The Millennium Villages Project, supported by Millennium Promise Alliance and the Earth Institute at Columbia University, is a bottom-up approach to lift developing country villages out of the poverty trap that
afflicts more than a billion people worldwide. The Millennium Villages’ team of experts in agriculture, nutrition and health, economics, energy, water, environment and information technology are working with local communities and government to apply proven holistic package of interventions to help villages get out of extreme poverty and meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
With support from Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) and funding from the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom, a SADA Millennium Village is to be established in parts of the West Mamprusi and Builsa Districts of the Northern and Upper East Regions of Ghana.
The project area covers a cluster of contiguous rural communities with an estimated population of 25,000 people.
Job Description
Unit Sada: Millennium Villages Project
Purpose of the position:
The role of the incumbent will be to developed a strategy that strengthen s the capacity of farmer-based associations, co-operatives, and other common interest groups to reach the critical mass needed to access and benefit from the financial and technical services; as well as other market opportunities to be offered by the Project for achieving sustainable agribusiness development in the Cluster.
He/she will be reporting to the SADA MVP Team Leader and the Regional Co-operative specialist.
Responsibilities:
The Duties and Responsibilities of the Co-operative co-ordinator will be to implement and co-ordinate the capacity building activities for the creation of sustainable associations, co-operatives and other common interest groups; which will serve as the catalyst for achieving sustainable agribusiness development in the Cluster.
The incumbent will:
A. Strategic Planning:
• Develop and implement a strategy and an Action Plan(s) to strengthen the institutional capacity of associations, co-operatives, and other common interest groups in the Project area
• From the action plans(s), develop Annual Work plans of outputs and activities to strengthen:
• The preparation and revision of objectives and by-laws of new and existing associations, co-operatives etc
• The organisational, management and governance systems and structures of associations, co-operatives and other common interest groups
• Assist in the enrollment of new members into existing and new associations, co-operatives etc, facilitate the formation and legal registration of new associations and ensuring compliance with the regulatory and political environment
B. Assessment and Capacity Development:
Work with the Project team and the MDG Centre Co-operative Specialist to:
• Undertake periodic assessment of the status of the existing co-operatives in the Project Area to identify appropriate areas of intervention for capacity building and investment to ensure better functioning and self-sustaining co-operatives;
• Develop, organize, and supervise training for 1) members at the grassroots; 2) for the management committee members and 3) managers/administrators of the associations/co-operatives
• Provide timely technical, advisory and counselling support and advice to associations, and co-operatives managers and leaders (management committee members) to enhance their managerial and functional competencies;
• Equip existing associations, co-operatives and common interest groups with the necessary advocacy and dialoguing knowledge and skills to be able to face the challenges of the business and regulatory environment
C. Strategic Alliances and Partnership:
• Promote, build and manage relationships and partnerships with business partners, including financial institutions and prospective market links,
• To promote collaboration and partnership in the provision of services to associations, co-operatives etc in cluster;
Ensure strong, effective working relationships among the various co-operatives stakeholders, particularly, co-operative technical institutions, government departments, the co-operatives in the Clusters, government representatives, regulatory agencies, the cluster team and the MDG centre
D. Technical and Policy Advice:
• Provide technical and policy advice to Co-operative extension staff, farmers, and co-operative groups in the Cluster by:
• Troubleshooting pro-actively as needed
• Analysing how to mitigate new and existing risks
• Ensuring that co-operative businesses operate in keeping with co-operative principles; voluntary and open membership, democratic member control, member economic participation; autonomy and independence, education, training and information and concern for community
Providing technical and policy advice and collaborating with national, regional, and international businesses, governments, and other institutions on policies to support enabling environment for co-operative business, small-holder agriculture, promote business development, improve economic growth and food security
E. Reporting and knowledge Management:
• Submit a monthly and quarterly Work Plan Implementation Report to the Team Leader and the Co-operative Specialist in Bamako
• Report on effectiveness of associations/co-operatives in the cluster and their ability to move forward to receive additional support for transition into increasingly value-added activities and enhanced productivity and profitability
• Document the development process (implementation) i.e. the organisational and operational capacities (before and after implementation); and lessons learnt
Contribute to the programme knowledge management efforts by organising knowledge sharing meeting/workships, with technical briefings, and preparing other reports to record methods being used, experiences and good practices.
Terms of Offer:
• MVP offers a competitive salary with an excellent benefits package. The employment contract is for a period of one year with the possibility of renewal. MVP prides itself on its collegial, supportive and gender sensitive working environment and believes that staff diversity promotes excellence. Women are strongly encouraged to apply.
Required Skills or Experience
• Undergraduate degree in Co-operative Management, Business Administration, Management, or other relevant subject;
• At least five (5) years of relevant work experience in a closely related field gained in an international organisation with experience in working with co-operatives;
• High level of computer skills, ability to handle basic accounting and ability to learn new applications quickly
• Knowledge of co-operative laws is an added advantage
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Fluency in English written and Oral
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
How To Apply
Applicants should apply by email, sending a cover letter summarising their relevance to this position, a full C.V. and names and contact information of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to: mp_ghana@yahoo.com with copy to: petrinaoa@yahoo.com. “Application for SADA MVP all of various positions” should be clearly marked on the subject line of the email message.