West Africa Partnerships and Advocacy Manager at VOICE Network

About the vacancy

We are looking for someone to increase our work on advocacy, communications, and partnership management. Part of the role is to strengthen and professionalise out internal and external communications and partnerships. Another part is to engage with relevant actors based in the West African cocoa sector, including government, industry, international organisations, civil society, and others. With this new position, we are looking for someone who is eager to help build a coalition that is informed and excited about shaping the future of sustainable tropical agriculture. We are looking for somebody from and based in Cote d’Ivoire or Ghana. 

Your tasks will include

• Ensuring there is a good flow of information within the network, including member care and internal communication.
• Supporting the Managing Director in coordination of planning and follow-up on actions on advocacy and communications.
• Engage in advocacy with external relations, with a key focus on West Africa. This includes outreach civil society and farmer-based organisations, outreach to institutes such as the ICCO, CIGCHI, and other relevant policy actors, outreach to domestic and multinational cocoa and chocolate companies, etc. 
• Supporting the Managing Director in coordinating internal consultation processes on various topics relevant to the VOICE members and VOICE board. Collect feedback, input, suggestions, etc. and coordinate alignment to ensure an inclusive and balanced decision-making process, together with the Managing Director.
• Building relationships with all Voice members, as well as with key external partners throughout the world. This includes capacity building of and support for members’ capacity to advocacy, especially in West Africa.

Your work environment 

1. You work in a fast-paced, international environment. The workflow is highly dynamic, which requires the ability to shift gears when opportunities appear.
2. You will be working from a home office, with regular face to face meetings and virtual interactions with other VOICE staff the board and the members of the network. At times, you will be required to travel, both regionally and internationally.
3. Your working hours will depend on the assignment, but these will usually be during normal business hours.

Your skills and requirements

• You have a relevant master’s degree and 10 years of relevant work experience.
• You are interested in global trade justice and strongly motivated to challenge the current food system and to create positive impact for the income of cocoa farmers and the corporate responsibility of companies.
• You have excellent communication and networking skills.
• You are pro-active in communication and eager to ask for feedback.
• You have good written and verbal language skills in both English and French. Knowledge of Spanish is a plus. 
• You are highly organised and reliable.
• You are able to work effectively in an international and multicultural environment and are aware of and willing to combat the legacy of inequality and racism in the global economic system.
• Experience in the NGO sector is commendable, experience in the cocoa sector a plus.

Labour conditions

One year consultancy contract with excellent benefits, with the aim of extension into a permanent employment situation.

About the process

• Applications close April 27th. 
• Job interviews will be held online through teleconferencing on May 10th and 11th.