The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is a public international organization addressing critical issues such as international food security, the alleviation of global hunger and poverty, environmental protection and the promotion of economic development and self-sufficiency. IFDC focuses on increasing productivity across the agricultural value chain in developing countries. This is achieved by the creation and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technology and agribusiness expertise.

The organization’s collaborative partnerships combine cutting-edge research and development with on-site training and education. IFDC has contributed to the development of institutional capacity building in 150 countries through more than 700 formal training programs, primarily as part of IFDC’s long-term agricultural development projects. Demonstration plots, farmer field schools and in-field trainings have assisted millions of farmers in developing countries.

Job Summary

The Dutch-funded project entitled “Toward Sustainable Clusters in Agribusiness through Learning in Entrepreneurship” (2SCALE) aims at improving rural livelihoods and food security in nine African countries, including Benin, Ghana, Mali and Nigeria in West Africa.

2SCALE develops a portfolio of public-private partnerships in nine target countries in sub-Saharan Africa (Benin, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, South Sudan and Uganda). These partnerships aim to promote inclusive business in agriculture, through support to value chain development, agribusiness cluster formation and enabling business environments.

The agribusiness cluster approach is designed to help rural smallholders move from subsistence farming to farming as a business and to supply agricultural products for local, national, regional and international markets.

The project will partner with national and multinational agro-food companies as drivers to increase productivity and to improve efficiency and sustainability of supported agribusiness clusters and value chains. Specific attention will be given to “base of the pyramid” consumers and producers; they are the vast majority of people and therefore the largest market for food products in Sub-Saharan Africa.

To support its partners, 2SCALE builds local capacity through grants provided either to value chain actors or business support service providers (BSSs).

Position Summary

The Grants Assistant for 2SCALE in Ghana and Nigeria is responsible for developing and monitoring grants in compliance with the project’s Grants Manual; monitoring partnership agreements; and building the capacity of grantees in grants management.

Supervision

The Grants Assistant will be supervised by the 2SCALE Grants Manager. They will report directly to both the Grants Manager and the Regional Agribusiness Coordinator for West Africa.

Duties

•   Conduct and document the due diligence of potential new grantees.
•   Review action plans and related budgets proposed under grant sub-contracts or partnership agreements. Whenever needed, assist in revising or finalizing them.
•   Submit grant sub-contracts for approval and monitor the grant making process until the grant is fully executed.
•   File each fully executed grant.
•   Monitor schedules for installment disbursements, alert field teams about deadlines and make disbursement projections for the following month or quarter.
•   Develop and ensure excellent working relationships with project grantees and partners.
•   Organize, in close collaboration with the country teams, periodic visits to the grantees to assess performance, and adherence to contractual obligations stated in the grants.
•   Track and monitor, in close collaboration with the Project Administrator and the country teams, the co-investments made by private sector partners, leveraging grants provided by IFDC.
•   Write and submit quality progress reports and notes with a strict respect of deadlines.
•   Document lessons learned, share them in reports and integrate them into subsequent project activities.

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.

Place of Work and Position

•   The Grants Assistant will be based in Accra, Ghana and should be available to travel within the country and in Africa when called upon to.
•   An attractive compensation package will be offered for this national position.

Qualification Required & Experience

•   Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Economics, International Studies, or a related field, with a least 3 years of experience working on issuing, administering, and monitoring grants, preferably with international donor-funded projects, UN agencies or NGOs on relevant programs.
•   Rigorous and well-organized.
•   Proven skills in organizing and facilitating capacity building programs for grantees.
•   Ability to learn and adapt quickly, and work independently.
•   Team player, able to work in a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment.
•   Ability to respect deadlines.
•   Computer literate in Windows-based versions of Microsoft Word and Excel.
•   The candidate must be fluent in English and show good writing skills. Proficiency in French is a strong advantage – in such case the scope of work may be expanded to Benin and Mali.
•   Willingness to travel extensively (up to 50% of the time) and in difficult conditions in Ghana, Nigeria and, if needed, other Africa countries.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Please read these carefully. Failure to comply will adversely affect your application.

Interested applicants are kindly requested to send their applications English or in French in the form of a one-page letter and current CV describing their experience, language skills and other qualifications by email to lbello@ifdc.org or fdipama@ifdc

Closing Date: 24 December, 2014

Only short-listed candidates will be invited for a face-to-face or phone/Skype panel interview.