Country Director - World Cocoa Foundation

Established in 2000, the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) is the world’s leading organization for cocoa sustainability. The long-term goals of WCF are set out in our new strategy:

• Prosperous cocoa farmers become truly sustainable and profitable, with transformation of traditional smallholder farming into modern business that deliver sustainable livelihoods for farmers and their families;
  
  
• Empowered cocoa-growing communities lead their own development, human rights are protected, and safety and wellbeing of children and families are strengthened; and
• A healthy planet is conserved and enhanced, with resilient and biodiverse landscapes in cocoa geographies, and the carbon footprint of the sector is reduced. WCF works in six areas:
  
  • Convene cocoa and chocolate industry in collective action;
  • Facilitate multi-stakeholder partnerships;
  • Facilitate industry engagement in policy dialogue with government;
  • Promote industry learning, knowledge sharing, and monitoring and evaluation;
  • Help mobilize resources from development partners and financial and capital market institutions to successfully implement collective action initiatives; and
  • Communicate industry investment and impact and manage reputational risks. WCF is a membership organization open to private sector companies engaged in all aspects of the cocoa supply chain. WCF is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. WCF has an annual budget of about $8 million and a staff of about 35 people.

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Position Summary:

The Country Director serves as the main leader for strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement, and WCF activities in Ghana. The position is based in Accra, Ghana and works under the direct supervision of the Senior Vice President for Programs.

Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Design and implement strategy for the country, including accountability for making strategic choices, managing quality and risks, coordinating with Government and participating companies, and delivering high quality and timely results, in collaboration with the Senior Leadership Team;
• Provide strategic guidance and leadership on Ghana across WCF to identify and promote opportunities for engagement, and ensure alignment with the three strategic pillars of the WCF strategy for Pathway for Sustainable Cocoa and specific programs like ACI II, Cocoa and Forest Initiative, and a new child labor partnership.
• Serve as knowledgeable resource on the country within WCF, providing general information on the sector, key issues, research priorities, national institutions, government policies and contacts, donor priorities, and member company interests, and local political, social, economic, and security developments;

Stakeholder Engagement

• Manage the relationship and dialogue with the Government on a broad range of policy and implementation issues related to WCF work, and represent and/or coordinate WCF representation with various national financial and economic bodies, institutions and other stakeholders;
• Facilitate the development of collaborative external partnerships related to country priorities (including with industry, government, technical, donor, and civil society, and media stakeholders) to deepen results and impact for WCF initiatives and programs, including chairing local meetings of WCF Members and participating in local donor coordination groups;
• Foster external learning, knowledge sharing, and communications in country related to CLP and WCF work, to ensure that country clients and stakeholders receive the highest quality support and knowledge they need, through multiple venues and channels, including academic writing, media, professional conferences, public speaking engagements;

Country Office Leadership

• Serve as principal public spokesperson in country for local media outlets regarding WCF activities, in collaboration with the Member and External Relations Team;
• Serve as “head of office” as needed and appropriate, including chairing staff meetings and coordinating country security and safety issues, in coordination with the Finance and Operations Team;
• Ensure cost-effective use of resources within the agreed work program, and in full compliance with WCF policies and procedures, and sound internal controls;
• Lead on fundraising and resource mobilization at the country level, and contribute to development of WCF-wide fundraising proposals; and
• Contribute to WCF Leadership Team, including effective collaboration with other Thematic Directors and Country Directors.

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Desired Skills & Qualifications:

• Graduate degree in agriculture, public policy, economics, rural development, international development, or other related field, with five or more years’ experience managing and implementing development strategy, projects or programs;
• Technical knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas: public policy, rural and agricultural development, social or community development, child protection, education, or women’s empowerment and gender;
• Substantive experience working in developing countries, with work experience in Ghana and West Africa preferred;
• Significant experience developing effective collaboration and partnerships with private sector, government, civil society organizations, research and/or extension agencies, and donor stakeholders;
• Experience managing and mentoring staff and contributing to a leadership team in a matrixed organization, with a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion with internal colleagues and external partners;
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills, with demonstrated ability to work effectively in teams; with a high degree of discretion, tact and sensitivity in dealing with stakeholders; and with the ability to influence and develop consensus on difficult and controversial issues and balance multiple stakeholder expectations and objectives;
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a fast-paced office environment, ncluding adaptability to rapidly changing priorities, and ability to manage multiple deadlines and deliver high quality work products; and
• Strong writing, speaking and presentation skills in English.