Job Vacancy For Program Manager, Cocoa & Forests Initiative



General Description

The mission of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) is to catalyze public-private action to accelerate cocoa sustainability. WCF champions multi-stakeholder partnerships, aligned public and private investment, policy dialogue, and joint learning and knowledge sharing to achieve transformative change in the cocoa supply chain. WCF’s members include cocoa and chocolate manufacturers, processors, supply chain managers, and other companies worldwide, representing more than 80 percent of the global cocoa market. WCF’s programs benefit farmers and their communities in cocoa-growing regions of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Americas. For more information, visit www.worldcocoafoundation.org.

Consultancy Summary

The Country Program Manager consultant will lead WCF’s efforts to implement Cocoa and Forest Initiative (CFI) in Ghana. The consultant will provide direct technical support particularly on cocoa productivity, agroforestry, community development and program monitoring to the CFI company signatories to develop and implement their CFI action plans. The consultant will work with CFI companies bilaterally and facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogues with government, NGO, donor and other partners to build partnerships, identify co-financing opportunities (particularly

REDD+), and facilitate a landscape approach to implementation. The consultant will ensure that company CFI actions align with national priorities and platforms. The consultant will participate on behalf of WCF in meetings with government, donor and other stakeholders, as well as other relevant meetings, conferences and workshops in country. The consultant will provide support in the monitor CFI company actions and report to WCF on a quarterly basis. The Program Manager consultant will also provide support in the execution of the Climate-Smart Cocoa Program (CSC) in Ghana, and ensuring alignment with CFI.

Consultancy Details

This position is based in Ghana and will coordinate their work with the Regional Program Manager, CFI & CSC (Accra), the Country Program Manager for Côte d’Ivoire, and report to the Director of Environment (Washington, DC). Applicants must be authorized to work in Ghana. This is a locally recruited position. This is a full-time consultancy with an immediate start date and will end July 31, 2020. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Specific Responsibilities

Programmatic:

• Coordinate and support all private sector efforts on the Framework for Action for Ghana, ensuring alignment with the National Implementation Plan.
• Support the design, organization and facilitation of a consultative process to develop a strategy for the CFI in Ghana.
• Serve as the project’s key liaison in Ghana with government counterparts, private sector stakeholders, subcontractors, academic institutions, and other local partners to exchange information and develop professional relationships.
• Identify new opportunities to test and promote climate-smart and sustainable cocoa agroforestry and forest management. Undertake monitoring and learning in ongoing pilots.
• Collaborate and build alignment with existing platforms in Ghana, relevant to CFI and CSC (e.g. deforestation monitoring, landscape approaches, conservation) and work on alignment with international platforms and with the teams in Côte d’Ivoire and the US.
• Provide technical and other needed support for companies and partners to implement planned activities across all projects in a timely manner in collaboration with Regional Program Manager, CFI & CSC, the WCF team in Côte d’Ivoire, US and also a CSC Program Manager based in Central America.
• Support the work of CFI Technical Working Groups and Task Forces, in collaboration with partners.

Administrative:

• Track program budget under the direction of the Regional Program Manager, CFI & CSC.
• Provide regular (monthly and quarterly) reports including financials and weekly updates on the status of CFI and CSC activities, progress against workplan and key indicator tracking.
• Co-author quarterly reports to headquarters.

Business Development:

• Under guidance of WCF, engage when necessary in dialogue with donors in Ghana.
• Assist in new business development with in-country and international donors.

Qualification Required & Experience

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Minimum Master’s Degree in International Development, Agricultural Economics, Agriculture or Forestry, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management or any other relevant subject.
• Five or more years of relevant experience in project implementation and/or partnership facilitation.
• Experience in agriculture development, preferably cocoa production and value-chain work.
• Experience working on (agro)forestry, forest and carbon finance (i.e. REDD+), landscape conservation, social and environmental safeguards, and/or other environment related issues would be a major asset.
• Experience with multi-stakeholder platforms, participatory processes and innovation platforms greatly appreciated.
• Significant experience working in Ghana, including collaborating with higher management levels of public and private sector partners and/or civil society organizations.
• Experience in Côte d’Ivoire or in the West-African cocoa region appreciated.
• Demonstrated experience in all phases of monitoring and evaluation processes, including the use of data and results to improve program quality.
• Excellent pro-active communication and negotiation skills, credible ambassador with diverse stakeholders, team player showing initiative.
• Willingness to work with many different stakeholders, teams and donors within a complicate institutional landscape.
• Ability to work well under pressure with interruptions and challenging deadlines, ability to work in an international professional work environment with minimal support infrastructure.
• Strong writing, speaking and presentation skills in English.
• Ability to travel to travel extensively and on short notice throughout Ghana and also ability to travel periodically to Côte d’Ivoire.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Interested and eligible consultants are requested to upload their proposal describing their interest in this engagement, their interest in WCF, and their qualifications to:

To submit your application, click on the link below and complete all relevant fields on the online application form.

Click Here To Apply Online

Please address the letter to “Hiring Manager” and include your name and the position in the title of the file.

Closing Date: 14 February, 2019

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until position is filled. No phone calls please. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.