The Feed the Future USAID Agriculture Technology Transfer (ATT) Project will address Ghana’s complex value chain issues, focusing on using technologies to improve the seed sector, and will identify sustainable solutions leading to increased competitiveness in the rice, soybean and maize value chains. The expected outcome is an increased availability and use of agricultural inputs and technologies to increase and sustain agricultural productivity in Northern Ghana.

Specifically, the project will focus on improving public institutions’ and private sector businesses’ capacities to introduce new technologies to Ghana’s agricultural sector—focusing on the seed sector while working with other stakeholders in Ghana’s agro input sector.  By encouraging the introduction and adoption of sustainable technologies, the ATT project aims to increase productivity and profit margins for agricultural producers throughout Northern Ghana.

Successful technology adoption will require stakeholders to approach agriculture as a business, increasing revenues while decreasing expenditures (especially labor costs).  These technologies will strengthen Ghana’s productivity in the agricultural sector and will need to be effectively and efficiently introduced to create a sustainable private-sector supply while also creating a demand for these new technologies via information dissemination, trainings, and other collaborations.

Position Summary

The Regional Technical Manager (RTM) is responsible for providing support  to partners in the Upper West Region and parts of the Northern Region with whom ATT have signed MOUs. The RTM will be responsible to make sure that agreed upon workplans are followed and that demonstrations and trials are done in compliance with developed protocols and that any monies disbursed to the partners are used in the appropriate and agreed upon way. The RTM will on a continous basis be on the look out to identify other partners and opportunities in the rice, soybean and maize value chains where the project could make a further impact. The RTM will develop good working relationships with other projects or institutions active in the area.

The RTM reports to the Organization Development Advisor (ODA).

Coordination and planning

•   Plan and coordinate all activities with local partners such as demonstrations and trials of new technologies. The RTM will achieve this through regular meetings with partners on an individual or collective basis.

Technical and programmatic management

•   Assist the ODA in developing work plans for organizing development activities, budgets and project-specific plans.
•   Ensure all project indicator targets and deliverables are being achieved and are reported on in the required format.
•   Provide hands on support to partners, lead farmers and SMEs, and improve backward and forward linkages in the value chains. These include, but are not limited to:

o   Supporting and assisting farmers and SMEs to operate in a business and market, profit-driven manner, amongst others by developing business plans that do not depend on government support and undertaking market analyses, as well as through trainings and/or coordinating trainings and workshops.
o   Support market linkages for farmers and SMEs, both in terms of direct sales and through reliable wholesalers and agro dealers.

•   Ensure gender, child labour and environmental considerations are included in value chain development activities for the ATT project.
•   Coordinate with other technical staff to implement project support activities.
•   Identify and propose potential Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), including working with other staff to develop MoUs with partners whenever needed to clearly identify roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in project collaborations.
•   Work closely with consortium partners (IFDC, CDI, ISU, GAABIC and other local public institutions and private businesses) while they implement activities in the region.
•   Prior to project activities develop a project methodology for each activity (identifying the activities’ objectives, methodology, intended outcomes, participants (actors), date, and required budget).
•   After project activities develop an activity (trip) report that draws conclusions from the activity based on the methodology developed prior to the activity—this report should summarize the outcome, any challenges and how to overcome them for future similar activities (lessons learned), necessary follow-up activities, M&E indicators (including lists of participants if relevant), and identifying the way forward.
•   Assist with the submission of information for weekly and quarterly reports of activities, including technical reports or notes (including text and pictures) with a strict respect of deadlines.

Communications and outreach

•   Collaborate with the Communications Specialist, management team and other colleagues as needed to develop outreach materials.
•   Be pro-active in suggesting the development of success stories, case studies and other Public Relations documents, and provide the Communications Specialist with all data and information needed.
•   Ensure good quality pictures with captions are available to highlight key achievements and activities of beneficiaries in the country.
•   Represent the project at relevant national events while liaising with partners on an individual or collective basis on an as-needed basis.

Finance and Administration

•   Assist in the identification and development of ideas for grants for partnering institutions and businesses under the ATT project.
•   Assist in the development of activity budgets whenever needed and in compliance with IFDC and ATT’s policies, regulations and procedures.

As well as any other assignment that the supervisor deems necessary for the success of the project or contribution to the work of IFDC as a global institution.

Location: Upper West Region

How To Apply For The Job

The RTM will be supervised by and report to the ATT Organization Development Advisor.

Interested applicants are kindly requested to send their applications in the form of a letter of a one page letter and current CV describing their experience, qualifications and three references by email to:-

hrtamale@gmail.com

Closing Date: 31 January, 2014

Only short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.