Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We are motivated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to cherish, preserve and uphold the sacredness and dignity of all human life, foster charity and justice, and embody Catholic social and moral teaching as we act to:

•  Promote human development by responding to major emergencies, fighting disease and poverty, and nurturing peaceful and just societies; and,
•  Serve Catholics in the United States as they live their faith in solidarity with their brothers and sisters around the world.

As part of the universal mission of the Catholic Church, we work with local, national and international Catholic institutions and structures, as well as other organizations, to assist people on the basis of need, not creed, race or nationality.

Job summary

Purpose:
The Agriculture and Rural livelihoods program currently focuses on increasing household and community resiliency as well as equitable access to markets.

The Programme Manager (PM) – Agric will lead all aspects of current and future agriculture and livelihood programming, through strategic planning, fostering linkages with government and donor initiatives, supporting CRS local partners with implementation and capacity support.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

•  Ensure that vision and plans for the programs are innovative and are in line with CRS agency and country program strategies as well as Ministry of Food and Agriculture strategies.
•  Ensure integration of program interventions with other CRS programs, especially MicroFinance through regular meetings, communication and sharing.
•  Mainstream gender into the design and implementation of CRS-sponsored agriculture and agro-enterprise development programs to increase equity.
•  Develop agriculture capacity within CRS-Ghana and its partners through needs assessments, training, follow up and mentorship, as appropriate.
•  Oversee program’s monitoring and evaluation system, using data analysis as the basis for measuring performance. Ensure that M&E learning is incorporated into evolving program plans.
•  In collaboration with CR and Head of Programs, develop and strengthen linkages with Government agencies and civil society organizations in the agriculture and allied sectors.
•  Mobilize the necessary technical expertise within CRS and partner organizations to design competitive proposals for smallholder agriculture production and equitable participation in agriculture value chains.
•  Lead, manage and supervise a team of CRS agriculture and economic growth staff to meet program objectives.
•  Manage program budgets, including tracking of financial and material resources.

Qualification Required & Experience

•  Minimum Master’s Degree in Agriculture or related discipline.
•  Minimum 5-8 years of agriculture or community development experience at the national level.
•  Knowledge of key USG regulations including, but not limited to USAID 22 CF Part 226 Administration of Assistance Awards to U.S. Non-Governmental Organizations, 22 CFR Part 145 Grants and Agreements with Non-Profits, OMB Circulars A-122, Cost principles for non-profit organizations and A-133 Audit of states, local governments, and non-profits preferred.
•  Experience with participatory methods and partnerships required. Demonstrated capacity and experience with institutional strengthening of local civil society and government agencies.
•  Extensive knowledge of and experience with Ghana’s smallholder agriculture and agricultural value chains relative to crops, livestock, fisheries, their geographical setting, opportunities and constraints, especially roots and tubers, rice, soybean and cocoa.
•  Understanding of and experience with faith-based organizations, local church structures, and accompaniment and capacity-building principles in local partnerships highly desired.
•  Professional Proficiency in French and previous working experience in Francophone countries is highly desirable.

How To Apply For The Job

Please submit your C.V and letter of interest to :

GH_jobs@global.crs.org

Closing Date: 28 November, 2012

APPLICATION CRITERIA

•  CRS is an equal opportunity employer.  Female candidates meeting position requirements are strongly encouraged to apply Deadline for application.
•  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. For a full copy of the job description please e-mail  GH_jobs@global.crs.org
•  To apply for this position, please submit your CV and letter of interest to GH_jobs@global.crs.org by 5p.m. on Wednesday, November 28, 2012.
•  Application and CVs must be saved as attachments with the following format that includes title of position being applied for - e.g. – M&E Specialist.(Name of applicant)
•  Subject Line should indicate the media platform where applicant first sighted the advert - DG for Graphic, JIG for Jobs In Ghana and OMP for Other Media Platforms.