Job Description

Project Manager (Ghana) for Innovative Cross-Sector Partnership

‘Connecting the unconnected – increasing innovation and livelihoods in agriculture in Ghana’ is an innovative partnership between CARE (an international NGO), BLUETOWN (a Danish internet service providing company) and local strategic partners, funded by the Danish aid agency Danida, under the Danida Market Development Partnerships programme (DMDP). The project promotes internet connectivity as an enabler for development. Using digital technologies will enable agricultural communities in Ghana to achieve more sustainable and resilient production. This is done through digital inclusion and improved market linkages and innovative agricultural practices and technologies.

The aim of the project is to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth through increased productivity in the agricultural sector, brought about by technological upgrading, innovation as well as improved resource efficiency and climate resilience in agricultural production. Additionally, the project explores the promotion of entrepreneurial agri-business models for youth enabled by connectivity.

The project will be implemented in three phases over five years (2019-2024). Phase 1 will focus on five communities in the Brong-Ahafo Region where cocoa is the prime cash crop grown by smallholder farmers. With the initial learning from phase 1, phase 2 will commence in five communities in the Upper East Region. Phase 3 will be focusing on further scale-up beyond the initial communities.

The Project Manager will be responsible for the planning, operative coordination, implementation, monitoring and reporting according to guidelines of the Danida-funded project.

The Project Manager will work in close collaboration with the Project Steering Group, relevant staff at CARE Ghana/Denmark and BLUETOWN Ghana/Denmark. The Project Manager is accountable to the CARE Ghana Head of Programmes with oversight from the Project Steering Group.

Tasks and Responsibilities

1. Project planning, operative coordination, implementation, monitoring and reporting  
   • Engage in planning and roll-out of project activities in accordance with the project’ priorities and Theory of Change (ToC).
   • Proactively engage with project (CARE and partners) teams, supervising implementation of project activities, following up on progress and identifying need for support.
   • Oversee the implementation of the work plan and track progress towards core indicators and learning objectives.
   • Ensure that all project initiatives benefit from the CARE operational MEL system, or other appropriate MEL systems, and support programmes as needed.
   • Ensure timely reporting according to Danida’s DMDP formats and guidelines.
2. Co-development of evolving project design and activities
   • Take the lead in co-developing (jointly with partners) and facilitating new approaches to community engagement and micro-entrepreneurship development.
   • Facilitate a continuous learning over the different project phases and ensure that outcomes of learning loops are operationalised into the project.
3. Keeping abreast of tech-development and digital opportunities within agro-business
   • Stay updated on new approaches to strengthening digital inclusion of smallholder farmers. This includes engaging with stakeholders in the agricultural sector such as agri-business entrepreneurs and tech start-ups, input providers, traders and producers and other relevant actors to identify novel ways of addressing challenges and opportunities relevant to the project.
   • Be abreast with the development of agro-tech for digital inclusion in the region.
4. Stakeholder engagement
   • Seek out and proactively engage with various partners from the public as well as the private sector, academia and civil society organisations to reap the potential of multiple competencies and insights that may support the project objectives.
   • Build and nurture partnership relations.
   • Liaise and maintain relations with all strategic partners.
   • Represent the project in international meetings and strategic events.
5. Advocacy and dissemination of learning
   • Coordinate documentation of approach, research and studies to be shared with an external audience.
   • Support advocacy efforts relating to project scale-up.
   • Actively support dissemination of project knowledge.
   • Promote and represent the project at relevant national, regional, and global fora.
6. Team leadership and people management 
   • Provide guidance, coaching and mentorship to project staff in the setting  and achievement of their professional and personal development goals
   • Manage performance planning and appraisals for project staff
   • Ensure space and opportunities to promote staff wellness and safety; report critical incidents to senior management
   • Identify and recruit appropriate resource persons / service providers to support the project team in the accomplishment of project objectives
   • Promote and practice compliance with CARE’s Core Values and Code of Ethics and Standards
   • Ensure and practice compliance with CARE policies and procedures including those relating to finance, travel, procurement, IT, program and specific donor requirements

Required Skills or Experience

• A minimum of 5 years in technical advisory and/or project management of programs in an international development context targeting SME growth, market systems, agri-business or similar.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in international development, economics, business administration, development project management, agri-business, or related areas.
• Proven knowledge in the following thematic areas: digital development, entrepreneurial ecosystems and the agri-business in Ghana.
• Proven experience in driving innovative approaches in project design and development.
• Proven ability to engage partners from different sectors in collaborative work processes.
• A positive attitude and willingness to adaptively manage projects with an evolving design.
• Strong people skills, i.e. ability to motivate and engage people at all levels to come on board project implementation.
• Excellent skills in writing and oral presentation.
• Fluency in English. Proficiency in a Ghanaian language, e.g. Twi or Ewe, is an advantage.