This position is open to Ghana nationals only.

A local NGO is currently recruiting for the position of Marketing and Income Generating Activities Specialist for a new project in northern Ghana. The incumbent will work out of the project’s head office in Tamale, Northern 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 Income Generating Activities Specialist is directly answerable to the project’s Deputy Director (based in Tamale). He/she is responsible for leading and coordinating 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 stakeholders.

This includes working in close collaboration with other project specialists (including climate change adaptation/environment, monitoring and evaluation, gender equality, crops, and livestock specialists) to ensure a holistic approach is used within the project. While the Marketing and IGA Specialist reports directly to the Project Deputy Director, he/she will be supported on technical matters by a Canadian-based Market-Led Development Specialist.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

Scope of work

• Review existing data/expertise on marketing and IGAs in the northern regions. Identify gaps in knowledge. Conduct marketing surveys as required to verify current situation and identify potential market/IGA opportunities;
• Develop and maintain good working relationship with relevant Ministries/Departments and research organizations in the northern regions;
• Advise project staff on suitable marketing strategies and IGAs to be supported by the Project;
• Assess and identify capacities and needs of project staff and implementing organizations on various aspects of marketing/IGAs, and deliver appropriate training courses;
• Assess and identify the capacities and needs of the targeted communities in various aspects of marketing/IGAs; design and facilitate appropriate training;
• Provide support and guidance to field based marketing and IGA officers;
• In collaboration with the project’s monitoring and evaluation specialist, support baseline data collection for the project and regular monitoring of indicators;
• Support the development of annual work plans and budgets, including annual milestones;
• Support field based marketing and IGA officers in preparing progress reports to ensure timely, high quality reporting to the donor and other project stakeholders;
• Ensure efficient use of project resources;
• Document, in collaboration with the organization’s Documentation and Publication Unit, information on marketing/IGAs by the project beneficiaries, results and lessons learned.

Qualification Required & Experience

• Master’s Degree in Agriculture or related field.
• Minimum of 8 years work experience in marketing/IGA, preferably with experience in both marketing and IGAs in northern Ghana.
• Experience in building capacity of staff and project beneficiaries in marketing/IGAs, in both formal and informal settings.
• Demonstrated experience in quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.

REQUISITE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Strong leadership skills, facilitation skills, interpersonal skills with colleagues and project beneficiaries.
• Demonstrated capacity to work in teams with colleagues and collaborators from different organizations/government ministries.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of gender equality.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; knowledge of other languages commonly spoken in the northern regions an asset.
• Basic computer skills (word-processing, presentations, spread-sheets).
• Willingness to travel in northern regions.

Location: Tamale

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.