Trias Ghana is looking for an enthusiastic and professional
Programme Advisor with specific experience in working with Farmer Based Organisations (FBOs)
Working station : Trias Regional Office in Bolgatanga (Upper East Region)
Starting date : as soon as possible
Duration : 2 years & renewable
Remuneration : Remuneration conform Belgium NGO conditions
Probation period : 6 months
Trias is a Belgian NGO for development co-operation, working in 12 countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Trias seeks to enhance the livelihood security of micro and small-scale entrepreneurs and farm families in the South, and to strengthen their organisations. Trias also encourages North-South cooperation between farmers and entrepreneurs and their associations.
The regional office of Trias Ghana, located in Bolgatanga, provides capacity building, programme funding and advisory support to partner organisations in the three northern regions of Ghana (Upper East, Upper West and Northern Region). Within its regional programme 2008 – 2010, Trias has been working in partnership with 12 rural banks to improve access of small scale entrepreneurs and farm families in target communities, to appropriate, quality and sustainable microfinancial services.
However in its 2011-2013 programme, Trias Ghana intends to enlarge its current approach by bringing onboard some secondary FBOs and regional branches of national FBOs as either direct or indirect partners.
For this, Trias Ghana wishes to recruit a qualified Programme Advisor to support Trias Ghana in the elaboration and implementation of the new programme. The Programme Advisor would be the lead advisor for Trias Ghana and its collaborators and the partner FBOs in the areas of:
• Organisational Development and Institutional development
• Value Chain Approaches and Market Access
• Business Development Services
Main Duties & Responsibilities:
1. The programme advisor supports the regional office in the elaboration and implementation of the programme:
- Assist the RO in facilitating a multi stakeholder and participatory design of the 2011-2013 programme
- Assist the RO in meeting deadlines in ongoing operational and management tasks and assignments
- Represent Trias Ghana in technical partnership/consortium platforms for the development of the target FBOs
- Ensure regular monitoring and evaluation/reporting in line with Trias systems and guidelines
- Network and maintain good relations with supporters, stakeholders and with (potential new) donors of the programme
- Regular field visits in the three northern regions for contact with beneficiaries, local government and other relevant stakeholders
2. The programme advisor gives OD/ID support to the FBO partners in the programme:
S/he is expected to work within a multi-stakeholder and collaborative approach in providing support to a number of secondary FBOs spread across the three regions of N/Ghana. S/he is also expected to facilitate the organizational capacity building and strategy development of three regional branches of national FBOs
- Advise the FBOs in their organizational development
1. Facilitate/review of organizational capacity assessments
2. Develop OD plan with respective partners
3. Provide technical inputs and capacity building with regard to strategic planning, set-up of management systems, strengthening of governance structure, fund management, etc.
4. Beyond scope of area, provide contact opportunities to partners to informal and formal networks of organisations and expertise
- Design and facilitate capacity building process for partner FBOs to improve their skills in networking, lobbying and advocacy
3. Thematic advisor in one or more of the following fields:
• Value chain approach for small scale farmers
• Marketing for small scale farmers
• Business development services for small scale farmers
More concretely on these themes the advisor is responsible for:
• Providing specialized knowledge and advise to Trias team members and partner organizations and FBOs
• Strengthening the already existing linkages in value chain approaches; and strengthening business development service arrangements already put in place by partners/collaborating institutions
• Collecting new knowledge and skills on the thematic area, through literature review, networking, participating in relevant meetings, platforms and trainings
• Systemizing lessons learned from the Trias Ghana programme as to share with other regional offices of Trias
4. Contribute to the overall duties of the regional office of Trias Ghana among others:
• Contribute to the continued organizational learning process of Trias;
• Participate in staff meetings and capacity building activities;
• Contribute to the writing of new programme proposals and fundraising;
• Answer requests from Trias Headquarters for information or input, for example for the North department or Communication desk
Job requirements:
• A Masters Degree or postgraduate qualification by preference in social sciences, economics or agriculture
• A minimum of 3 years work experience in development cooperation in Africa
• Experienced in working with farmer based organizations (or member based organisations in general) in development cooperation
• Considerable knowledge and experience in the themes as mentioned
• Skills in facilitation, planning and training
• Excellent report writing skills and communicating skills
• Fluent in Dutch and English, both oral and written
• Has excellent coordination, organizational and inter-personal skills and attitudes; active listener
• Easily adaptable to working within a multicultural and multi-ethnic environment
• Previous knowledge of the Ghanaian context would be an added advantage
• Willingness to live and work in sometimes harsh and rapidly changing weather conditions
• Must be pro-active, creative and able to work effectively and efficiently under pressure
• Highly motivated to contribute to poverty alleviation through local economic development
• Knowledgeable of standard computer programmes: Word, Excel, etc.
Working conditions:
• The advisor is stationed in the regional office of Trias Ghana, based in Bolgatanga. Frequent field visits with overnight stays in the three Northern regions are necessary.
Applicants are strongly advised to take this into consideration before applying. More information about Bolgatanga and the living conditions in Northern Ghana can be obtained from the personnel department which can be reached by mail at sollicitaties@triasngo.be with reference ‘inquiry about Bolgatanga’.
How to apply:
Application letter and CV (No copies of relevant diploma’s and certificates), should be sent, preferable by e-mail to sollicitaties@triasngo.be for the attention of Thomas Vervisch.
Or by post to:
Trias vzw
Att. Thomas Vervisch
Wetstraat 89
1040 Brussels
Closing date for application is 30 June 2010