Senior Programme Manager Sustainable Oil Palm Programme - Ghana

Solidaridad West Africa is growing rapidly and runs programmes on a range of agricultural commodities, including cocoa, cotton and oil palm. Solidaridad is now setting up a sustainable oil palm programme for the West Africa region, with a budget of several million Euros. The aim is to develop the programme into a regional expertise centre for sustainable oil palm. The centre will work to bridge the productivity gap of smallholder producers and establish sustainable business practices in small and large mills by 2015.

Job description

The senior programme manager will be responsible for developing and implementing the sustainable oil palm programme in the region. You will manage a team of country representatives as well as a number of staff members at the Solidaridad regional office in Accra. You will report to the managing director of the Solidaridad office in Ghana and be part of the regional office's management team.

The position based in the office in Accra, Ghana, but will involve regular travel across West Africa to monitor the delivery of the programme, and to Europe, the US and Asia to develop a network of buying companies and brands.

Main responsibilities

• Leading the development of the regional sustainable oil palm programme and managing team members and country representatives
• Developing annual plans and coordinating reporting to donors
• Monitoring and reviewing all programme activities and expenditure, and supervising the implementation of the plan
• Developing and managing relationships with ODA agencies, corporate partners, programme financiers, producers and producer organizations, governments and knowledge institutes
• Representing the programme at relevant regional and international forums
• Creating links between producers and producer organizations and market opportunities in Africa, Europe and the US
• Participating in the overall development of Solidaridad West Africa by contributing actively to the management team
• Contributing to the development of Solidaridad Network's international oil palm strategy, including participation in the Solidaridad global oil palm strategy team

Requirements

• A throrough understanding of sustainability issues related to tropical agriculture, land use change and deforestation dynamics, preferably in oil palm
• A Master's or PhD degree in relevant discipline, such as tropical agriculture, economics, international affairs, business or public administration
• 5 to 10 years' relevant working experience in the development and management of large development projects in agriculture, forestry or agro forestry
• Proven ability to deal with various stakeholders, such as business, farmers and farmers' organizations, NGOs, donors and governments
• Proven ability to work with minimal supervision, preferably within a global network organization 
• Relevant working experience in West Africa
• Fluent in English and French, both oral and in writing
• Service-oriented team player, enterprising, pragmatic, flexible and sensitive to cultural differences

What we offer

• A unique and challenging job in an inspiring international setting
• An opportunity to be at the forefront of sustainable development in the oil palm sector in West Africa and to contribute to the development of a global sustainable oil palm programme 
• Competitive remuneration package

Applications

If you fit the candidate profile and want to apply, please send your one page covering letter and two page résumé in English to Hans Perk (Hans.Perk@solidaridadnetwork.org). The closing date for this vacancy is March 10th 2012. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.