TREE AID is an international development organisation - founded in 1987 - that helps villagers living in the drylands of Africa to unlock the potential of trees to reduce poverty and protect the environment. With its headquarters in Bristol, UK, Tree Aid currently has operations in 5 countries: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Ethiopia and Niger.

In Ghana TREE AID has its Country Office in Tamale established since October 2012 as part of a decentralization process. TREE AID Ghana is operating in the three regions of Northern Ghana with some scope for working in the Northern portions of Brong-Ahafo and the Volta regions.

OVERALL AIM

• To provide full-time support to TREE AID’s project in the Upper East region of Ghana.
• The role will be to work with partners and stakeholders to implement activities to time and budget, whilst ensuring the expected impacts for targeted communities through good monitoring and reporting.

RESPONSIBLE TO: Ghana Country PROGRAMME Manager (GCPM)

JOB DURATION: Full-Time three year position (March 2018 to February 2021) with annual appraisal

Duty Station: Based in Tamale, with very regular visits to Upper East Ghana

The project will improve livelihoods, increase household income from sustainable forest product supplies for 1,508 rural households (8,218 people) and reduce the threats to ecosystems across two districts in the Upper East region of Ghana. The project will reach this goal through the development of viable non-timber forest product (NTFP) enterprises and cooperatives; through sustainable firewood management and the increase of tree cover on farmland. The project will help vulnerable rural communities to take fuller advantage of opportunities for commercial trade in NTFPs whilst protecting forest resources trough the Market Analysis and Development (MAD) approach.
Working within the framework of TREE AID Programme Strategy the Grow Hope Project Officer will be responsible for tasks as follows:

MAIN TASKS (90%)

• Guide and Support the partner on the implementation, reporting, monitoring and evaluation of projects
• Lead on delivering project activities that TREE AID will implement to time and budget – ensuring that relevant stakeholders are involved at all times.
• Manage the project partner in planning and completing activities on time and to budget.
• Provide technical and project management advice and recommendations to partners/stakeholders where appropriate.
• Ensure that TREE AID, partner and stakeholder capacity is approproiate for delivering project activities.
• Work closely with beneficiary NTFP producer groups and cooperatives to develop their capacity to produce and achieve the best price for their goods on the market.
• Support the design of Monitoring and Evlauation tools to help follow project progress.
• Lead on ensuring that quality data is collected in the desired timeframe.
• Ensure that partner reporting is delivered on time and contains relevant, quality information.
• Prepare timely reports for internal and external audiences that are of high quality.
• Keep abreast of developments in the wider markets that could benefit or threaten the work of the project.
• Lead on Tree Aid’s initiatives at restoring ecosystems through planned and systematic agroforestry and reforestation conservation efforts.
• Coordinate efforts at ensuring the continuous availability of tree resources upon which rural enterprises rely for their sustainability while contributing to biodiversity conservation.
• Mobilise community members into working groups to jointly undertake tree planting in selected communities.
• Provide Sensitization programmes on assisted natural regeneration and agro forestry in selected communities.
• Provide capacity building of project beneficiaries to enable them appreciate their environment and work towards restoring the environment.
• Contribute to provide fundraising and communications support/information to staff in the UK as appropriate.
• Contribute to evaluate projects, including end of Project assessments and post project evaluation studies.
• Provide support to develop and maintain a GIS supported platform for keeping a database of key project outcomes and producing suitable products for outreach.

2 Support the development of TREE AID Ghana’s wider programme (7%)

• Support the identification and tracking of opportunities for new projects in Ghana.
• Contribute to the identification and formulation of activities to enhance Community resilience to climate variability through improved local adaptation knowledge in Ghana.
• Liaise with local partners/stakeholders on TREE AID’s natural resources management and enterprise development implementation in formulating and developing appropriate complementary initiatives in Ghana.
• Support arrangements for and co-facilitating programme training workshops.
• Carry out any other tasks related to programme work as agreed with your line manager

3 Other (3%)

• Where appropriate, represent TREE AID Ghana at meetings and workshops relevant to TREE AID’s work as agreed with the GCPM
• Be prepared to undertake visits to all of TREE AID focus countries when required
• Carry out other tasks as agreed with the GCPM.

KEY SUCCESS FACTORS FOR THIS POST

• Contribute to raising the profile of TREE AID’s Grow Hope Project with external audiences and donors under GCPM responsibilities
• Achieving agreed job targets.
• Timely provision of projects reports and other information requested
• Evidence of effective monitoring & evaluation systems development and adherence and consistency between these and TREE AID Monitoring & Evaluation systems.
• Good communication and relations with all staff, in Ghana, the UK and West Africa as well as with TREE AID partners and other TREE AID contacts.

Qualification Required & Experience

• Graduate in relevant subject (value chain and enterprises development, natural resource management, rural market development, sustainability). Master degree in the relevant field will be an added advantage. Experience of working with the private sector, microfinance institutions, farmer’s group/cooperative and/or association are some advantages for the role.
• Must have at least three (3) years working experience in a similar position managing projects.
• Must have demonstrated leadership skills/ability to work in a team and influence others.
• Must share the vision of TREE AID.
• Ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders and communicate and instil a shared vision.
• Excellent verbal communication and written skills.
• Ability to balance a number of conflicting demands.
• Must be computer literate – good in excel, word, power point.
• Must be confident, hard working, able to work under pressure, and time conscious.
• Ability to work independently, self initiative and with good team work and rapport
• Ability to meet deadlines and achieve targets including extensive travel in the field.
• Must have working knowledge in one of the languages spoken in northern Ghana. Ability to speak French is an added advantage.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

?Qualified and interested candidates should send their cover letters and CVs to the address below:

Email: jonathan.naaba@treeaid.org and Copy: treeaidghana@treeaid.org

Applicants should remember to put the job title in the subject line when applying for the position.

Closing Date: 11 March, 2018