Job Openings at African Union - InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources

The key responsibilities of the Consultant will include the following:

Project implementation and management

• Lead the pastoral sector landscape, profiling and market analyses to identify priority private sector partners, investment and marketing opportunities in target geographies / countries
• Lead the development and coordinate the implementation of a comprehensive strategy for pastoral and private sector engagement, and strengthening their integration in the livestock markets
• Coordinate the National Market Integration Pillar groups activities.
• Support the development and management of a database on pastoral marketing-chain.
• Design and lead the implementation of initiatives aimed at promoting the integration of pastoral private sector into the livestock markets.
• Explore and advocate for the use of innovative technologies and digital solutions to enhance market access and integration for pastoralists.
• Contribute to Platform governance and management as a member of the Platform Management Committee (PMC)

Stakeholder engagement, coordination and capacity building

• Facilitate coordination among various pastoral market stakeholders, including pastoralists (producers), private sector entities, pastoral associations, collective initiatives; NGOs and government agencies; RECs, international partners and development agencies, to ensure seamless operations of the platform.
• Engage in advocacy and communication activities to raise awareness of the importance of pastoral integration into livestock markets.
• Facilitate public-private dialogues and develop collaborative business-opportunity proposals for mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborations.
• Provide technical assistance on sustainable and inclusive business models for pastoral livestock sub-sector.
• Identify capacity building needs and programs for pastoralists, private sector entities, and other stakeholders to enhance their understanding and engagement in the market integration process, and partnership development.

Monitoring and evaluation, and reporting on project implementation

• Contribute to the development and operation of a robust M&E frameworks to track progress, measure impact, and identify areas for improvement in market integration initiatives.
• Contribute to documentation and information sharing.
• Perform any other duties as requested by the Project Coordinator and the Director of AU-IBAR

Expected Outputs and Deliverables.

• Comprehensive Action Plan for the Private-Sector-Integration pillar.
• An In-depth analysis of the pastoral and livestock market, identifying opportunities for market integration and potential private sector partnership, in the target countries/geographies.
• Private sector mapping and profiling for pastoral investment and marketing in targeted geographies / countries.
• Comprehensive strategy for strengthening pastoralist integration into livestock markets.
• Mechanism for marketing and investment data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
• Periodical progress reports (technical and financial) on project status, implementation, achievements vs. milestone, and challenges/risks.
• Materials for showcasing the private sector investment and engagement in pastoral livestock markets (investment case studies and success stories, successful business model, etc.)
• Documented capacity building need analysis; and training programs and materials for the sector stakeholders in the targeted geographies.

Requirements

Academic and Professional qualifications

• Minimum qualification shall be Bachelor’s degree in agriculture / livestock production, agribusiness, agriculture / livestock economics, with a strong foundation in pastoral market dynamics, and promoting private sector integration.
• Post graduate degree, in similar fields will be considered as an advantage.
• Certifications in project management applications, such as PMP (Project Management Professional) or PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments) will be considered as an additional asset, reflecting a standardized knowledge of project management practices.

General Experience

• Demonstrable experience of a minimum five (5) years in managing / implementing projects, with diverse team, preferably in the pastoral livestock sector development or related fields, at national, regional or multi-country levels.
• Strong writing, communication, and negotiation skills, with the ability to engage effectively with various stakeholders.
• Ability to work in a diverse / multicultural environment.

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Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate and support cross-functional project teams, providing necessary administrative and logistical support to ensure project activities are effectively executed.
• Organize, coordinate and manage the project team’s calendar of activities.
• Travel and conference arrangements: organise hotel and travel bookings; prepare requisite travel documents for meeting attendees (internal & external).
• In collaboration with the Finance team, prepare budgets for workshops and meetings; support the organisation and execution of meetings, workshops and conferences whether virtual or in-person.
• Execute key administrative tasks, such as document management, preparation of correspondence, management of stakeholder’s data, scheduling, logistics coordination, support to preparation of technical documents, meeting reports/ minutes, presentations, tables, lists, statistics and diagrams etc.
• Support day to day operational needs related to stakeholder data, communication, engagement, and partnership building including supporting the dissemination of relevant documents and materials in accordance with a specific assigned task.
• Assist the knowledge Management expert in the sharing and dissemination of information and messaging related to pastoral sector marketing to various stakeholders.
• Assist with the financial tracking, and record keeping on the project expenditure and provide follow up to the project coordinator.
• Filing and archives: maintaining accurate and tidy files, electronic filing and hard archiving system and filing indexes.
• Monitoring completeness and timelines of the development, review/validation, and documentation of project activities and periodic reports.
• Follow-up on progress of studies, outsourced to consultants for timely delivery.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Requirements

Qualifications

The successful applicant should have a minimum of a first level university degree in administration, social science or gender studies or a related field.

General Experience

• At least three (3) years cumulative experience performing administrative or related functions in an international organization or multi-cultural environment.
• Minimum three (3) years’ experience working in international organization or multinational firm with operation and projects implemented in multiple countries.
• Experience in taking minutes and preparation of meeting reports.
• Post-qualification working experience in reputable African organization / firm or related functions (administrative services), as well as performing human resource related functions.

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The Consultant shall be responsible for the following:

• Provide support in the management of end – to – end procurement activities from planning to contract award.
• Assist in developing, executing, and administering complex procurements for diverse works, goods and services in accordance with African Union Regulations and internally accepted standards and procedures.
• Provide procurement expert advice on wide ranging and complex technical and other issues relating to institutional procurement.
• In consultation with Business Units, reviews the type of work, goods and services required and recommends appropriate procurement strategy and methods.
• Monitor and track the Implementation of the Annual Procurement Plan in close collaboration with Business Units.
• Provide advice and guidance to Business Units concerning development of specifications for acquisition of goods or related services including preparation of price estimates on procurement requests for non-standard items.
• Conduct market research and analysis to inform procurement decisions.
• Collaborate with Business Units to facilitate smooth procurement operations.
• Prepare solicitation documents for goods, work and services to be procured using appropriate methodologies.
• Carry out the procurement process, including pre-bidding conference, evaluation of bids, post-qualification and recommendation for award in line with African Union’s Procurement procedures.
• Prepare and present procurement cases to the relevant authorities for approval.
• Coordinate contract negotiations, ensuring adherence to the procurement policies and obtaining value for money.
• Monitor supplier performance and contract compliance, addressing any issues proactively.
• Track orders to ensure prompt delivery of services.
• Provide input on periodic reports and statistics on procurement activities such as purchase orders.
• Provide technical support in preparation and conducting procurement training on procurement techniques, processes and systems for AU- IBAR staff.
• Identify and manage procurement risk in the procurement cycle.
• Liaise with external stakeholders, including donors, and international partners, on procurement-related matters to ensure compliance with applicable rules and procedures.
• Perform any other relevant duty/ responsibility assigned by the Supervisor.

Qualifications and Experience Requirements for the Consultant

The ideal candidate should have:

• A minimum of a Master’s Degree in Management, Procurement or Supply Chain Management, Finance and Accounting or Public Administration, Business Administration or Law or any other relevant field including training in procurement or related subject, or equivalent by experience.
• Good knowledge of standard procurement methods and procedures following UNCITRAL model / Public Procurement disciplines. Specific knowledge and experience in the AUC procurement procedures will be a distinct requirement.
• At least 7 years of relevant work experience in Procurement, Logistics, Warehousing or Supply Chain management.
• Understanding of fundamental procurement principles. Understanding of EU and AUC procurement procedures and documentation would be an added advantage.
• Record of familiarization of institutions and mandates, procurement procedures and documentation of AU-IBAR, AUC or RECs would be an added advantage.
• Good knowledge of procurement processes, challenges and lessons on the continent.
• Teamwork: Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment and good interpersonal skills.