Regional Coordinator for Dairy Hub Model Integration Project (DHMI) at Heifer International 16 views0 applications

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.

FUNCTION

Under the guidance of Rwanda Country Director, The DHI Regional Project Coordinator will provide leadership to the implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the Dairy Hub Model Integration Project (DHI) in both Rwanda and Tanzania/Zanzibar. S/he will be responsible for the successful launch and implementation of a three-year project that is co-funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Heifer International (HPI). The DHI Project Coordinator will closely work and coordinate with the DHI Project managers, Heifer country program teams and IFAD country team in Rwanda and Tanzania to facilitate the integration of the dairy hub model into ongoing IFAD funded projects in both countries. The DHI Project Coordinator will be responsible for developing project implementation plans, monitoring activities, managing project staff and resources, establishing/strengthening and managing partnerships and reporting on the progress of the project through regular submission of project narratives and financial reports.

ESSENTIAL CHARACTER TRAITS: 

Visionary, competence, team builder, leadership, pragmatic, action oriented and empathetic.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DELIVERABLES
(including approximate percentage effort)

Program Effectiveness (40%)

• Provide overall leadership and management of DHI, including technical, administrative, operational, and logistical direction of the project.
• Coordinate the overall DHI operational modalities, including interactions and relationships with Heifer’s HQ, country offices, and partners in Rwanda and Tanzania/Zanzibar.
• Lead DHI operational planning and implementation to guide and facilitate the achievement of the project goal and objectives.
• Monitor the overall performance of the DHI project in compliance with the project goals, objectives, activities, timelines and make sure deliverables are met on time in both countries.
• Design and implement strategies for mobilizing and organizing men and women smallholder farmers into dairy farmers groups and building their capacities towards becoming viable dairy business entities.
• Facilitate and guide the integration of the dairy hub model into targeted projects in both countries while accounting for the different country context.
• Compile technical and financial project reports from Tanzania and Rwanda to provide a comprehensive view of the project.

DELIVERABLES:

• Generate and timely submit technical and financial project reports (quarterly, Semester and Annual reports) required by the IFAD and HPI.
• Carry out project planning, implementation, budgeting and reporting (annual work plans and budgets, re-planning or forecasting in consultation with both countries and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
• Reconcile monthly forecast with budget execution to help track expenditures.
• Ensure the timely generation and dissemination of project reports.
• Ensure that all Country project managers and staff meet their targets by submission of the monthly, quarterly, semester and annual report reports.
• Conduct staff appraisal by assessing their annual performance.

Strengthen partnership and collaboration with relevant project stakeholders (30%).

• Effectively manage project partnerships with donors, government ministries and private sector as appropriate.
• Design and implement strategies of capturing, processing and sharing knowledge from DHI project.
• In collaboration with project partners, develop and implement exit strategy that will provide sustainability of structures and impact created through DHI interventions.

DELIVERABLES:

• Develop and implement plans for multi-stake-holders engagement and learnings, including the creation of appropriate forum for key stakeholders, Project Steering Committee and facilitate knowledge sharing.
• Work closely with the relevant ministries of both governments to facilitate the creation of enabling environment for effective dairy production, processing and marketing.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements and Heifer’s internal policies and procedures, including, but not limited to, timely reporting on technical and financial progress reports, periodic project reviews and documentation of learnings and sharing.
• On monthly basis prepare expense and capital budgets as per DHI’s activity cost justification guidelines.

Management and Compliance (20%).

• Assist to track project’s schedule and manage contract process.
• Achieve internal progress targets and enhance Heifer International’s reputation on service quality delivery, supply chain and regional management.
• Manage cross-border project staff and resources.
• Attend to partners’ emails and phone calls on project.
• Interface with regional partners to assure project logistics, readiness, quality and delivery.
• Determine key regional resources to aid operation and enhancements.
• Attend to questions and tasks on internal processes and systems.

DELIVERABLES:

• Consolidate and align both countries (Tanzania and Rwanda) reports to be submitted to the Donor and HPI.
• Forecast operational and capital expenses with Country Project Managers.
• Reconcile monthly forecast with budget execution to help track expenditures.
• Coordinate meetings with project partners, governments’ personnel and administrators.

Required Skills

Most Critical Proficiencies:

1. Knowledge annual work planning, budgeting, and budget monitoring.
2. A good understanding of monitoring and evaluation processes.
3. Solid project reporting skill.
4. A good understanding and sensitivity to issues associated with poverty, hunger and environment, and knowledge of the context to which non-profit organizations operate.
5. Solid knowledge and experience in extension methodologies.
6. Knowledge and experience in training and participatory training methodologies.
7. Team leadership skills.
8. Excellent organizational skills.
9. Proficient knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, electronic mail (Microsoft Office preferred).
10. Demonstrated proficiency in English and Swahili, both oral and written.
    

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands:

1. Prepare and present documents in a well-designed and attractive format with superior attention to detail.
2. Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions.
3. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work cooperatively, tactfully and diplomatically with culturally diverse groups of people.
4. Willingness and ability to assign and review the work of direct reports and to use participatory management skills with junior and senior staff.
5. Proven team leadership and supervisory skills with the ability to train and work cooperatively with a diverse staff.
6. Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the public.
7. May require constant sitting; working at a computer and focusing for extended periods and performing office environment activities while on the road and/or in remote conditions.
8. Working with sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
9. Ability to manage and execute multiple tasks with little supervision while meeting inflexible deadlines.

Required Experience

Minimum Requirements:

1. Bachelor’s degree plus a minimum of ten (10) years’ job-related experience, of which, at least 3 years implementing projects in Africa.
2. Experience managing multi-million dollar projects funded by major bilateral and multilateral donors.
3. Good understanding of the different agricultural commodity value chains in general and dairy value chain in particular.
4. Experience working with smallholder women and men farmers.
5. Strong leadership, teamwork, mentoring and coaching skills.
6. Ability to communicate effectively with Heifer’s HQ, donors, partners and local governments.
7. Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
8. Fluency in English (knowledge of other languages spoken in East Africa is a plus).
9. Exceptional writing skills.
10. Willingness and ability to travel domestically, regionally and internationally as required.
11. Must have experience in dealing with suppliers, traders and exporters.
12. Experience in marketing and economics, in agribusiness preferred.
13. Experience in farming, crops and livestock.

Preferred Requirements:

1. Master’s Degree
2. Progressively increasing levels of experience in a development context to include Hands on project/program management at field or country level preferably in an agricultural or community development role.
3. At least seven (7) years’ experience working in community development projects with experience coordinating, organizing, and implementing projects and events.