
Required profile
Education
Master’s degree (or equivalent) in international development, project management, marine sciences, blue economy, sustainable development, natural resource management, or relevant field.
Experience
Minimum 10 years of experience in managing international cooperation programs of similar size, international technical assistance projects or institutional capacity building projects.
At least 5 years of experience in coordinating and managing multidisciplinary and multicultural teams;
Proven experience managing EU-funded or other international donor projects;
In-depth knowledge of small-scale and artisanal fisheries, including sustainable fisheries management, value chain development, fish processing, post-harvest practices, and market linkages will be a strong asset;
Experience working and managing projects in West Africa would be a major advantage.
Good understanding of the ecosystem in Liberia and the sub region;
Knowledge of Expertise France’s procedures and/ or EU procedures would be an asset;
Experiences on issues like women’s economic empowerment, youth employment, inclusion of persons with disabilities, and climate resilience would be an asset;
Skills
Very good capacity and willingness to facilitate consultations with stakeholders at different levels of decision-making and management;
Ability to make decisions but also to delegate tasks and work as a team;
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. Proficiency in French would be an asset;
Team spirit and ability to unite stakeholders and team members around common objectives;
Excellent communication skills, both written (reports, terms of reference, technical notes) and oral (presentations, negotiations, stakeholder facilitation).
Proficiency with office tools (Excel Advanced, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.);
Organization, autonomy;
Resilience and ability to adapt to various contexts.
Additional information
To apply provide the following documents:
– A resume (max 5 pages)
– A cover letter (max 2 pages)
– Three professional references including email and telephone contacts
Apply online via our website: https://expertise-france.gestmax.fr/14853/1/team-leader-peche-artisanale-au-liberia-h-f/en_US
Estimated start date: June 2026
Remuneration: according to EF salary scale and profile.
Application deadline: 30/04/2026
Candidate(s) interested in this opportunity should submit their application as soon as possible, Expertise France reserves the right to select a candidate before the application deadline.