Background
The Government of the Republic of Ghana has applied for funds from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to implement the Ghana Agricultural Sector investment Programme (GASIP). The Programme provides a framework for a long-term financing engagement for private sector-led, pro-poor agricultural value chain development in Ghana. The objective of the programme is to contribute to sustainable poverty reduction in rural Ghana, ensuring that agribusinesses including smallholders increase their profitability and resilience to climate change. The programme is national in scope and governed by a demand  and market-driven approach that will provide a basis for scaling up investments in pro-poor agricultural value chain development led by the private sector. The strategic focus of GASIP will be on smallholder farmers, to make them more competitive by increasing their capacity to respond to market demand in terms of quality, price, time and volume thus contributing to METASIP objectives. At least 62,860 clients or direct beneficiaries will be targeted towards the end of project year 3 (PY3) and 86,400 clients by PY6, of which at least 50% will be women, 20% youth (15-24 years) and 30% young adults (25-34 years).

Job Description

Components of Programme
The Programme has three components;

Component 1: Value Chain Development - is central to ensuring strong business linkages among actors in the entire value chains of commodities to ensure they meet market or consumer and industry demands. It has three sub-components: Agribusiness linkage development; rural financial services and climate change resilience which needs to be mainstreamed in promoting value chains to reduce risks and enhance profitability and sustainable production systems.

Component 2: Rural Value Chain Infrastructure - aimed at providing the enabling infrastructure to catalyze value chain development. It has two sub-components: Productive Infrastructure and Facilities-aimed at encouraging investments in commercial infrastructure and facilities for the selected value chains and Enabling Public Infrastructure - aimed to finance enabling public infrastructure for the growth and viability of selected value chains.

Component 3: Knowledge Management, Policy Support and Coordination aimed at harnessing successful lessons for replication and providing an enabling environment for optimization of programme opportunities and benefits. The two sub-components are Knowledge Management, Harmonization and Policy Support- aims at creating an enabling environment for smallholders to participate in profitable and climate change resilient agricultural value chains and Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation of the Programme.

The Programme which is planned for six years is expected to commence in January 2015 under the responsibility of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA). It builds on the achievements of some on-going and soon-to-complete projects such as Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGP) and Root and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Programme (RTIMP). GASIP will have a National Programme Coordination Unit in Accra and three Zonal Programme Offices (ZPO) in Kumasi, Tamale and Dodowa. The ZPCO shall be composed of (i) Zonal Programme Coordinator, (ii) a M&E Officer, (lii) a Zonal Financial Controller and (iv) a Zonal Infrastructure Engineer.

To enhance implementation readiness and smooth startup of the GASIP, MOFA intends to recruit qualified persons to fill the following Positions at the Zonal level.

The Zonal Infrastructure Officer (ZIO) will be responsible identification, assessment and priority selection of relevant rural value chain infrastructure in close collaboration with District Assemblies and the relevant Government Institutions within the zone.

Duties and Responsibilities:

•   Facilitate consultations with key stakeholders in the identification and design of infrastructure investments especially,  irrigation development, feeder roads and warehouses and pack houses,
•   Review and assess proposals for infrastructure works with regard to their technical feasibility and preliminary cost estimation as well as their relevance for particular value chain development
•   Develop and review ToRs, technical design specifications and tender packages for civil works for selected infrastructure investments;
•   Supervise  the  implementation  of civil  works  and  coordinate  activities  of Site Supervisors in accordance with agreed procedures;
•   Provide training and support for infrastructure Operation and Management to local technicians and operators as required
•   Provide technical advice to the ZPC on the performance of contracted designers and individual technical consultants
•   Undertake   any   other   responsibility   that   will   ensure   smooth   and   effective implementation of the infrastructure component of the Programme.
•   Critically assess achievement of outcomes and results, gather and analyze data to enhance management's efforts towards effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the component

Line Management:    Reports to the Zonal Programme Coordinator (ZPC), and works closely with the Zonal Programme Officers

Remuneration: Competitive salary
Terms of Payment: Payments will be made in equal end-of-month payments of agreed amount subject to completion of core reporting responsibilities as laid out in the Assignment Work plan.

Qualification Required & Experience

•   Degree in Civil Engineering (essential)
•   Related engineering qualification with seven (7) years post-qualification experience.
•   Possesses sound knowledge of rural infrastructure especially irrigation and feeder road development and warehouses, (essential)
•   A minimum of 7 years working experience with projects on commercially relevant rural infrastructure investment including design, construction and supervision
•   Expertise in civil engineering design and construction supervision procedures of Ghana, (essential)
•   Member of a professional body acceptable in Ghana.

Skills

•   Possess  pragmatic,  creative  and  energetic  approach  to  problem  solving  and decision-making
•   Proven ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team and with the rural population.
•   Capacity to operate effectively with contractors and stakeholders in the population.
•   Excellent written and verbal communication skills and proven ability to engage multiple partners and stakeholders (essential)
•   Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook (essential).
•   Demonstrated ability to train and buitd capacity of others

Location: Kumasi and Dodowa

How To Apply For The Job

Qualified and interested applicants should send application letters with copies of curriculum vitae, certificates and other relevant documentation to:

The Chief Director
Ministry of Food and Agriculture
PO Box M 37, Accra, Ghana

For further information please contact:

THE NATIONAL PROGRAMME COORDINATOR
GHANA AGRICULTURAL SECTOR INVESTMENT PROGRAMME (GASIP)
MINISTRY OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (MOFA)
PO BOX MB.37, ACCRA

Email: rayariga@yahoo.co.uk

Closing Date: 05 March, 2015

Applicants are to include direct contacts (reliable telephone, fax numbers and email address) in their applications in order to facilitate early and easy contact

Only short listed applicants will be contacted.