Africare is a leader among
private, charitable U.S. organizations assisting Africa. Africare is
also the oldest and largest African-American led organization in the
field. Africare's programs address needs in three principal areas:
Agriculture& Food Security, Health & HIV/AIDS, and Water,
Sanitation & Hygiene.
Throughout its 40 year history, Africare has reached 30 million people across the continent with innovative, sustainable, culturally appropriate and life-changing projects to improve the quality of life in communities throughout Africa. We strategically invest in innovating and implementing community-based solutions to complex problems, with a strong focus on skills transfer to create leaders out of beneficiaries. Our work has transformed communities and garnered wide recognition for its impact and sustainability.
Africare’s 1,100 staff members operate in 19 countries across Africa. Headquarters is based in Washington, DC where the President’s office and the Finance, Development, and Operations Departments are based. Position Summary
The Matching Grant Facility (MGF) Administrator will be the Head of the MGF Secretariat and responsible for the overall management and coordination of project activities in Africare’s implementation of the Smallholder Agribusiness Promotion Program (SAPP) MGF. Reporting to Africare’s Agriculture, Food and Environment Manager within Africare & the Technical Support Team (TST) at SAPP, the successful candidate will ensure that the project achieves its overall objective of supporting relevant interventions in the selected SAPP agricultural value chains through medium and large scale matching grants. The MGF Administrator will be supported by an Assistant and other Africare Technical and Administrative staff. The MGF Administrator will work very closely with staff of the Smallholder Agribusiness Promotion Program Office (SAPPO) TST to ensure effective project delivery.
Duties and Responsibilities
• Provide Overall management and day to day coordination and guidance of activities under the SAPP MGF.
• Solicit proposals through promotion and publicity campaigns and arrange provision of information, advice and technical assistance to shape and improve applications according to the requirements and priorities of the MGF;
• To identify eligible agribusinesses by conducting initial screening of applications in accordance to the approved criteria in order to determine if basic criteria are met for inclusion in the scheme;
• To manage the Matching grant fund’s proposal process including objective evaluation of agribusiness project concept notes and proposals and arrange these for submission to the TST reviews and the full business plans to the independent technical reviewers for review and technical evaluation based on established criteria and scoring procedures respectively.
• Arrange meeting schedule, including drawing-up the draft of agenda and provide the services of the Secretary to the MGFC, including recording of the minutes of each meeting and support the MGFC in drafting and preparation of its decisions, recommendations and communications;
• Work in close coordination and coordinate with the IP-contracted service providers and MAL provincial/district staff to carry out the field verification for the applications recommended by the MGFC for award of grants.
• Carry out necessary negotiations and clarifications of the grant agreements (including detailed schedules of implementation, procurement, disbursement, definition of agreed milestones, etc.) and work with the TST and SAPPO/PMU Procurement Officers to finalize the Grant Agreements between the grant recipient and MGF,
• Monitor progress of the overall MGF portfolio and prepare periodic and annual progress reports on MGF implementation, including also lessons learned.
• Take other necessary actions pertaining to the MGF as directed by the MGF Committee and the TST.
Qualifications
• University degree in business administration, marketing, economics or finance, or a related field. Masters or higher is an added advantage.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in management or implementation of financial support programmes using competitive approaches, or similar operations, preferably linked to smallholder agriculture/rural business development projects;
• Demonstrated knowledge of financial management, accounting, monitoring and supervision of such programmes and skills in preparation of reports and other supporting material;
• Experience in agricultural marketing and agribusiness operations linked to the smallholder sector;
• Experiences in running workshops and similar processes and providing training would also be important;
• Knowledge of the region and of Zambian agricultural and agribusiness sector would be an advantage;
• Excellent analytical skills. effective planning and organizational skills;
• Effective leadership, team building and problem solving skills;
• Ability to work effectively under stress and with minimal supervision;
• Computer literacy (especially in Excel, Word and Outlook); and
• Effective inter-professional and inter-cultural communication skills, including verbal, listening and writing skills and the ability to set out a coherent argument in presenting and discussing issues at one-to-one and group interactions in fluent English;
• Holder of valid and clean driving license.
Throughout its 40 year history, Africare has reached 30 million people across the continent with innovative, sustainable, culturally appropriate and life-changing projects to improve the quality of life in communities throughout Africa. We strategically invest in innovating and implementing community-based solutions to complex problems, with a strong focus on skills transfer to create leaders out of beneficiaries. Our work has transformed communities and garnered wide recognition for its impact and sustainability.
Africare’s 1,100 staff members operate in 19 countries across Africa. Headquarters is based in Washington, DC where the President’s office and the Finance, Development, and Operations Departments are based. Position Summary
The Matching Grant Facility (MGF) Administrator will be the Head of the MGF Secretariat and responsible for the overall management and coordination of project activities in Africare’s implementation of the Smallholder Agribusiness Promotion Program (SAPP) MGF. Reporting to Africare’s Agriculture, Food and Environment Manager within Africare & the Technical Support Team (TST) at SAPP, the successful candidate will ensure that the project achieves its overall objective of supporting relevant interventions in the selected SAPP agricultural value chains through medium and large scale matching grants. The MGF Administrator will be supported by an Assistant and other Africare Technical and Administrative staff. The MGF Administrator will work very closely with staff of the Smallholder Agribusiness Promotion Program Office (SAPPO) TST to ensure effective project delivery.
Duties and Responsibilities
• Provide Overall management and day to day coordination and guidance of activities under the SAPP MGF.
• Solicit proposals through promotion and publicity campaigns and arrange provision of information, advice and technical assistance to shape and improve applications according to the requirements and priorities of the MGF;
• To identify eligible agribusinesses by conducting initial screening of applications in accordance to the approved criteria in order to determine if basic criteria are met for inclusion in the scheme;
• To manage the Matching grant fund’s proposal process including objective evaluation of agribusiness project concept notes and proposals and arrange these for submission to the TST reviews and the full business plans to the independent technical reviewers for review and technical evaluation based on established criteria and scoring procedures respectively.
• Arrange meeting schedule, including drawing-up the draft of agenda and provide the services of the Secretary to the MGFC, including recording of the minutes of each meeting and support the MGFC in drafting and preparation of its decisions, recommendations and communications;
• Work in close coordination and coordinate with the IP-contracted service providers and MAL provincial/district staff to carry out the field verification for the applications recommended by the MGFC for award of grants.
• Carry out necessary negotiations and clarifications of the grant agreements (including detailed schedules of implementation, procurement, disbursement, definition of agreed milestones, etc.) and work with the TST and SAPPO/PMU Procurement Officers to finalize the Grant Agreements between the grant recipient and MGF,
• Monitor progress of the overall MGF portfolio and prepare periodic and annual progress reports on MGF implementation, including also lessons learned.
• Take other necessary actions pertaining to the MGF as directed by the MGF Committee and the TST.
Qualifications
• University degree in business administration, marketing, economics or finance, or a related field. Masters or higher is an added advantage.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in management or implementation of financial support programmes using competitive approaches, or similar operations, preferably linked to smallholder agriculture/rural business development projects;
• Demonstrated knowledge of financial management, accounting, monitoring and supervision of such programmes and skills in preparation of reports and other supporting material;
• Experience in agricultural marketing and agribusiness operations linked to the smallholder sector;
• Experiences in running workshops and similar processes and providing training would also be important;
• Knowledge of the region and of Zambian agricultural and agribusiness sector would be an advantage;
• Excellent analytical skills. effective planning and organizational skills;
• Effective leadership, team building and problem solving skills;
• Ability to work effectively under stress and with minimal supervision;
• Computer literacy (especially in Excel, Word and Outlook); and
• Effective inter-professional and inter-cultural communication skills, including verbal, listening and writing skills and the ability to set out a coherent argument in presenting and discussing issues at one-to-one and group interactions in fluent English;
• Holder of valid and clean driving license.
How to apply:
Africare offers a competitive salary along with an excellent benefits package.
How to Apply:
Applications should include a CV and cover letter. In the cover letter (of no more than two pages in length) the candidate should briefly describe his or her motivation for the position and highlight relevant experience. Applications should be submitted by 8th October 2012.
Please send CVs to zambia.vacancies@africare.org, including “Matching Grant Facility Administrator” in the subject line.
Unfortunately, due to the large number of applications that we receive, we may not be able to respond to each individual candidate; only short listed candidates will be contacted. Please respect our no phone calls policy.
How to Apply:
Applications should include a CV and cover letter. In the cover letter (of no more than two pages in length) the candidate should briefly describe his or her motivation for the position and highlight relevant experience. Applications should be submitted by 8th October 2012.
Please send CVs to zambia.vacancies@africare.org, including “Matching Grant Facility Administrator” in the subject line.
Unfortunately, due to the large number of applications that we receive, we may not be able to respond to each individual candidate; only short listed candidates will be contacted. Please respect our no phone calls policy.
