This position is open to Ghana nationals only.

A local NGO is currently recruiting four persons for the position of Marketing and Income Generating Activities (IGAs) Officer for a new project in northern Ghana. Two of the incumbents will work out of the project’s regional office in Wa, Upper West Region, and two will work out of the regional office in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region.

PROJECT OVERVIEW
The ultimate outcome of this 6-year project is to enhance food security and resilience for poor male and female smallholder farmers (35% male/65% female) and their households in the three northern regions. This ultimate outcome is to be achieved through increased, diversified and more equitable agricultural production; and increased, diversified and more equitable incomes and assets.

POSITION SUMMARY
The Marketing and IGAs Officer is directly answerable to the Regional Coordinator. He/she is responsible for implementing the marketing and income generating activities (IGAs) strategy and related activities within the project and to provide timely and relevant information and support to project beneficiaries. This includes working in close collaboration with the project’s gender equality and marketing and IGAs specialists based in the Tamale office, as well as the project’s other marketing and IGAs officer, crop, livestock, monitoring and evaluation, and gender officers based in the regional office.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

Scope of work

• Under the guidance of the project’s marketing and IGAs specialist and in coordination with the Gender Specialist (both based in Tamale), conduct a gender sensitive market assessment for the target districts. Identify potential income generating activities (especially for women) based on unmet local demand. Identify constraints that project beneficiaries face in accessing the local market;
• Working together with the project’s crop and livestock officers, advise project beneficiaries on suitable crops/varieties to be grown and livestock/poultry to be raised to meet unmet market demands;
• Assess and identify capacities and training needs of project beneficiaries on various aspects of marketing and IGAs, including specific requirements for female beneficiaries, and deliver/ coordinate appropriate training;
• Distribute inputs to project beneficiaries and maintain accurate records of same;
• Establish and maintain a good rapport with project beneficiaries, as well as local government officials, community leaders and relevant local organizations;
• Keep the regional coordinator, marketing and IGA specialist, and gender specialist informed of good practices observed in the field, as well as any challenges that the project beneficiaries are encountering;
• In collaboration with the project’s monitoring and evaluation specialist (based in Tamale) and the monitoring and evaluation officer (based at the regional office), participate in baseline data collection for the project and regular monitoring of indicators;
• Provide input into the development of annual work plans and budgets, including annual milestones;
• Prepare regular progress reports that will be incorporated into reports to the donor;
• Ensure efficient use of project resources;
• Under the leadership of the organization’s Documentation and Publication Unit, document information on markets accessed by project beneficiaries, income generating activities undertaken, and results and lessons learned.

Qualification Required & Experience

• Degree in Business Development/Organization or related field.
• Minimum of 3 years work experience (over and above national service) in marketing and IGAs, preferably in northern Ghana.
• Experience in building capacity of farmers to access markets, in both formal and informal settings.
• Experience working specifically with women’s groups and capacity development.
• Experience in quantitative and qualitative, gender sensitive, data collection and analysis is considered an asset.
• Agricultural knowledge/work experience is considered an asset.
• Entrepreneurial experience is considered a strong asset.

REQUISITE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Strong facilitation and interpersonal skills with colleagues and female farmers.
• Demonstrated capacity to work in teams with colleagues.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of gender equality.
• Ability to speak at least one language commonly spoken in the region of posting. Oral and written communication skills in English an asset.
• Willingness to spend 75% of time doing field work in the region of posting.

Location: Wa And Bolgatanga

How To Apply For The Job

Suitably qualified persons are invited to submit their cover letter detailing how their work experience and academic/professional qualifications meet the requirements described above, CV, and 3 professional references no later than February 8th, 2013 via e-mail to:

jobsapplications@yahoo.com

Closing Date: 08 February 2013

Please indicate in the subject line of the email which position is being applied for.

The principles of employment equity are adhered to. Suitably qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. While all applicants are thanked for their interest, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.