Project Manager - SNV Ghana

SNV is a not-for-profit international development organization that applies practical know-how to make a lasting difference in the lives of people living in poverty. We use our extensive and long-term in-country presence to apply and adapt our top-notch expertise in agriculture, energy, and WASH to local contexts. SNV has an annual turnover of €130 million, and over 1,250 staff in more than 25 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

We are proud to be a not-for-profit organization that uses project financing to implement our mission. This requires us to work efficiently and to invest in operational excellence. SNV aims more explicitly for systems change during project preparation and implementation – by strengthening institutions and kick-starting markets that help much more escape poverty beyond our projects. We continue to position ourselves as a premium organization, with decentralized management.

Our Global Support Unit (70 staff) backstops our teams around the world. For more information on SNV, visit our website: www.snv.org

Overview and Background

As a pro-poor development organization, SNV facilitates smallholder agricultural value chain development by promoting production efficiency and product quality, improving access to input and farm management services, and strengthening farm resilience through climate-smart practices. SNV also facilitates better farmer organization, improved market access while securing companies’ supply base by enhancing farmer loyalty and investing in fair, equitable, and sustainable practices.

SNV Ghana is currently seeking applications for a full-time position for a Project Manager. The project manager will oversee an anticipated project that seeks to significantly improve the sustainable supply of high-quality white sorghum for processing purposes, targeting over 13,000 smallholders in up to 16 districts within the sorghum-producing belt of Ghana.

The project is expected to increase access to production resources to smallholders and commercial farmers including women and the youth while creating a robust enabling environment for further growth. The overarching objective is to create a turnaround in the white sorghum supply chain, where farmers will experience and regard high-quality sorghum as a profitable business crop that fits well within sustainable farming systems.

Job Description

The Project Manager will lead and manage the planning, and implementation of all project components within the scope, budget, timeline, and required quality levels along with the commitments specified in the contracts signed with the donor(s) and other relevant stakeholders.

The Project Manager will work in line with SNV standards, SNV`s approach to project management and donor regulations, to achieve high-quality agreed results and deliverables of the project. He/she shall ensure the project objectives and results are achieved with quality and to the expectation of the donor.

He/she will provide technical leadership and overall direction oversight of the project. Together with other stakeholders, the Project Manager will ensure the timely and successful implementation of SNV’s work, take the lead in brokering input credit schemes for farmers and aggregators as well as providing the needed technical assistance to national and district level actors in the project.

The Project Manager will ensure timely reporting of activities and project deliverables, develop and maintain relationships with value chain actors, and ensure project visibility at all levels including working with government partner agencies, and private sector persons responsible for project deliverables; manage project team, consultants and service providers; budget & financial management; project monitoring and evaluation, and overall coordination of the project in the implementing districts.

Duties & Responsibilities

The key responsibilities of the Project Manager will include the following:

Project set-up

Sets up and communicates administrative, governance, accounting, HR, M&E structures, and procedures for the project. Initiates implementation of the project plan upon approval by country director, in accordance with the SNV project management procedures, relevant SNV structures and procedures, accounting principles, donor requirements and contracted commitments.

Project Management

Leads, manages, and motivates the project team, partners, and relevant stakeholders. Plans and assigns deliverables and activities, monitors and reviews progress, and addresses deviations in terms of timelines and quality, based on project planning, deliverables agreed and budget. Manages project closure and evaluation processes including the hand-over of the complete and up-to-date project file to Country Director and Business Development unit based on project management procedures.

Project quality assurance

Takes responsibility for the (technical) content of a project, ensures quality of the deliverables, and ensures sufficient technical input to meet the quality standards.

Contract Management & Project Accounting

Manages and accounts for full compliance of administrative, finance and HR components of the project with SNV internal procedures and requirements specified in the donor, sub-grant, sub-consultancy and partner. Ensures that approval for, coding and booking of all expenditures is done according to the relevant procedures and authorization levels.

Prepares, accounts for, manages and reports on project budget (and revisions thereof). Discusses and obtains approval of donor for contract / budget deviations. Ensures security and (financial risk) mitigation (incl. due diligence). Fully understands procurement and comply with requirements and contracts.

People Management & Team Leadership 

Guides, develops, coaches, and motivates team members and prepares resource estimation based on forecast to attract and recruit (SNV staff, consultants and/or service providers). Advises HR and country management on contract conditions for consultants and service providers within guidelines and project budget.

Business development

Builds and maintains effective relationships with the team, external partners, and the donor(s) by ensuring a high level of SNV visibility and branding. Signals and acts on potential for positioning, innovation, upscaling, and potential follow up on projects. Timely recognizes and analyses threats and makes sure relevant colleagues are informed.

Analysis & Reporting

Ensures collection, consolidation, and review of project information, according to SNV’s monitoring and evaluation guidelines. Analyses and provides advice to management how to incorporate the new insights/best practices into the organization’s policies and practices.

Knowledge Development

Contributes to internal and external knowledge development, by full documentation and sharing of project insights and results. Develops knowledge by attending workshops and conferences. Ensures lessons learned are shared and applied in daily practice. When applicable can be appointed as the (national) focal point of an expert network.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Development, Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Finance, Public Administration, Development Studies, Agronomy, or a related field.
• Have at least ten (10) years’ experience in leading and managing agriculture-related programs focusing on market systems development, value chain development, outgrower, and production scheme management.
• Experience in Governance, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL).
• Hands-on experience working with national/regional/district structures to implement sustainable agricultural programs.
• Experience in establishing and maintaining effective partnerships and strategic alliances (Bilateral/Multilateral Donors, Local NGOs, Regional Bodies).
• Substantial experience establishing and managing donor relations.
• Substantial experience is managing grants and business support services providers.
• Support Advisors in field interventions in line with set targets. These activities may include but not limited to the following:
  • Mobilization of actors around the targeted commodity (sorghum).
  • Profiling/ assessments of farmers and aggregators and other value chain actors.
  • Business growth and development of aggregators.
  • Coordination of activities of connected local actors within the value chain.
  • Capacity building (technical, organizational) of actors.
  • Promotion of innovations within the project that support production increases.
  • Capacity and trust-building activities to improve efficiency and reduce transaction costs within value chains.
  • Linkage of value chain actors to financial and other support services.

• Contribute to business development initiatives of SNV or the scale-up of the sorghum project.

Key competencies

• Demonstrated project management expertise and excellent knowledge of the full Project Management Cycle.
• Ability to interpret project information and to identify and analyze implementation issues.
• Proven experience in managing multidisciplinary and multicultural teams; excellent ability to work in a team.
• Solid planning, analysis, and prioritization skills.
• Good financial management skills related to project management.
• Effective time management and very good organizational skills
• Demonstrate tact and diplomacy in contacts with third parties.
• Knowledge of usual office software (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and regular communication channels (Internet, email, zoom, teams, google meet, Skype, etc)
• Fluency in English with strong writing skills is required.
• Willingness to travel to all project locations within Ghana.