Livelihood, Food Security and Empowerment (LIFE) Coordinator at Vibrant Village Foundation

We are searching for an experienced and innovative professional to lead our Livelihood, Food Security and Empowerment (LIFE) team in the Upper West region.The post-holder shall oversee the overall management and supervision of the Livelihood, Food Security and Women empowerment program in the operational districts. He or She shall ensure the execution of program activities and functions within agreed strategies and resources. The specific roles and responsibilities of the post-holder are:

Quality assurance and technical support functions

•  Provide technical support and capacity building for staff and farmers on Conservation Agriculture,Agroecology and Good Agronomic practices.
•  Liaise with Field Officers and Coordinators to agree on program quality control standards or criteria
•  Work closely with the M&E coordinator to refine the M&E framework and data collection tools
•  Provide technical support in the establishment and strengthening of farmer- groups and associations
•  Facilitate the development of by-laws to guide the operations of farmer- groups and associations
•  Develop and oversee the implementation of quarterly and annual work plans and budgets
•  Develop strategies to enhance effective adoption of sustainable agricultural practices by farmer groups or farmer-based organizations (FBOs)
•  Identify and develop viable off-farm and agro-businesses targeting small scale farmers especially women
•  Undertake regular monitoring and compilation of data on lessons learned from project implementation
•  Develop and manage a system of responding to feedback and complaints from beneficiaries
•  Provide targeted technical assistance to program staff through field visits and mentoring to enhance quality standards and judicious use of resources
•  Prepare progress reports based on agreed quality standards
•  Develop case studies and share with relevant partners

Program management functions

•  Line manage field officers and volunteers
•  Conduct regular appraisal of staff and develop capacity development plans to improve efficiency
•  Ensure the efficient and judicious use of resources
•  Ensure strict adherence to financial management policies and guidelines of the organization
•  Ensure that resources and processes are sufficient to achieve program objectives and activities in line with work plans
•  Supervise and monitor compliance of staff and partners to VVF child protection, gender, and sexual harassment and anti-fraud policies.

Leadership and coordination:

•  Provide transparent and accountable leadership to staff and stakeholders
•  Inspire staff and clearly establish line of communication
•  Represent VVF at partner coordination meetings
•  Liaise with Program Director and Finance Officer to ensure timely release of funds for project activities
•  Maintain good working relations with relevant government line ministries, departments, agencies and the private sector to enhance the adoption of new technologies or strategies in sustainable agriculture
•  Participate in senior management meetings (SMT)

Qualification Required & Experience

Profile and experience of the post-holder

•  A degree in Agriculture extension, Agric-economics, Agronomy or relevant work experience.
•  Advanced/Master’s degree will be an added advantage.
•  At least 4 years’ experience in Sustainable Agricultural practices (SAPs).
•  Ability to work with multi-ethnic and culturally diverse stakeholders.
•  Analysis and problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
•  Experience in project cycle management.
•  Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
•  Good verbal and written communication skills in English required.
•  Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) is required
•  Strong commitment to improving the well-being of families in rural communities.
•  Ability to speak Sissali and/or Dagaare language will be an added advantage