Established in 2002, the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) is a unique partnership between civil society and the chocolate industry, working together to improve the lives of children and to reduce child labour in cocoa-growing communities, as an integral part of cocoa sustainability efforts.

The ICI Secretariat is based in Geneva, with National offices in Côte d’Ivoire (Abidjan) and Ghana (Accra).

For more information about ICI, please visit www.cocoainitiative.org.

Job Summary

The ICI National office in Ghana is seeking to recruit, locally, a National Coordinator to join its expanding team in Ghana. The National Coordinator supports the Senior Programme Coordinator and the Executive Director of ICI in the development and implementation of ICI’s annual programme in Ghana, which is approved by ICI’s Board.

S/he works closely with the various partners of ICI (industry, national authorities, civil society organisations) to ensure that the programme activities contribute to addressing child labour in cocoa-growing areas.

The successful candidate will be dynamic, proactive and strategic, with proven experience in programme development, project management and team-management, possessing excellent analytical and communications skills, strategic thinking, team leadership, representation, networking and partnership-building capacities.

DETAILED JOB DESCRIPTION
Operational and strategic planning

•   Support the preparation of the operational strategy and the programme budget for Ghana in line with the strategic objectives of the organisation.

Programme development

•   Contribute to the design of a short-, medium-, and long-term term programme development strategy.
•   Assist in preparation of project proposals for external donors, including content analysis and interpretation, technical writing, M&E plans and results frameworks, editing and proposal submission.
•   Analyze and identify funding opportunities (including but not limited to – USAID, US State Department, the European Commission, national governments, UN agencies and bilateral donors), promote the work of ICI amongst in-country donors, and provide ICI program briefings to donors and other stakeholders as needed.

Programme management

•   Manage and develop, in conjunction with the Programme Associate, the ICI programme activities, projects and related budgets in the country, including through project proposals development, monitoring and evaluation, periodic reporting and budget review.
•   Identify and build relationships with relevant partners with whom ICI can collaborate to achieve its objectives (including national authorities, other international organisations, cocoa supply-chain actors, private sector, civil society, UN).
•   Coordinate and manage capacity-building initiatives for project stakeholders and counterparts, including with national actors.

Communications

•   Contribute to the development and implementation of the national communications strategy.
•   Work with the ICI Head of Communications to produce communication materials.
•   Develop media relations at the national level, and profile ICI as a key leader in its field of expertise.
•   Representation and liaison
•   Work closely with all relevant national partners in the Government of Ghana, to ensure ICI’s programme reflects national priorities and is well understood by key departments.
•   Seek out new strategic partnerships, identifying and building relationships with national-level entities and organisations that ICI could form strategic partnerships with to meet its organisational goals.

Finance & contract management

•   Supervise the ICI Ghana Finance and Administration Assistant in the management of all contracts and budgets.
•   Monitor and manage the Ghana programme and office budget in line with ICI’s financial procedures.
•   Team leadership & management
•   Supervise and manage ICI’s Ghana team including recruitments, staff assessment and coordination.
•   Support the Programme Manager/the Head of Admin and HR Support in the recruitment, induction and administration of the ICI staff in Ghana.

Terms
The post carries a remuneration and benefits package that is competitive with senior national positions in international non-profit organisations.

Qualification Required & Experience

Essential:

•   At least 7 years of relevant professional experience (post-national service) at a senior level in development project management or development policy, including working with international organisations.
•   Experience in team leadership and management.
•   Experience in building strategic partnerships and in representing an organisation at the national and international levels.
•   Putting child protection at the heart of cocoa sustainability
•   Experience in managing large scale grants and/or contracts from international donors.
•   Experience in identifying funding opportunities and preparing successful proposals to international donors.
•   Experience in financial oversight and budget management.

Desirable:

•   Experience in child labour mitigation, child protection, child rights or community development.
•   Experience in resource mobilisation.
•   Experience in the cocoa sector.

Skills and competencies

•   Dynamic and energetic personality.
•   Team leader with excellent interpersonal skills.
•   Sound knowledge of development programming and activities implementation.
•   Ability to work under pressure, and meet tight deadlines
•   Excellent facilitation, communications and negotiation skills.
•   Committed to the mandate of the organisation.
•   Willing to travel frequently in Ghana and, when needed, outside the country
•   Clear, concise written and verbal communications skills in English.
•   Knowledge of French an advantage.

Academic background

•   A relevant University Degree or equivalent qualification in social sciences, overseas development, international relations or similar.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Applicants should send their CV, listing 3 references, and a letter of motivation to Ms Terri Salter:-

t.salter@cocoainitiative.org

Closing Date: 13 June, 2014

Please state in the subject of your e-mail: your first name, family name and “Ghana NC”.