Established in 2002, the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) is a unique partnership between civil society and the chocolate industry, working together towards eliminating the worst forms of child labour and forced labour from cocoa farming and chocolate production. ICI’s community empowerment model has proved effective in bringing about critical change in farming practices.

Job Summary

The ICI Secretariat is based in Geneva, with National offices in Côte d’Ivoire (Abidjan) and Ghana (Accra). The National Office in Ghana is recruiting a Project Coordinator.

About the Project Coordinator’s position:
The ICI-CCP Project Coordinator will work under the supervision of the ICI National Program Coordinator. S/he will be supported by the ICI Program and Finance Associates. S/he will supervise two Project Assistants who will be assigned to this project. S/he will be positioned in Accra and will be required to travel at least 15 days every month.

The Project Coordinator will be responsible for delivering activities under the agreed objectives, specifically activities leading to CAP development, capacity building (training), monitoring, reporting, advocacy and resource mobilisation for community development, organising relevant meetings and exhibitions particularly at community and district levels.

S/he will hold this position for 14 months, beginning in April 2013 and ending in May 2014.

The ICI-Action Programme (AP) within the ILO-CCP:
The International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) is partnering with the International Labor Organisation Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO/IPEC) to execute the Cocoa Communities Project (ILO-CCP). This is a 44-month pilot project being implemented in 40 communities in the Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira, Wassa Amenfi West, Suhum Kraboa Coaltar and Birim South Districts in Ghana.

ICI’s role in the project is the delivery of Community Action Plans and laying in place strategies for their implementation. ICI will deliver this objective through the following strategy:

•  Needs assessment at district and community levels to determine ability of partners to design Community Action Plans;
•  Capacity building of district and community partners to design, mainstream and implement Community Action Plans;
•  Resource mobilisation for CAP implementation;
•  CAP implementation monitoring

Main tasks and responsibilities:
Activity planning & management:

•  Develop activity plans, including division of work among the Project Assistants, to ensure that activities are implemented well and on schedule;
•  Assess the capacities of Project Assistants and provide relevant capacity development for performance of their tasks;
•  Monitor activities of Project Assistants;

Needs assessment:

•  Develop training plans, materials and modules to meet ICI’s targets in the ILO-CCP;
•  Build upon the needs assessment exercise (institutional mapping to identify institutions/stakeholders that can contribute to the CAP process) already undertaken towards CAP development and implementation in the 40 communities, four district assemblies and the other implementing agencies within the ILO-CCP project;

Training and capacity development:

•  Lead preparation and application of appropriate training materials, manuals and brochures
•  Arrange and undertake relevant trainings on CAP development, facilitation skills, resource mobilisation, CAP monitoring, CAP assessment and review, mainstreaming CAPs into District development Plans and any other relevant training that promotes the use of CAPs;
•  Develop and undertake activities towards CAP preparation in the 40 communities;

Reporting:

•  Prepare monitoring reports in accordance with ICI’s and ILO’s reporting frameworks;
•  Make recommendations for improvement of ICI’s activities, including within ICI’s own project, based on field events within the ILO-CCP project;
•  Support preparation of reports, brochures and other communication materials and their dissemination

Financial management:

•  Prepare financial reports from project activities;
•  Support Project Assistants to prepare cash advances and expenditure accounts;
•  Support the ICI Finance Associate to prepare financial reports using ICI’s and ILO’s financial reporting formats for submission;

Collaboration and communication:

•  Collaborate with the district-based NGO implementing agencies and national level and technical partners within the ILO-CCP project;
•  Take part in project meetings, discussions and monitoring activities.

Qualification Required & Experience

Education:

•  University degree or certificate in community development or related subject area.
•  At least four years post-National Service field experience.

Experience:

•  Project design and implementation in a development context;
•  Development facilitation and communication;
•  Team management;
•  Work in rural communities with a good appreciation and respect of local context and cultural norms;
•  Project monitoring, report preparation and knowledge documentation;
•  Data collection and information management;
•  Advocacy and resource mobilisation for rural community development;
•  CAP development (highly desirable)

Competencies:

•  Excellent monitoring and supervisory skills;
•  Knowledge of development programming, particularly use of design tools such as logical frameworks;
•  Excellent facilitation, communication and negotiation skills;
•  Clear, concise written and verbal communications skills in English;
•  Dynamic personality, able to take initiatives
•  Must be resident in Accra or must be able to acquire accommodation in Accra;

Languages:

•  Fluency in written and spoken English;
•  Fluency in spoken Twi, with ability to read and write Twi;
•  Knowledge of Ewe desirable but not strictly required;
•  Knowledge of French an advantage

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Send your CV and an application letter with the subject “Application:  Project Coordinator” by e-mail to rh@cocoainitiative.org. Documents must be in word or PDF format.

Deadline for submission of application: All applications must arrive by 3pm (Accra time) on Sunday, 14 April 2013. Applications received after this date and time will not be considered.

Closing Date:  14 April, 2013