Regional Manager - East and Southern Africa (Consultant)

Our client is an NGO working with small holder models for cash crops around Africa.

Job Description
The consultant (long term 3-5 yrs) will be responsible for overseeing, developing and representing the company in Southern and East Africa. He will contribute to a powerful recognition of the company amongst national and regional stakeholders and in the end a proper scale-up in the number of strategic partnerships, participating farmers and the volumes pulled through the supply chain.

This involves developing, implementing, improving and evaluating existing and new partnerships, creating a strategy for the companies presence in the region, resetting programme objectives with implementers, governments, funders, etc. who are of strategic relevance, and strengthen the companies presence within the region. The consultant will work closely with the Supply Team at head office to create a strategy for the coming years.

Responsibilities

Strategic Accountability
1. Lead on the implementation and development of the plans for each country in the region (South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, and also new countries) in collaboration with other departments of the company to enable delivery of global strategy and goals.
2. Further develop and strengthen the network of partners in the region and ensure representation of the company in appropriate forums.
3. Develop a regional strategic plan to support The companies global priorities. Strategy will cover demand and fundraising and national embedding.
4. Manage and oversee capacity building of partners, to make sure all parties have the capabilities and capacity to deliver on objectives for the programme.
5. Collaborate and support with the assurance team for the execution of the assurance program.
6. Making sure appropriate escalation of important risks to credibility of the operations in the different countries.
7. Working together with the fundraising team to create marketing and funding opportunities for the company. Support fundraising activities in the regions.

Company Team
8. Contribute to developing of the global programme team by sharing knowledge and building the reputation of the company as a leading organisation in both the sustainable agriculture and textile sectors and creating ideas to improve ways of working.
9. Ensure the integrity of the company in the region through quality recruitment, management, induction, and coaching of regional partners, incl. overseeing farm monitoring and supporting licensing processes, communicating texts of best practice, collecting impact data and results, and providing training and referrals.
10. Closely work with the Regional Manager of West Africa and line manage the staff in the country.
11. Monitor the selection and training of participating gins and other manufactorers and suppliers on the use of the companies traceability systems.
12. Sharing knowledge and stories from the country programs to transfer skills to other African country partners and around the globe.

External Representation
13. Contribute to video messages, written materials, and other front-line communication messages in order to build the company into a well-known and respected standard in Africa and around the world.
14. Represent the company in the region and around the world to make sure that it maintains a solid reputation and a credible status across the cotton sector.

Financial Accountability
15. Overseeing of project costs. Be the focal point for the innovation and growth fund application process for Southern and East Africa.
16. Monitoring budget expenditure, associated reporting, to make sure of efficient and effective use of financial resources within the country.

Furthermore the Regional Manager is expected to work together on activities as agreed with a representative of the company.

Working Arrangements
- The consultant appointed to this role will report to the Head of Partnerships.
- Salary: depending on experience.
- The consultancy role is estimated to require approximately 40 hours per week, and will be home-based or in a co-working space in a country of operation. The consultancy contract will be for an initial twelve-month fixed term, with extension possible. This contract is a local contract and our client is not able to cover any relocation or expatriation expenses.
- The consultant is expected to attend special meetings and events, some of which may occur in the evenings or weekends. Frequent travel within the region will be required (>30%).

Profile

To be successful, candidates for the Regional Manager role will have the following attributes:

Experience

Essential
- At least 7 years’ working experience in programme and project design and management
- At least 3 years’ experience working in a similar role in an African country
- Track record of effective and successful partnership development and management, including process management and monitoring of performance
- Proven work experience in the agricultural sector and value chains in East and Southern Africa, cash crops

Preferred
- Proven results in managing fundraising activities and a wide network of partners
- Demonstrated results in conducting negotiation with high level partners and governments

Desirable
- Experience of working in both international organizations /NGOs and private sector
- Experience in cotton production and textile sector

Skills & knowledge

Essential
- Master degree in relevant field (Agronomy, BA, international relations…) or more
- Strong attention to detail, strong analytical and organizational skills
- Strategic influencing and excellent interpersonal, facilitation and negotiation skills, with service-oriented attitude and diplomacy
- Fluency in English with excellent written skills, Portuguese and French highly desirable
- Advanced computer and IT skills, including excellent command of Excel and PPT, and management of project database
- Flexibility, initiative, ability to work autonomously in a remote environment

Are you interested in becoming a Regional Manager in Africa? Apply now at the top or bottom of our page.

For our client we are recruiting an ambitious Deputy Managing Director for their food production operation in Suriname. The new Deputy Managing Director must have a passion to produce healthy food and impact our environment in a positive way.

Features:

Job type: permanent, full-time, with trial period
Salary: competitive, including bonus
Location: Paramaribo, Suriname

Roles & Responsibilities:

The Deputy Managing Director will be reporting to the Managing Director and he will manage the operations. He will improve profitability, build an effective and efficient organization, deliver commercial objectives and lead the finance and operations teams, all with the aim to execute and develop the business strategy. Specific areas of responsibility include:

Assuming accountability for the company operations, with a focus on the following points
• Delivering best agricultural practices, efficient post-harvest and optimal quality control
• Marketing of the products and directing optiomal sales
• Ensuring the proper financial, technological and human resources are in place for the continued success and growth of the business
• Aggressive cost and revenue optimization, in compliance with the policies and spending thresholds
• Overseeing the finance functions with cash management, budget planning, and addressing the financing needs of the company through organic funding
• Reporting of performance on a monthly basis
• Cash generating position on an annual basis

Building and maintaining an effective management team
• Communicating strategy, values and mission
• Assigning responsibilities and key roles, relocating and dismissing unnecessary people as needed
• Hiring, developing and promoting talents, while developing consistent training for teams
• Developing an open and communicative climate
• Ensuring a proper succession plan is in place at any time for senior functions in the company
• Setting targets, evaluating performance and appropriate rewarding of team members

Developing strategic plans, according to objectives set by the company
• 5-year forecast operating and financial model, with key focus on cash returned to the company and delivery of regenerative objectives
• Organically funded growth strategy, including new products, markets and land
• Key strategic analyses on product mix, productivity and go-to-market strategy
• Education of the team to operate under the financial constraints and objectives set by the company
• Ensure company policies, risk mitigation actions, compliance with health and safety requirements are communicated and followed at all times
• Addressing the financing needs of the group, through organic funding

The Deputy Managing Director will report to the Managing Director.

Skills, Qualifications & Attitude

We are looking for a strategic leader and team player, confident and happy to work hard to accomplish a purposeful goal. The following skills are the most important:
§ At least 10 years of relevant experience in a similar position within a primary production enterprise
§ Solid managerial skills, ability to manage an extensive team including white- and blue-collar employees
§ Entrepreneurial and hands-on attitude. Boots in the field
§ Ability to successfully manage contingencies, crises, tight cash situations, and execute change management plans
§ Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
§ Good understanding of the wider agribusiness/ food & drink/ retail sectors
§ Business education with good command of finance
§ Open mindset with keen interest in innovation
§ Good knowledge of English, Dutch is a plus
§ Interest in themes such as sustainability, resource efficiency, regenerative or circular business models
§ Willingness to live in remote locations
§ Ambition to meaningfully grow the business

Are you interested in becoming a Deputy Managing Director in Suriname? Apply now at the top or bottom of our page.

For our client, one of the leading players in the world cocoa bean trading market, we are looking for a Cocoa Trader creating profit contribution mainly via trading physical cocoa and working on global cocoa markets to establish, maintain and develop relationships with customers and suppliers. The focus will be on procurement West Africa.
The Cocoa Trader identifies business opportunities, negotiates and closes business deals. Builds and maintains extensive knowledge of current market conditions in the cocoa market. The person reports to the Head Trader

Responsibilities
1. Buying, marketing and selling
2. Relationship management
3. Contract execution
4. Using futures, options & FX for hedging
5. Risk Management
6. Market research
7. Sustainability
8. Management support

Key tasks
1. Buying, marketing and selling:
• Buying and selling of physical cocoa to maximize company revenue.
• Daily contact with regional and/or local representatives in origin about market developments.
• Communication with regional and/or local representatives about execution of sourcing strategy.
• Daily contact with clients and suppliers.
• Using and performing market analysis to implement appropriate buying and selling strategies.

2. Relationship management
- Maintaining and developing commercial relationships with suppliers and buyers.

3. Contract execution
- Responsible for sound execution of sale and purchase contracts related to the assigned origins.
- Solid communication with and provide support for back-office and logistics team.
- Close liaison with origin teams.

4. Futures & FX trading for hedging and proprietary book
- Assist Head Trader and/or Trader responsible for hedging and proprietary book in developing and maximizing the company’s trading strategy within the guidelines of the risk management policy.
- Being able to replace in absence of the Head Trader and/or Trader responsible for hedging and proprietary book in trading futures, options and foreign exchanges for hedging purposes and proprietary trading.

5. Risk management
- Ensure full insight and taking full ownership in the portfolio of physical book in terms of positions allocation, value at risk and risk controls with full understanding on all related risks, such as counterparty, origin and market risks.
- Develop and advise (potential) customers and suppliers on risk management policies and tools.

6. Market research
- Conduct research and analyse data in supply and demand factors of cocoa, related markets and of macro-economic fundamentals.
- Prepare analytical commodity market reviews for rest of trading team and clients.

7. Sustainability
- Work jointly with the CR Officer in the implementation of sustainability projects/strategy in the assigned origins and with clients.

8. Management and team support
- Supporting the management in the implementation of the business strategies via daily execution of sales and account management as well as sourcing strategies and risk management.
- Work closely with origin reps and teams to ensure market share growth in the cocoa market.

Education, knowledge and experience
• Level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification (Mathematics, Econometrics). At least 3 years of relevant experience may substitute for the formal qualification.
• 3+ years of experience in preferably procurement of cocoa or other soft/agricultural commodities trading.
• Proven sourcing experience.
• Sound knowledge on cocoa or other soft/agricultural markets.
• Good understanding of risk management in physical soft/agricultural commodities trading.

Skills
• Fluent in French and English, both verbal and written.
• Team player with strong commercial acumen.
• Good analytical and numerical skills with attention to detail.
• Keen sense of priorities to meet short deadlines.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft office applications, especially Excel.

Competencies
• Entrepreneurial, dynamic and looking for trading opportunities.
• Continuous drive to understand and beat the market.
• Well organized, accurate.
• Effective and convincing communicator and negotiator.
• Committed and determined. Pro-active, focussed and decisive, a winner!

Travel: Position requires international travelling
Package: To be defined
Starting date: from Mid April on

Are you interested in becoming a Cocoa Trader West Africa? Apply now at the top or bottom of our page.

Notre client, groupe européen, est l’un des leaders mondiaux de la nutrition animale et est pourvu d’un large portefeuille de produits et services à forte notoriété mondiale. Pour accompagner la forte croissance de sa filiale africaine active en volailles, poissons et ruminants, nous recrutons, dans le cadre d’une création de poste :

Une/un Area Manager Afrique francophone (H/F) en CDI

Au sein d’une équipe composée de plusieurs Area Managers, vous êtes responsable de la vente des produits de la société via des distributeurs (majoritairement) et en B to B sur votre zone.
Vous participez à l’élaboration de la politique commerciale et la mettez en application en développant votre portefeuille par l’intermédiaire d’une prospection efficace. Vous êtes l’interface entre vos clients et les différents services de l’entreprise (Technique, marketing…).
A l’affut des opportunités et force de proposition, vous cultivez une réelle proximité avec vos clients.
Idéalement, de formation supérieure (idéalement vétérinaire), vous disposez d’une expérience probante dans le secteur de la nutrition animale, et vous maitrisez les techniques de négociation et de développement de comptes à l’export.
Ce poste est une belle opportunité pour un entreprenant faisant preuve d'un sens relationnel aigu. Votre rigueur et votre sens de l'organisation faciliteront votre réussite. L’empathie, la capacité à convaincre, la créativité, le gout du challenge et du résultat sont des capacités qui vous sont acquises. Votre esprit d'analyse et vos capacités d'anticipation seront des atouts essentiels pour réussir dans ce poste.
Ce poste, basé en home office, exige des déplacements fréquents et une bonne maîtrise de l’Anglais.

Our client is pursuing poverty by supplying small holder farmers with agricultural inputs and selling their produce in domestic and export markets. The organisation develops innovative technologies for commercial development of crop processing.

The demand across Africa for cassava products is high and therefore we are currently recruiting a Technical Director for overseeing the first mobile processing site in Ivory Coast.
In this role you will be responsible for first-hand hand knowledge of electrical- and mechanical systems within the (mobile) processing-, drying- and refinery units in order to process fresh cassava on-farm or nearby. You will be overseeing the whole site, responsible for training and supervising the team on site and that all operation is running well.

- Strong knowledge of electrical and mechanical system installations and troubleshooting such as machinery, agricultural, construction and industrial machinery but also electrical and electronic equipment and related products.
- Knowledge of PLC and industrial computers used to automate a machine or process
- Ability to lead and manage the full production and manufacturing of the (mobile) factory with regards to the key electrical systems, solvin all technical issues at site, ISO standards and environmental systems.
- Ability and/or experience of working in remote areas, within a multicultural environment preferably in (West) Africa
- Work closely with technical operating staff and provide training for maintenance and use of mobile factory and machinery guidance
- Experience in large food processing sites or plants
- Fluent in French (mother tongue) and English is an absolute must

Additional info
• USD 3500-4500 a month
• Startdate a.s.a.p.
• Location: site is about 50km from Yamoussoukro
• Housing, benefits, medical, insurance, car

Are you interested in becoming a Technical Director in Ivory Coast? Apply now at the top or bottom of our page.

Postdoctoral Fellow, CIALCA Data Scientist

Background:
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) invites applications for the internationally recruited position of Postdoctoral Fellow, Data Scientist to operate under the Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA - www.cialca.org). The Data Scientist is supposed to support Research for Development activities across the CIALCA region, which includes Burundi, Rwanda and eastern DR Congo.

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty,
and natural resource degradation. Working with various partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural
resource integrity. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. Please visit http://www.iita.org/ for more information on IITA.

Position Responsibilities

The Postdoctoral Fellow will undertake the following activities:
• Assemble existing experimental and household agronomic, socio-economic and health data in a searchable, web-based repository.
• Improve and maintain relational databases for storing experimental and survey-based agronomic, socio-economic and/or health data.
• Develop, improve and maintain scripts to transfer data collected through mobile app- and webbased tools to databases.
• Develop and implement procedures for data verification and curation.
• Liaise with software developers and/or SharePoint managers to implement procedures to avail data to/collect data from end-users.
• Collaborate with scientists and mobile app developers to improve data collection tools (ODK) and others.
• Conduct statistical analyses of experimental and survey-based agronomic, socio-economic and/or health data.
• Collaborate with GIS specialists and geospatial information analysts to develop prediction models.
• Interact with crop modelling specialists to integrate crop models into predictions.
• Implement procedures for validation of prediction models and determine prediction error.
• Liaise with software and app developers to integrate prediction models into decision support tools.

Educational Qualifications
The candidate should have a completed PhD in data science, geospatial information systems, statistics or related, preferably applied in the field of agronomy, nutrition and/or soil science.

Core Competencies
• Thorough knowledge and demonstrated expertise in developing and managing relational databases. Knowledge of MySQL is a plus.
• Expert knowledge in applied statistics, including geospatial data analysis and experimental design.
• Strong programming skills in R.
• Applied knowledge, and experience in food and agricultural sciences.
• Proven capacity in contributing to the documentation of scientific research.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Excellent communication skills, able to interact with a multi-cultural and interdisciplinary team of scientists and development partners on IT and statistics in layman language.
• Proactive and independent problem solver, and excellent team player.

Duty station: Kigali, Rwanda or Bujumbura, Burundi.

General information: The contract will be for an initial period of two years. IITA offers an internationally competitive remuneration package paid in US Dollars.

Applications: Applications must include covering letter which should address how the candidate’s background/experience relates to the specific duties of the position applied for, curriculum vitae,
names and addresses of three professional referees (which must include either the Head of the applicant’s current or previous organization or applicant’s direct Supervisor/Superior at his/her present or former place of work). The application should be addressed to the Head of Human Resources.

IITA is an equal opportunity employer and particularly welcomes applications from women candidates.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Are you interested in becoming a Data Scientist in Burundi? Apply now at the top or bottom of our page.

Note: This is a job advertisement, applications will be forwarded to the employer for selection. JobnetAfrica believes all applicants should get feedback, good or bad, but are not further involved in the recruitment for this particular vacancy.

Our client is an established international supplier of organic and Fairtrade processed food. They have developed sustainable food chains in South America and Africa and they are looking for a Managing Director for their Burkina Faso development with over 50 permanent staff and up to 500 seasonal workers generating a turnover of around 3 to 4 mln Euro per year

The purpose of the job is to build a profitable business without losing track of social and environmental sustainability. Carefully managing the stakeholders, investments and the resource of the company, the Leader is hands on and pragmatic. He or she aspires to build a lean and profitable organisation whilst driving the mission & vision of the company of which direct producer relationship and fair, transparent business practices are an important part.

The Managing Director heads the Management Committee made off three director’s functions:
1. Agronomy and Sourcing
2. Finance and Administration
3. Processing

Responsibilities include :
• Lead and sustain the Management committee of the company
• Undertake all company management responsibilities both from legal and organisational point of view
• Full P&L and balance sheet responsibility
• Coordinate and direct the preparation of the budget, the relevant forecasts Enhance, develop and optimise business processes, policies and internal controls
• Strategy formulation and implementation and development of business plan
• Help, support and coach the managers in achieving the companies’ goals
• Recruit key staff members
• Identify key deliverables and implement KPI to measure performance
• Enable the relevant reporting and information for the manager and shareholders, as well as for international banks and other stakeholders.
• Ensure full legal, statutory and international standards compliance
• Establish fair relations build on partnership with external partners as well as employees
• Networking, public relations

Requirements:
• Bachelor / Master in relevant fields
• 10+ years working experience
• 5+ years’ experience in leading an organisation, preferably in agro processing
• Relevant (West) Africa experience managing relatively large number of employees
• Candidate with a long-term aspiration to live in Burkina Faso
• Familiar and enjoying dealing with local authorities, producers, stakeholders
• Great reporting skills
• Strong soft skills and understanding of African cultural challenges
• French & English (written and spoken)

Offered:
• Local contract, long term position, one harvest season handover
• Both local and international candidates are encouraged to apply
• Start date October to December 2018

Are you interested in becoming a Managing Director in Burkina Faso? Apply now at the top or bottom of our page.

SNV Netherlands Development Organisation in DR Congo seeks to fill the following position:

Position Title- Project Manager and Agribusiness Specialist
Duty Station- Matadi, DR Congo

SNV is a not-for-profit international development organization, working in Agriculture, Energy, and Water, Sanitation & Hygiene. Founded in the Netherlands in 1965, we have built a long-term, local presence in more than 30 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Our global team of local and international advisors works with local partners to equip communities, businesses and organizations with the tools, knowledge and connections they need to increase their incomes and gain access to basic services – empowering them to break the cycle of poverty and guide their own development.

For more information on our operations in DR Congo and SNV, visit our website: www.snv.org

Background
The ‘Project de Dévelopment du Pôle de Croissance Ouest (PDPC)’ is implemented in the province of Congo Central with the objective of to increase productivity and employment in three selected value chains in six specific geographical clusters. The project is expected to generate 11,000 jobs, increase the revenues of 50,000 farmers and ascertain a delivery of 100,000 tons of agricultural produce to the agro-industry and other markets involving 10 larger and 30 SME. The financing of the project comes from the grant IDA n° H 860-ZR obtained by the Government of DRC from the World Bank.

In the context of implementing component 1 of the project: strengthening the capacities to agricultural supply in the three value chains oil palm, cassava and rice, SNV is developing farmers’ organisations in the sub-sectors oil palm, cassava and rice in the six specific clusters in Congo central. The objectives are the following:
• Link the farmers with market and conclude delivery contracts with private actors;
• Strengthen the organisational and operational capacities of farmers’ organisations to respond to market actual and potential demands in the oil palm, cassava and rice subsectors;
• Professionalise the farmers to increase their margins and strengthen their organisations to have a joint access to the markets;
• Strengthen the production capacity of farmers to increase their production and improve the quality.

The Cellule d’Exécution des Financements en faveur des Etats Fragiles within the Ministry of Finance is the direct donor agent and contracting party. Other stakeholders are the Unité d’Exécution de la composante 1 du project within the Ministry of Agriculture, six local NGOs, The provincial Ministry of Agriculture and the farmer apex organisation FOPAKO.

The project manager will steer a team of one financial controller and deputy manager, six advisors, four financial and logistical support staff and five drivers with backstopping services from an Operational Manager in DRC the Project Director of this project is based in Ghana. The project manager will also represent SNV in the DR Congo and has limited additional responsibilities regarding SNV DR Congo profiling and follow up on former projects and develop new projects.

Overview of the Position
The Project Manager and Agribusiness Specialist has responsibility for overall management of the project which includes: efficient management of financial resources; review and approval of project budgets and monitoring expenditures; supervision of field operations; procurement; supervision of monitoring and evaluation; and ensuring quality control and timeliness of all deliverables as required. S/he will ensure full compliance with the donor contract and regulations and will oversee the project reporting process to the donor. S/he will oversee performance management of all SNV project staff working in his/her project and will represent SNV in the DRC. As Agribusiness Specialist S/he is responsible for value chain development and the development of Public Private Partnerships.

Key Responsibilities
The incumbent is responsible for leadership and coordination of: program planning and management; coordination of programmatic themes; political analysis and will be in charge of the following:
• Execute overall project management;
• Guide the project set-up, including developing work plans, budgets and competence table with financial responsibilities and mandates;
• Build, strengthen and manage partnerships with regional governments, key partners, institutions and stakeholders;
• Manage donor relations;
• Overall management of all human, physical and financial resources related to the project;
• Monitor performance of the project management team to ensure all milestones set in the annual work plan are met, develop mitigation plans to reduce risks and take corrective actions to remedy any deviation from the work plans;
• Account and report to SNV and the donor on project performance;
• Guide knowledge development, documentation and communication and branding in close collaboration with donor;
• Identify follow-up funding and partnership possibilities and business development.
• Develop value chain and the commercialization of the production of palm oil, rice and cassava and the development of Public Private Partnerships.

Requirements
• A relevant post-graduate qualification in Business Administration, Agronomy, Agricultural Economy or related field;
• Minimum of ten years of progressive responsibility work experience in managing and implementing multi-faceted donor funded development projects, preferably in Africa;
• Several years of experience with market development and inclusive business;
• Solid experience in project management, preferably in WB funded projects;
• Able to strategically inspire and energies project teams;
• Multidisciplinary profile to support the different specialist in the team ;
• Experience in Monitoring and Evaluation;
• Demonstrated experience in managing various stakeholders;
• Excellent social and networking skills, ability to engage with the private sector, civil society and governments;
• Excellent communication (written and oral), reporting and presentation skills;
• Fluency in English and French is required;
• Willingness to travel to all project locations.

Contract Type: Employment
Contract Duration: up until 10 February 2019
Expected Start Date: As soon as possible

How to Apply
If you believe that your credentials meet the outlined profile, we invite you to apply by uploading your CV and letter of motivation in English before 28 January 2018.

NB: Only shortlisted will be contacted

Are you interested in becoming a Project Manager and Agribusiness Specialist in DRC? Apply now at the top or bottom of our page.

Note: This is a job advertisement, applications will be forwarded to the employer for selection. JobnetAfrica believes all applicants should get feedback, good or bad, but are not further involved in the recruitment for this particular vacancy.