Agro Eco, with its headquarters in The Netherlands and two offices in Ghana (Accra and Kumasi) serving West Africa, advises the private sector, NGOs, governments and international organisations/companies in the development of quality products, notably certified organic, Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade products. It has been active in Africa since 1990 and tens of exporters and ten-thousands of smallholder farmers are profiting from the access achieved to higher paying markets. We provide farmer supplier group organization, conversion planning, technical assistance, research, preparation of grower group certification, quality programmes, market studies and linkages between exporters and importers. We develop and execute projects with the emphasis on Climate Smart Cocoa, biodiversity, carbon sequestration and work with a landscape approach. We work on innovative ideas and interventions to improve the livelihoods of the farmer in all their complexities (www.agroeco.net).

At Agro Eco we encourage diversity and inclusion across the organization. With this commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, age or disability. Agro Eco’s core values are fair play, openness and trust, respect for environment & people, professionalism, inspirational & motivating organization.

Position summary:

We are looking for a project manager who will focus on our cocoa agroforestry program (planting 80+ shade and fruit trees per hectare in cocoa plantations with farmers, coaches and youth teams to sequester carbon, improve yield and livelihood). S/he will provide programme support to the Cocoa Program Manager to effectively coordinate and manage the agroforestry project in Ghana in line with the objectives, the timeframe, and the budget. Provides overall technical direction and managerial oversight for smooth implementation of the project.

Responsibilities:

• Prepare, in collaboration with management, strategic work-plans with clear objectives and achievement benchmarks, long-term and short-term priorities, implementation plans, quarterly and yearly financial projections against the Project MoU and other future agreements related to the project;
• Supervise and provide technical oversight in the development of M&E plans and tools (supported by our PMELS officer);
• Maintain good relationships and collaborate closely with technical agencies at the national and local level and with the cooperatives with whom we will be partnering;
• Serve as the representative on the cocoa agroforestry project to the main national and/or local counterparts and in general terms to the cocoa stakeholders;
• Maintain communication with and report to (Agro Eco and project) management through both formal and informal briefings, quarterly and annual reports (financial and narrative);
• Support the recruitment and directly supervise staff for the cocoa development centres and ensure high quality work;
• Ensure efficient management of financial resources, including regular narrative and financial reports to ensure the best use of resources by preparing sound budgets, monitoring project expenses, and ensuring timely submission of financial reports to Program Management.

Qualifications:

• Professional experience: 7+ yrs;
• Minimum a master’s degree in Agronomy, economic development, international development, international agriculture, or a related field;
• Demonstrated ability to implement projects with rigorous deliverables and timelines in accordance to set budgets while maintaining high quality and collaborating in mutual understanding with multiple implementing partners;
• Proven leadership and strategic planning capabilities;
• Proven ability in collaborating closely with multi-level stakeholders, including Government, donors, and implementing partners;
• Demonstrated budget management expertise;
• Proven sound judgment and decision-making skills;
• Proven strong negotiation and interpersonal skills;
• Strong networking skills;
• Computer skills in MS Office (Word, Excel, Access, Outlook);
• Excellent written and oral English;
• Experience in the Ghanaian sustainable cocoa sector;
• Willingness to a 3-5 years’ commitment.

Contract period: 2 years, renewable

Probation period: 3 months

Duty station: Kumasi
Salary: Local contract (1,200-1,500 euro/month)

How to apply

Kindly send your application and resume with two references to jobs@agroeco.net by closing date Wednesday November 15, 2023. Please indicate the position “Application for Project Manager” in the subject of your email. Qualified female applicants are encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

If you have any questions about the job vacancy, please contact the HR department: jobs@agroeco.net