Established in 2002, the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) is the leading organisation promoting child protection in cocoa-growing communities. ICI works with the cocoa industry, civil society and national governments in cocoa-producing countries to ensure a better future for children and contribute to the elimination of child labour.

Job Title: Project Manager/Director, Child Labour Reduction Project, Ghana

Job Summary

The International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) seeks to recruit a Project Director for an upcoming project to reduce child labour and forced labour in Ghana. The project aims to (1) establish and pilot a program for one or more companies to reduce child labour (and forced labour where applicable) in their cocoa supply chain in Ghana; (2) undertake research, evaluation, and collection of reliable data on child labour (and forced labour if applicable); and (3) document lessons learned and recommendations for future application of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Guidelines. Please note: this position is contingent on donor funding.

The Project Director will be responsible for overall project management, supervision, administration, and implementation of the project. S/he will establish and maintain systems for project operations; ensure that all cooperative agreement deadlines are met and targets are achieved; coordinate and maintain working relationships with project stakeholders (including government entities, partner company, sub-grantees and/or subcontractors); lead collaborative initiatives with relevant government ministries and officials; and oversee the preparation and submission of technical and financial reports to U.S. Department of Labour. In particular, the Project Director will:

•   Coordinate the roll-out of the Child-Labour Monitoring and Remediation System in defined farmers groups in Ghana, including recruit and oversee the training of field staff, coordinate community awareness raising sessions and ensure timely data collection.
•   Aggregate, review and analyse the data collected to be presented in comprehensive reports.
•   Document lessons learned and coordinate the development of recommendations for future applications of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Guidelines
•   Maintain working relationships with the partner company and all project stakeholders; engage in coalition building and public-private partnerships promotion.
•   Develop and oversee the programme’s annual planning and the timely, high quality implementation of activities and deliverables.
•   Overseeing the monitoring and evaluation of project implementation. Oversee the programme budget and ensure that all financial activity is carried out in accordance with annual budget allocations, ICI policy, and donor guidelines.
•   Prepare and submit timely and accurate programme, financial, and procurement reports to donor and ICI.
•   Maintain close communication with donor, reporting regularly for formal review sessions and providing ongoing, informal updates of program progress.
•   Provide technical assistance, support, and information to national and local government officials.
•   Undertake regular field visits to the different project locations in order to assess progress, identify implementation problems, advocate for consensus building and take corrective measures.
•   Other duties as assigned.

Salary

The positon is contingent upon receipt of donor funding. The annual salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Qualification Required & Experience

•   Master’s level degree required, in international development, management, social science, human rights, education, economic development, law, public policy, or other related field of study.
•   Successful candidates will have proven leadership and project management skills as well as experience in implementing child protection programmes, preferably those aimed at combatting child labour and improving livelihoods in Ghana/West Africa.
•   Fluency in English is required, knowledge of Akan languages of Ghana, including Twi, Asante and Fante is preferred.

Work Experience

•   Experience in a leadership role in implementing development projects relevant to international children’s issues, labour issues, and company supply chain compliance programs.
•   Experience successfully managing projects supported by the US Government or similar donor agencies (including meeting deadlines, achieving targets and overseeing the preparation and submission of required reports).
•   Preferably experience with US Department of Labour regulations and policies.
•   Experience with public-private partnership building, working with labour unions and workers groups, specifically in the cocoa-growing sector.
•   Broad knowledge of child protection, harmful child work and social protection, and relevant socioeconomic, institutional and policy issues that are related to this area of work.
•   Proven ability to manage a diverse team of professionals, with good communication and interpersonal skills and an ability to motivate/lead staff.
•   Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
•   Experience working with government partners, with partner agencies, including local partners, in consortia, and relevant to child protection programming.
•   Good track record working with and/or partnering with a variety of individuals and organizations, including senior US and host country government officials, international agencies, private sector companies, and donor organizations.
•   Willingness to travel to field locations.

Skills/Knowledge

•   Knowledge or understanding of social, economic, and political context governing child labour issues and analysis in developing countries.
•   Experience with public-private partnership building, working with labour unions and workers groups.
•   Experience working with local and international private firms to address child labour in supply chains.
•   Knowledge of US Government regulations, policies, and procedures or those of an equivalently complex international government funding organization.
•   Demonstrated effective interpersonal skills, creative problem solving, conflict, and ethical management skills.
•   General knowledge of data collection and project monitoring and evaluations.
•   Excellent written and oral communication skills.
•   Computer literate in word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software (Microsoft).
•   Proven supervisory skills overseeing the work of multi-disciplinary technical teams, including livelihoods, vocational training, leadership, social protection and monitoring and evaluation.
•   Fluency in English is required, knowledge of an Akan language is preferred.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Applicants should submit a CV referencing Ghana CL Project Director by 16th August, 2015 to the following email address:

a.kudzi@cocoainitiative.org with a cc to t.salter@cococainitiative.org

•   Please send documents with the titles “<your name> cover letter” and “<your name> CV”.
•   Please put “Ghana CL Project Director” in the email subject line.
•   Closing date for receipt of applications is 16th August, 2015 .

Closing Date: 16 August, 2015