{Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA),Accra,Full-Time, GH,N/A, 5 years,09 Dec-2015};

FARA is the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, an umbrella organization bringing together and forming coalitions of major stakeholders in agricultural research and development in Africa. FARA complements the innovative activities of national, international and sub-regional research institutions to deliver more responsive and effective services to its stakeholders. It plays advocacy and coordination roles for agricultural research for development, while the national agricultural research systems (NARS), advanced research institutions (ARIs) and international agricultural research centres (IARCs) develop and promote the adoption of improved technologies and policies along the research-to-development continuum in their respective countries and jurisdictions. Since it was established in 2002 FARA has been able to develop several African-wide initiatives through consultation with stakeholders.

For: African Agribusiness incubator Network-AAIN

The Universities, Businesses and Research in Agricultural Innovation (UniBRAIN) initiative was conceived in 2010 under FARA, as an Africa-wide initiative with the overall objective of enabling universities, business and agricultural research institutions to commercialize agricultural technologies and produce graduates with entrepreneurial and business skills.

The UniBRAIN Facility, having facilitated the establishment and operationalization of six agribusiness incubators, is set to become an autonomous institutional entity, though fully owned by FARA. The facility will be governed by its own independent structure and source its funds independently through the payment for services, membership fees, donors, social capitalists, impact investors and foundations as spelt out in section eight of the programme document.

The African Agribusiness Incubator Network (AAIN) has been created as the autonomous UniBRAIN facility with the discretion to make its own management decision without solely depending on the FARA secretariat’s procedural requirements. The Africa Agribusiness Incubator network (AAIN) is an incubator of incubators that offers opportunity for incubating incubators in Africa through a well-coordinated and systematic approach building on the pool of experts and professionals in Africa and beyond.

It will be one of FARA’s, core private sector development initiatives to strengthen agribusiness incubation capacity; commercialize agricultural technologies and innovations in the African continent. Besides, it is aimed at ensuring long term sustainability of the interventions, achievements registered and impacts realized so far under the UniBRAIN project.

The African Agribusiness Incubator Network (AAIN) was demanded by African agribusiness. To function as an independent autonomous institution capable of delivering on its mandate, AAIN would require the services of an Administration & Human Resource Officer

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Administration Officer shall perform inter-alia the following duties and responsibilities:

Duties and responsibilities

•   Maintaining the CEO’S diary and meetings;
•   Coordinate staff meetings and workshop logistics management
•   Support AAIN secretariat human resource management drive and its associate members and partners and assist secretariat human resource management support functions
•   Support secretariat towards staff training and performance appraisal reports and feedback sharing
•   Sort and distribute incoming mail to areas and staff within the organization and dispatch outgoing mail
•   Answer telephone enquiries from customers, attend to visitors and assist other staff in the organization with their enquiries
•   Resolves administrative problems by coordinating preparation of reports, analyzing data, and identifying solutions.
•   Develop and maintain office equipment and other document inventories
•   Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs; maintaining equipment inventories; evaluating new equipment and techniques.
•   Provides information about AAIN by answering questions, requests and distributing promotional materials
•   Maintains supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies.
•   Provides administrative support to AAIN secretariat staff including
o ?Processing all invitation letters for meetings and conferences; Taking minutes at general staff meetings; organization of Board of Directors’ meetings and other meetings specifically convened by the AAIN secretariat; Write business letters, reports and office memos among others
o Support membership recruitment drive and member servicing activities including trainings and mentorship as part of incubation support services
•   ?Performs any other duties that may be assigned by the supervisor.

Compensation/Location

FARA offers competitive salaries according to experience and qualifications. The position is based at the FARA Secretariat in Accra, no 12 Anmeda Street Roman Ridge

Qualification Required & Experience

•   Interested Applicants must have a minimum of BA or its equivalent from a recognized university, majoring in Public Administration/Business Administration or related field.
•   Knowledge of English and French is added advantage. Human resource knowledge is added advantage.
•   At least 5 years of overall post-qualification experience;
•   The successful candidate must be an organised, focused and analytical individual with an eye for detail.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Qualified candidates are invited to submit via email comprehensive Curriculum Vitae together with a motivation letter and names/contact details of three referees to:

Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo,
Executive Director,
FARA,
PMB CT 173,
Cantonments,
Accra, Ghana.

Email:  recruitment@faraafrica.org

Closing Date: 09 December, 2015

•   Please use the job title and reference in the subject line of your email.
•   Due to anticipated high volume of applicants, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applications which do not meet the stated criteria will be rejected.
•   There is no discrimination on the basis of gender race, religion, ethnic orientation, disability or health status.

FARA Affirmative Action Statement on Employment

{African Development Bank,Accra,Full-Time, GH,N/A, N/A,30 Nov-2013};

Objectives

Under the leadership of the Chief of Planning & Administration, the Principal Planning Officer will be Responsible for building and managing an effective and efficient Planning for IT activities.

He provides guidance on achieving the best use of the Bank’s financial rules and regulations, procurement procedures, recruitment procedures and accompanying standards, business processes, tools and metrics.

Duties and responsibilities

The main responsibilities  of the Principal Planning Officer are :

•   Develop Planning on CIMM activities.
•   Prepare  the annual budget submission of the department as well as the Mid-year budget review and retrospective review by:

1)  Collecting facts and presenting them for decision making; recording data, monitoring and reporting on the department budget implementation level.
2)  Initiating actions on expenses to be incurred.

•   Prepare and plan the execution of CIMM Capital and Administrative budgets
•   Manage and review capital and administrative budgets periodically to analyze commitment and expenditure.
•   Work with CIMM stakeholders to ensure that CIMM’s strategic plan reflects current business priorities and aligned with the IT strategy.
•   Ensure that programs and projects are adequately staffed and funded at all times, highlighting areas which are ‘out of control’ or are at risk of going beyond acceptable tolerances
•   Effectively educate and communicate operational matters related to budgets, finances and other resources to the Manager, Director and CIMM Management
•   Advise and provide guidance on impact of budget commitments and communicate arising matters.
•   Prepare overall annual Procurement plans for the CIMM department.
•   Identifies the department requirements in terms of consultant engagements, budgets to implement the different contracts.
•   Participate on shortlisting suppliers, drafting TORs, RFPs for the recruitment of Implementation Partners
•   Apply the Banks procurement rules and procedures to get IT goods and services for the best price and value.
•   Building a strong working relationship both internally and with key suppliers to get efficiently and cost-effectively goods and services
•   Negotiate and manage contracts and make payments against deliverables.
•   Evaluate contract performance and renewals
•   Understanding and keeping up with new IT trends and procurement regulations in the IT business
•   Dealing with international suppliers
•   Understanding technology and managing online systems such as SAP and e-tendering
•   Contribute on the review of CIMM-related KPI’s that identify the success of CIMM programs
•   Recommend the implementation of changes to improve overall performance of CIMM department.
•   Design and implement a continuous improvement plans which seeks to improve user satisfaction and CIMM performance on year-on-year basis
•   Gather performance feedback from Users as part of the normal course of business.
•   Track project spend against agreed CAPEX / OPEX budget allocations, proactively identifying potential over / under spend situations
•   Manage CIMM Budget and Headcount effectively

Qualification Required & Experience

Including desirable skills, knowledge and experience

•   Master’s degree in Business Administration or related business fields and/or equivalent work experience.
•   7+ years in Planning Management.
•   Company / industry market experience
•   Must possess extensive knowledge and expertise in Strategic program planning & management, financial management methodologies and tools
•   Must possess extensive knowledge of the Bank’s financial, procurement management rules and procedures/expertise
•   Excellent analytical, written, and verbal communication skills
•   Self-motivated and pro-active.
•   Dynamic and self-motivated leader to provide direction under complex conditions which often includes ambiguity and uncertainty
•   Able to build and maintain rapport with all levels of the organization, across Complexes, Divisions and Departments and also internationally
•   The incumbent must be able to build trust amongst all their contacts, across all levels within the organization in order to build a foundation for long term relationships and information exchange
•   Excellent knowledge of a range of Rules and Regulations with particular emphasis on:

1)  The Bank’s financial rules and Regulations
2)  The Bank’s procurement rules and regulations
3)  Financial management

•   Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
•   Excellent written and verbal communication is required
•   Excellent interpersonal skills coupled with a collaborative managerial style
•   Exceptional communication skills, including issue resolution, negotiation and conflict management
•   Must have ability to work autonomously and proactively
•   A strong orientation towards goal achievement
•   An over-riding commitment to the portfolio’s success, customer satisfaction and team working
•   Broadly skilled in information and communications technology
•   Strong verbal, written, presentation and customer service skills (clarity of messages, crispness in delivery, timeliness, and accuracy) required.
•   The ability to adapt to the requirements of the customer, the needs of the sponsors, the environment and people working on it to ensure a successful outcome.

Location: Ghana

How To Apply For The Job

Interested and qualified candidates should

Click Here To Apply Online

Closing Date: 29 October, 2013

Only applicants who fully meet the Bank’s requirements and are being considered for interview will be contacted. Applicants will only be considered if they submit an online application, and attach a comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV). The African Development Bank is an equal opportunities employer and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply