Project Description

CNFA is currently seeking applications from qualified candidates for a Program Officer in Ghana to support a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food for Progress (FFPr) project in West Africa region (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria) called USDA West Africa PRO-Cashew project. The project aims to improve agricultural production and expand trade of agricultural products.

General Responsibilities

The PO will be responsible for a wide range of functions, including but not limited to:

• Contribute to the Ghana semi-annual work plans, and overall management of the project in line with USDA guidelines and within set timelines to achieve objectives;
• Provide in-depth knowledge of the country to the Ghana Country Representative and aid in the development of country plans and activities;
• Support the Ghana Country Representative in program administration, operations and implementation to ensure technical and financial activities align with scope, budget allocations and internal policies;
• Provide the programs team leverage in moving programs and initiatives forward by assisting with information gathering, communicating with different parties, developing and monitoring plans, keeping track of responsibilities, etc.
• Promote the grant program and support grantees in their proposal stage and compliance once awarded;
• Support efforts to provide effective coordination and guidance among academic institutions, local Government, smallholder farmers, service providers, cashew processing firms and other key stakeholders;
• Support M&E mechanisms, program monitoring tools and efficient systems to ensure high quality implementation;
• Ensure quality control and be able to adjust activities and operations in response to technical direction;
• Contribute to writing semi-annual reports, and develop success stories (at least 2 per year) in tandem with the Ghana Country Representative;
• Represent CNFA with partners and key stakeholders, at conferences, workshops, meetings, and other industry gatherings, maintain positive relationships with USDA and the US Embassy, local authorities, and the country office team;
• Identify issues and risks related to activity implementation in a timely manner;
• Review financial and administrative documents to ensure compliance with internal and external contract and policy requirements;
• Work in close collaboration with the Ghana Country Representative
• Perform other duties as assigned necessary for the successful implementation of the PRO-Cashew project in Ghana.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors’ Degree in a relevant field (Business, agricultural economics, international relations) required; a master’s degree is strongly preferred.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience backstopping complex international economic development programs is required.
• Experience managing USDA or other United States Government contracts of sizeable value is strongly preferred;
• Experience managing USAID compliance issues specific to contracts is required;
• Experience with the Cashew industry and Stakeholders strongly preferred
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills, and clear, concise written communication skills required;
• Strong budgeting and analytical capacity is expected;
• Outstanding organization skills with a high level of attention to detail;
• Ability to maintain composure and flexibility under tight deadlines;
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize effectively and manage multiple competing priorities;
• Ability to engage with organizations and individuals from various cross-cultural contexts; and
• Highly skilled in coordination and project management.
• Proficiency with MS Office suite required.
• Authorization to work in Ghana required.