The International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) seeks a Community Development Assistant to support its operations to improve the lives of children in cocoa growing communities. JOB FUNCTION Under the supervision of the ICI National Coordinator and in close collaboration with the Programme Associate, the Community Development Assistant will be responsible for initiating, executing, monitoring, collecting data and reporting on interventions related to the empowerment of communities and the protection of children within them.

Job Description

Activity planning & management:

•   Assist the Programme Associate with the planning of activities for communities within the Amenfi West, Amenfi Central, Akontombra and Sefwi Wiawso Districts in the Western Region.
•   Support communities in these Districts in the execution of their Community Action Plans (CAPs) to ensure that activities are implemented well and on schedule;
•   Monitor activities in the communities.
•   Discuss community response to project activities and re-plan to avoid community fatigue;
•   Prepare activity reports, success stories, documenting best practices and other necessary materials from implementation of activities in the communities and facilitate their dissemination to the relevant partners and beneficiaries.

Training and capacity development:

•   Provide relevant capacity development for community groups including the Community Child Protection Committees in the performance of their tasks;
•   Arrange and undertake relevant trainings on resource mobilisation, CAP monitoring, CAP assessment and review, mainstreaming CAPs into district development plans and any other relevant training that promotes the use of CAPs.

Reporting

•   Prepare monitoring reports in accordance with ICI’s reporting frameworks;
•   Make recommendations for improvement of activities in the communities, including within ICI’s other projects;
•   Support preparation of reports, brochures and other communication materials of ICI and their dissemination.

Financial management

•   Prepare financial reports from project activities;
•   Support the ICI Finance Associate to prepare financial reports using ICI’s financial reporting formats.

Collaboration and communication

Collaborate with the community and district-based stakeholders including District Assemblies for successful implementation of the project activities and achievement of the CAPs.

Applicant must have

•   Knowledge of the concepts of child protection and child labour including its causes, dimensions and effects;
•   Knowledge of international and national laws and policies on child labour;
•   A strong knowledge of the cocoa sector;
•   Knowledge of data collection and analysis;
•   Skills and proven experience in programme development and monitoring, report preparation and knowledge documentation;
•   Experience of partnership development;
•   Experience in working at community level;
•   Experience in preparing and facilitating training;
•   Very strong written and verbal communications skills in English;
•   Have good people management skills;
•   Be able to initiate action at short notice, produce high quality results and able to work independently, as well as be a good team player;
•   Be competent in Office Suites (Word, Excel, Power Point, conversant with using the internet).

Qualification Required & Experience:

Applicant must have:

•   A Bachelor’s Degree in Planning or Social Sciences.
•   At least 4 years working experience in the development or social sector.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

The position  is foreseen to be based  in Accra (possibly subject to change in the future)  and will involve extensive travel to Amenfi West, Amenfi Central, Akontombira and Sefwi Wiawso Districts in the Western Region.

LANGUAGES

•   Fluency in written and spoken English, and a Ghanaian language preferably Twi.

Indicative starting date: April, 2014. This is a one year initial contract with a possibility of renewal.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

TO APPLY FOR THE POST

•   An application letter stating the skills that you would bring to the post and your motivation
•   Your CV/résumé including names and contacts of at least two referees (no photographs, please).
•   Writing sample.

Send application documents to:-

o.dadebo@cocoainitiative.org

Closing Date: 20 March, 2014

Please send only Word documents with the titles “<your name > cover letter” and “<your name > CV”. Please put “Community Development Assistant” in the email subject line.