Project Officer - World Vision Ghana

The ‘Landscapes and Environmental Agility across the Nation (LEAN) project will be implemented by World Vision Ghana (WVG) together with Rainforest Alliance, EcoCare? and Tropenbos Ghana with funding from the European Union.

The overall objective of the project is to directly contribute to the national efforts of conserving biodiversity, improving livelihoods of smallholder farmers, increasing climate change resilience and reducing emissions from land use changes in the savannah, high forest and transition zones of Ghana.

World Vision Ghana will work with stakeholders to reduce land degradation, prevent forest loss and increase productivity, climate chang;e resilience and natural resource conservation through training and mentoring of smallholders on FMNR, SLM, CSA, SFM practices, and sustainable natural resource regeneration and management in two districts of Kassena-Nankana West and West Gonja Districts of Ghana

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Purpose of the position:

The Project Officer will be responsible for the day to day implementation of project activities as per the approved work plan. He or she will take active steps in liaising with farmer groups, development partners and other stakeholders to ensure that all project milestones are achieved in accordance with the work plan and within the agreed time frame. The Project Officer will assist the Project Co-ordinator in effective project planning, monitoring and reporting processes in order to ensure project sustainability.

Major Responsibilities:

Project Planning & Implementation:

• Work with various partners in organizing, planning and implementation all interventions as per the project work plan

• Ensure timely implementation of planned activities and within the project budget

• Plan and co-ordinate logistics together with the Project co-ordinator for project activity implementation

Monitoring, Documentation & Knowledge Management

• Maintain and manage records of project activities and regularly provide project updates to key partners and promptly report any deviations.

• Undertake regular field monitoring visits and provide support to the project beneficiaries other project stakeholders for timely implementation of project activities.

• Prepare monitoring reports and submit to the Project Co-ordinator in a timely manner

• Facilitate periodic review of the project to regularly update key partners and promptly report any deviations

• Document lessons learned and best practices on the project.

• With the support of the Project Coordinator, identify emerging project risks and apply mitigation measures and escalate where necessary.

Procurement and Financial management

• Support in preparation of procurement plan and budget for project activities

• Ensure the timely preparation and submission of disbursement and procurement requests.

• Requests for project activity implementation and procurement

• Liaise with Supply Chain to ensure that input supplies and other materials are procured/delivered in a timely manner.

• Timely submission of all project costs and prompt payment of partners

• Monitor budget and expenditure and liaise with Project Coordinator to take necessary action.

Networking, collaboration, and communication

• Build relationships within communities and facilitate working with partners and various stakeholders towards high community involvement.

• Establishment and maintain effective relationships with beneficiary communities, local authorities, District and other stakeholder.

• Represent the project at external meetings.

• Identify new partners within and outside target communities with interest in livelihoods development and strengthen their capacity for viable partnerships towards increasing profitability of tree value-chain products.

• Nurture and sustain partnerships with relevant stakeholders particularly at community level, District Assemblies, Municipal Assemblies, project consortium (eg. Rainforest Alliance, EcoCare? and Tropenbos Ghana) to ensure project sustainability to enhance transition and sustainability of the project.

Reporting

• Prepare and submit quality reports and other project documents, including case studies and stories of human-interest stories that meet donor requirements.

• Maintain and manage records of project activities and regularly provide project updates to key partners and promptly report any deviations.

Other responsibilities

• Perform any other tasks as required by management

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Qualifications: Education/Knowledge/Technical Skills and Experience

Minimum Qualification required: BSc Degree in Agricultural Sciences, Forestry, Development Studies, Natural Resource management, Agronomy, social work or related field or in any other relevant field (Masters Degree will be an added advantage)

• At least 3 years’ related working experience in project implementation, at least one of which should be related to FMNR, CSA, SLM, SFM, agroforestry or food security, agro-ecology.

• Strong working experience in savannah, high forest and transition zones of Ghana

• Strong facilitation and capacity development skills and experience in participatory approaches

• Good understanding of landscape governance, laws, policies, guidelines, regulation at national or local government. Focus on protection of trees, reduction of harmful farming practices and conservation activities

• Have capacity in facilitating the creation of Community Action Plans, and Creating Community Child

Protection Committees (CCPCs)

• Aptitude for community mobilization and capacity building.

• Strong communication skills (oral and written), able to make convincing presentations

Other Competencies/Attributes:

Skills

• Coaching, facilitation and training

• Good numerical, report writing, strong analytical and administration skills.

• Observation, critical thinking, analytical and problem solving

• Communication: presenting and sharing knowledge, influencing skills, cross-cultural, diplomacy, Communicating across differences, negotiation and conflict resolution, providing hearable feedback

• Innovation and adaptation, thinking creatively, problem solving

• Capacity to work under pressure and manage stress levels.

• Competency in the use of MS Office suite

• Community Development, action learning and participatory engagement

Knowledge

• Good understanding of concepts and principles of agro-ecology, agroforestry, climate smart cocoa agroforestry, FMNR techniques and other land restoration approaches

• Good understanding of agro ecological landscape issues in Ghana

• Good understanding of landscape governance laws, policies, guidelines, and regulation at the national or local government level focused on protection of trees, reduction of harmful farming practices and conservation activities

• Knowledge on Child Protection, Community Action Plans, and Creating Community Child Protection Committees (CCPCs)

• Community mobilization and empowerment principles and approaches

• Understanding Local power structures and its dynamics

• Local cultural practices relevant to FMNR promotion and implementation

• Contextual barriers to land ownership

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Attitudes

• Belief that the community has the solutions

• Conscientious, honesty, strong moral principles

• Must be a committed Christian, able to stand above denominational diversities

Working Environment / Conditions:

• Work environment: This is a field-based position with basic working and living conditions

• Travel: Minimum 30% domestic travel required