Sahel Program Manager

Description

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

The Organization

Since 1944, Heifer International has helped more than 36 million families lift themselves out of hunger and poverty. Our goal is to help families achieve living incomes, which will allow them to feed their families daily, educate all their children; and have proper housing, water, hygiene, and other essential resources. When many families gain this new sustainable income, it brings new opportunities for building schools, creating agricultural cooperatives, forming community savings, and funding small businesses. Heifer Senegal contribution to the Global 10 million households target is to help 500,000 of Heifer Africa’s 6.745 million households achieve sustainable living income by 2030.

FUNCTION

The Sahel Program Manager will be responsible for the overall management of the dairy project in the Sahel, which includes effective management of project resources; reviewing and approving project plans and budgets and tracking expenditures; overseeing field operations; communication and manage stakeholders, contracting; overseeing monitoring and evaluation; and ensuring quality control and timely delivery of all deliverables as required. He/she will also be responsible for the successful launch and implementation of the project across the countries. The Sahel project manager will support 4 countries: Senegal, Mali, Niger & Ivory Coast.

He/she will ensure full compliance with Heifer's project management and compliance policies and procedures and oversee the project reporting process to donors/partners (quarterly, mid-term and annual reports, evaluation report and end of project report etc.). He/she will oversee the performance management of all project staff working exclusively on the project and ensure timely reporting on project progress and financial status.

ESSENTIAL CHARACTER TRAITS

Financial Acumen; Tech Savvy; Action oriented; Plans and aligns; Optimizes work processes; Ensures accountability; Drives results; Collaborates; Communicates effectively; Courage; Instills trust; Builds effective teams; Nimble learning.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DELIVERABLES

A. Management of dairy project resources in defining and monitoring the management plan for the financial, technical, human, and material resources required to implement the project.

• Define and update the project objectives and results.
• Agree the scope of the project.
• Identify the types of resources required.
• Identify available resources.
• Monitor the project's progress.

B. Technical management of dairy project (planning, organization, achievement of objectives, compliance with commitments).

• Continuously monitor the level of project execution up to the closure phase.
• Validate project data, taking into account progress indicators.
• Validate the work and intervention plans.
• Continuously monitoring the work carried out and correcting any malfunction.
• Participate in the recruitment of livestock technician and trainers for the project.
• Ensure the effective management of this project in collaboration with the technical services and local and administrative authorities of the intervention zones to increase the community's capacity to fight poverty and improve the quality of life of the project participants.
• Establish a livestock monitoring mechanism that integrates animal health relays, livestock technicians and emerging farmers.
• Develop specific and pedagogically relevant training modules on animal health, feeding, housing and reproduction.
• Develop a strategy for the coverage of the livestock vaccination campaign in the intervention zones.
• Prepare and participate in the evaluation of the impact of the project on the targeted populations.
• Ensure good communication with the communities for a better impact on the project testimony and on Heifer Project International.
• Manage holistic and cross-cutting activities, including advocacy, gender, environment, etc.
• Manage the project's material resources that will be made available according to Heifer's procedures.
• Ensure that the information management system is in place and constantly updated.
• Ensure the implementation of the recommendations of any audit or financial evaluation.
• Perform other similar or related duties in the interest of the organization.

C. Manage the provision of quality animal health care (prevention and treatment).

• Manage that relevant stakeholders understand the training program and that the knowledge is fully implemented on the farms, particularly, but not limited to, animal health.
• Improve animal health and husbandry through trained community-based agricultural entrepreneurs (CAVES).
• Monitor and support trained farmers, partners and project staff.
• Ensure that all farmers are trained in group dynamics and social capital development.
• Ensure that the groups are practicing functional savings and credit activities to contribute to project objectives.
• Ensure that project activities comply with Heifer International's animal welfare policies.
• Follow up a record of known diseases/infections and mortalities.
• Master the provision of quality veterinary services, equipment, vaccines, drugs, through hubs, CAVEs, and other structures as appropriate.
• Ensure proper manure management and use.
• Promote actions that will allow producers to have access to quality but low-cost feed for increased productivity and profitability.

D. Manage financial and material resources effectively (administration and finance, budget, mobilization of financial resources, etc.)

• Validating the quarterly and half-yearly schedule of activities and the provisional budget, identifying the tasks to be carried out, defining the resources to be deployed and anticipating and preventing risks
• Justify all expenditure.
• Drawing up the budget implementation plan, taking into account the various stages of the project.

E. Partnership and Engagement.

• Work with Program partners to engage with relevant national authorities on addressing the policy, legislation and regulation issues surrounding the project.
• Represent Heifer in various local stakeholder meetings, workshops, conferences and shared learning events.

F. Management and Compliance

• Submit timely reports to the Program Director.
• Ensure periodic Program reviews are conducted, with learnings documented and shared.
• Manage risks and issues; correct deviations from plans; and perform delivery planning for the Program.
• Achieve above 90% compliance on Program performance and targets.

G. May perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum qualifications required

1. Bachelor’s degree in Program Management, Business Administration, International development, Community Development or related field.
2. At least 10 – 15 years' experience in the development sector, preferably working directly with farmers, farmer groups and organizations.
3. Experience in group formation and group dynamics, organizational development, and savings and credit mobilization.
4. Experience in Market systems & donors' side.

Preferred qualifications

1. At least 10 years of relevant training experience with community groups and peer farmers.
2. Good knowledge of training methodologies, including participatory training approaches.
3. Experience in group leadership, savings mobilization, and social capital development.
4. Knowledge and experience in the development and application of training manuals and modules.
5. Knowledge and experience in implementing and monitoring the impact of training.

Most important skills

1. Experience managing large projects with multiple donors.
2. Good understanding of the different value chains of agricultural products
3. Knowledge and experience in conducting trainings and moderation skills.
4. Knowledge of various training topics such as gender, personal leadership, holistic values-based development, community development, savings mobilization, and organizational development.
5. Knowledge and experience with or within community-based organizations
6. Fluency in English and French, both oral and written.
7. Interest in animals, agriculture, and community development
8. Skills in participatory training methodology, preferably with an NGO
9. Excellent communication skills; good writing and speaking skills.
10. Excellent organizational skills, including strong attention to detail.
11. Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, and email (Microsoft preferred)
12. Motivated to work responsibly with little supervision.
13. Ability to meet and deal with others in a courteous and tactful manner.
14. Demonstrate a high degree of honesty and integrity.
15. Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule.
16. Willingness and ability to travel extensively, both locally and internationally.
17. Ability to foster and maintain a spirit of unity, teamwork, and cooperation.
18. Sensitivity to working with multiple cultures and beliefs, and gender equity.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Requirements

1. Prepare and present project reports and presentations in a well-designed and attractive format with superior attention to detail.
2. Demonstrate creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to integrate innovative solutions.
3. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work cooperatively, tactfully, and diplomatically with culturally diverse groups of people.
4. Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the public to increase visibility and publicity for the national program.
5. May require constant sitting, working on a computer and concentrating for extended periods of time and performing office work in the field and/or in remote conditions.
6. Work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.