CHARITY JOBS IN AFRICA

Organization: Counterpart International
Country: Senegal
Closing date: 17 Oct 2014

Counterpart International is a global development organization that empowers people and communities to implement innovative and enduring solutions to social, economic, and environmental challenges. For nearly 50 years, Counterpart has been forging partnerships with communities in need to address complex problems related to economic development, food security and nutrition, and building effective governance and institutions.
For more information and to apply online visit www.Counterpart.org

SUMMARY:

Counterpart International is seeking a Capacity Development Specialist (CDS) for an anticipated four-year, USAID/Naatal Mbay project in Senegal. The project’s goal is to increase the agricultural sector’s contribution to economic growth through an inclusive, private sector-led value chain approach, supported by three key components: (a) increase agriculture productivity in the rice, maize and millet sectors; (b) improve agriculture markets; and (c) strengthen the agriculture policy environment. The CDS will be responsible for the provision and oversight of organizational capacity development (OCD) technical direction to local civil society organization (CSO) groups including sub-grantees. S/he will be responsible for maintaining excellence in our technical capacity building activities, providing training essential to strengthening the value chain’s component organizations, cooperative groups, processors, input suppliers etc., and linking them more fully with local organizations and small holder farmers to ensure a more robust overall supply chains for rice, maize and millet. The CDS will also ensure effective communication among the implementing partners, government actors and communities on capacity development opportunities and ongoing trainings. This position will work in close collaboration with the Value Chains Specialist to coordinate actions and trainings to link smallholder farmers to rice maize and millet markets.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the identification of strategic needs and approaches to agricultural value chain capacity building.
• Provide technical advice and guidance to the value chain’s component organizations, cooperative groups, suppliers, input providers and other local CSOs on organizational development efforts.
• Oversee the administration of organizational capacity assessments of the value chain’s component organizations and cooperative groups and develop capacity development plans focusing on areas including but not limited to: financial management, procurement, human resources, program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, outreach and communication.
• Work with program staff, consultants and trainers to deliver high quality training, technical assistance and mentoring to the value chains’ component organizations, local cooperative groups, suppliers, input providers, buyers and producers.
• Facilitate local organization outreach to, cooperation and linkages between small holder farmers to improve supply chains for rice, maize and millet.
• Ensure Counterpart’s OCD best practices are institutionalized within the program and adapted to the local context.
• Ensure that gender is integrated into all capacity building tools, methodologies and activities.
• Leverage and enhance existing strengths within the value chain’s component organizations, cooperative groups and local CSOs, facilitating synergistic opportunities to learn from each other’s effective strategies.
• Document implementation successes, challenges, and lessons learned and share them with Counterpart and USAID through regular program reports.
• Deliver technical presentations on program achievements to audiences, including implementing partner(s), civil society, government officials, USAID, and other relevant organizations.
• Facilitate communication between implementing partners, government officials, and communities and private enterprises to foster additional support for agricultural market capacities.
• Other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

• A Master’s degree in business management, anthropology, or other similar social sciences.
• A minimum of six (6) years of demonstrated experience in civil society strengthening, including capacity development; organizational development and community mobilization.
• A strong background in civil society-related training and facilitation in one or more of the aforementioned fields.
• Prior experience in and knowledge of Senegalese agricultural markets, preferably rice, maize and/or millet.
• Demonstrated leadership, supervisory and organizational skills.
• A high level of interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work well in a team environment, able to work effectively with cooperative groups, USAID, project staff, and other beneficiaries.
• Commitment to gender integration, experience with gender integration a plus.
• English and French fluency required.

How to apply:

http://www.counterpart.org/

Organization: Counterpart International
Country: Senegal
Closing date: 17 Oct 2014

Counterpart International is seeking a Value Chain Specialist (VCS) to support the USAID/Senegal Naatal Mbay Project based in Senegal. The project’s goal to increase the agriculture sector’s contribution to economic growth through an inclusive, private sector-led value chain approach is supported by three key components: (a) increase agriculture productivity in the rice, maize and millet sectors; (b) improve agriculture markets; and (c) strengthen the agriculture policy environment. The VCS will be responsible for identifying maize and rice value chains linking smallholder producers to markets and exploiting these opportunities for the benefit of said farmers. This position will seek to increase overall rice and maize production of smallholder farmers and improve processing and storage to decrease post-harvest losses. Identify all players in the selected value chains and increase the ability of poor farmers to access market information, look for innovative product outlets, develop and introduce more efficient and better use of and access to inputs for poor farmers. These activities will involve the analysis of current value chains and the identification of gaps, opportunities and constraints that currently limit market access and participation to smallholder farmers. This position will work in close collaboration with the Capacity Development Specialist to ensure overall better market performance and integration of small holder producers. The VCS should also have knowledge about gender, youth and excluded persons as it relates to agricultural inputs, outputs and access to markets, which is a cross cutting theme of the program.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct value chain assessment of maize and rice; map existing value chain levels that involve private sector actors, processors, associations, and farmers.
• Identify and collaborate with maize and rice value chain actors and potential players at all levels.
• Identify gaps, challenges, constraints, and opportunities in both market access and production and storage of maize and rice.
• Facilitate market driven linkages between smallholder farmers, input/output dealers, wholesalers, processors and marketers and other relevant players.
• Oversee agricultural production activities, focused on “best fit” agricultural technologies with regional and local groups to facilitate increased innovation with project partners and technical assistance recipients.
• Improve marketing systems with stakeholders involved in the value chain associations and increase the use of business service providers to improve marketing plans, working with selected food processors, implementing partners, and suppliers.
• Provide technical agricultural and market access guidance services to grantees/implementing partners for widespread distribution.
• Recommend sustainable value chain development models for maize and rice.
• Target and integrate women, youth and disadvantaged groups into trainings and market access operations.
• Other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Master or equivalent in agriculture, business management or similar social science field.
• At least six (6) years of field experience analyzing, developing and strengthening farmer’s ability to participate in value chains.
• Must have strong knowledge of value chain management, development and expansion.
• Must be familiar with Senegalese agricultural markets, specifically rice and maize.
• Work experience increasing productivities of rice and maize is required.
• Demonstrated experience introducing new methods and technologies to farmers.
• Experience with post-harvest methods preferred.
• Strong knowledge of input and output markets.
• Must have demonstrated expertise in identifying opportunities for integrating smallholder farmers into market systems.
• Prior experience with the implementation and reporting structure of USAID projects is preferred.
• Commitment to gender integration; youth and excluded persons, previous experience preferred.
• Strong analytical, organizational and reporting skills
• Excellent oral and written communications skills.
• Excellent French and English writing skills.
• Fluency in French and English are required. Knowledge of local Senegalese languages preferred.

How to apply:

http://www.counterpart.org/

Organization: Counterpart International
Country: Senegal
Closing date: 17 Oct 2014

Counterpart International is seeking a Gender Specialist for an anticipated four-year, USAID/Naatal Mbay project in Senegal. The project’s goal to increase the agriculture sector’s contribution to economic growth through an inclusive, private sector-led value chain approach is supported by three key components: (a) increase agriculture productivity in the rice, maize and millet sectors; (b) improve agriculture markets; and (c) strengthen the agriculture policy environment. The Gender Specialist will work to improve collaboration among communities, civil society and government to support civic engagement efforts in Senegal. S/he will ensure that gender is appropriately integrated into program activities, methodologies and approaches in a manner that is results-oriented. The gender specialist should have competence and extensive past experience working on gender-related projects and integrating gender across a program’s components. Additionally, the gender specialist will be involved in the monitoring and evaluation process of gender-related projects including developing and ensuring good indicator reporting and writing official reports.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Ensure that gender is appropriately integrated into community engagement, capacity building and other methodologies and tools that will be used by the program.
• Increase the capacity of civil society organizations to advocate on gender issues.
• Implement training and technical assistance for partner CSOs to increase their organizational capacity and capacity for engagement with the government on issues that affect women and increase the capacity to increase women’s civic participation.
• Work with the program’s other technical specialists to ensure that gender is properly integrated into trainings and technical assistance to partners and assistance recipients.
• Contribute to the development of annual work plans, performance monitoring systems and tools, and writing of progress, quarterly and final program reports.
• Coordinate with and support the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team in meeting all M&E activity and performance indicator requirements and reporting.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience designing, implementing or evaluating programs with significant gender components.
• Bachelor’s Degree in International Development, International Relations, Women’s Studies, Public Administration, or a relevant field; Master’s Degree preferred.
• Technical expertise in the areas of gender integration, gender mainstreaming, capacity building and/or advocacy.
• Understanding of the socio-cultural issues and nuances of working with community, civil society and local and national government settings is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated capabilities in the following areas: community engagement, gender equity and good governance, experience in Senegal preferred.
• Strong communications and interpersonal skills to meet the diverse technical and managerial requirements of the program and to effectively coordinate with a wide range of regional stakeholders.
• English and French fluency required.

How to apply:

http://www.counterpart.org/