Jobs at Trade Mark East Africa

Job summary

Working closely with the Business Competitiveness, West Africa & AfCFTA, and Inclusive Trade Director, the Programme Manager Inclusive Trade- Fisheries will be responsible for the implementation of Women and Youth Economic Empowerment in Fisheries through Inclusive Market Access project funded by the Master Card Foundation in line with TMA’s corporate strategy. He/she is responsible for design and implementation of the Fisheries project using a market systems approach. He/she shall manage partner and donor relationships for results delivery and facilitate cross-learning and knowledge generation in relation to the inclusive trade strategic priorities across the organisation. This role requires close collaboration with other units in TMA such as Market Access, Programme Delivery Unit, Regional and Country Programme teams and implementing partners.

Roles and responsibilities
Programmes and Outcomes Delivery

• Design and implementation of market based solutions across TMA’s areas of programming to facilitate programme delivery and achievement of targeted results.
• Ensures good practice during project design, terms of reference and technical specifications development, mobilisation, procurement and contract management, outcome/output-based planning, implementation, timely and quality reporting, project sustainability, and results-oriented monitoring, evaluation, and learning.
• Ensure compliance with programme/project cycle management (PCM) guidelines throughout the project design and implementation cycle, including robust project planning, reporting and closure; adherence to donor requirements as stipulated in contribution agreements.
• Manages relationships and communicates with internal and external stakeholders including donors, partners and service providers and clearly articulates project and programme scope, timeline, budget, risks, and deliverables.
• Understands funding sources for projects, the implementation timelines agreed with funders, monitors implementation and delivery to ensure that projects are within budget, scope, and time. Where changes occur, clearly documents, and ensures that relevant internal (portfolio director, technical lead, SLMT leads) and external stakeholders (donors, partners) are informed.
• Ensures compliance with grant management procedures and guidelines including appraisal, selection, implementation, reporting, closure, and hands-on involvement, management, and execution.
• Gender and Inclusion Strategy Implementation
• Support the roll out of the TMA gender and inclusion strategy and ensure all project interventions undergo assessment to identify opportunities for mainstreaming gender and inclusion.
• Ensure gender and inclusion components are adequately covered in all corporate documents such as the annual and quarterly reports, business plans and specific programme documents.
• Support gender and inclusion related resource mobilisation, including monitoring donor priorities, drafting concept notes, and integrating into project proposals.
• Support the delivery of gender and inclusion capacity building to the relevant project partners.
• Develop methodologies to collect and aggregate gender and inclusion related evidence to monitor progress and impact in collaboration with the programme and results teams.
• Lead collaborative and effective engagement with critical stakeholders, developing strategic (formal and informal) partnerships to enable TMA to achieve its objectives, with national Governments, AfCFTA Secretariat, the private sector, and civil society, liaising and fostering coordination.

Reporting, monitoring, and learning

• Ensure inclusion of gender-sensitive /responsive indicators to track progress towards gender and youth integration in the project.
• In collaboration with Gender and Inclusion Champions and Result Team, document and promote lessons learned and best practices for knowledge sharing and learning including impact stories.
• Uses available and/or develops tools to monitor project progress towards delivery at the activity output and outcome levels.
• Put in place data collection mechanisms for evidence-based results articulation, documents lessons, shares knowledge, incentivise staff/teams and enforces compliance and standards.
• Contribute to the development/revision of tools for effective monitoring of project results.
• Convene collaboration, learning and adaptation (CLA) events with implementing partners and other key stakeholders to share lessons learned and best practices for knowledge sharing and learning.
• Communications, Visibility and Knowledge management
• Support cross-cutting research work around the gender and inclusion theme; assist teams in determining relevant gender and inclusion dynamics and causes of inequities in the Fisheries sector.
• Identify gender forums and outreach campaigns where TMA can raise its profile and visibility on gender and youth inclusion including donor Round Table meetings, and other related forums.
• Effectively communicate the programme progress and results to internal and external stakeholders and support in delivery of high-quality outputs to ensure that TMA’s mission and vision are well communicated to
• stakeholders, and in line with MCF’s communication policy.
• Participate in regular informal and formal reflection, knowledge sharing and learning events on gender and inclusion as related to the Fisheries sector across Africa.
• Audit & Assurance: Apply the highest standards of controls and risk management practices and behaviours and embed a positive risk and control culture; Demonstrate prudence, sound judgement and appropriate and timely escalations in management of all types of risk (including fraud risk) applicable to my role; Understand and comply with the relevant endto-end processes including applicable risks and controls; Seek to identify, understand and escalate risk events/incidents/ issues on a timely basis focusing on fixing root-causes and taking ownership of identified mitigating actions; Complete all relevant mandatory trainings within the stipulated timelines.
• Corporate Resources: Promote and adhere to TMA’s core values and ensure compliance with organisational policies and procedures; Maintain zero tolerance to bribery, fraud and corruption, and ensure the immediate reporting of any corruption or suspect behaviour that threatens TMA’s reputation; Adhere to the safeguarding policies and procedures and immediately report any safeguarding concerns; Any other related responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager from time to time.

Academic and professional qualifications

• Undergraduate degree plus ten years’ relevant experience including three years of management experience OR
• Postgraduate degree plus eight years’ relevant experience including three years of management experience.

Work experience

• Proven abilities to conceptualise and design market systems/value chain development projects with strong gender and inclusion components, project implementation, results measurement, reporting, and stakeholder engagement gained through working experience in Africa.
• At least 5 years ‘experience in managing complex and diverse projects in the fisheries value chain, facilitating economic empowerment of women and youth, mainstream and integrate gender and safeguards in agriculture value chains in Africa.
• Ability to integrate cross-cutting themes such as logistics, public-private dialogue, environment and climate change in programming.
• Experience implementing projects across multiple countries and engagement with both public and private sector implementing partners.
• Demonstrable experience in training, mentorship and capacity building of direct reports and programme teams to ensure a broad understanding of gender and inclusion concepts within the organisation.
• Experience in strategic and programmatic interventions in the Fish value chain will be an added advantage.
• Technical skills and behavioural competencies
• Strong leadership and management skills, including the ability to provide strategic guidance and technical oversight to teams on value chain development and inclusion. Demonstrate personal qualities and credibility to lead, develop and motivate staff.
• Ability to establish and maintain strong collaborative partnerships/relationships with teams, development
• partners, partner government agencies, civil society, and private sector organisations/associations.
• Good understanding of inclusion programme design, economic development and trade approaches that address issues of gender and inclusion and poverty reduction.
• Good understanding of national and regional socio-political and economic contexts.
• Strong familiarity with national, regional, and international stakeholders in gender, inclusion, and trade.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with demonstrable experience networking at various levels with public and private sector, and international partners.
• Demonstrable ability to influence others to achieve objectives and gain consensus and collaboration.
• Sound decision-making and judgement capabilities, as well as good problem solving and analytical skills.
• A dynamic, energetic, and self-motivated team player who requires minimal supervision.
• Highly Desirable: Good knowledge of financial management, grant management and risk assessment in a
• development organisation; Knowledge and practice in management and implementation of Master Card Foundation funded projects.
• Required: Excellent oral and written communication skills, including written, analytical, presentation and reporting; Fluency in both English and French languages.

Risks associated with the position

• Apply the highest standards of controls and risk management practices and behaviours and embed a positive risk and control culture.
• Demonstrate prudence, sound judgement and appropriate and timely escalations in management of all types of risk (including fraud risk) applicable to this role.
• Understand and comply with the relevant end-to-end processes including applicable risks and controls.
• Promote and adhere to TMA’s core values and ensure compliance with organisational policies and procedures.
• Maintain zero tolerance to bribery, fraud, and corruption, and ensure the immediate reporting of any corruption or suspect behaviour that threatens TMA’s reputation.

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Job summary

TMA has a cooperative agreement with USAID to implement the Economic Reform and Recovery Activity (ERRA) for a budget envelope of up to $75 million. Presently, the available obligated level of funding of is $28 million. The programme aims to support economic recovery, and reform in Eastern Africa (including DRC and the Horn but not Southern Africa) and focuses on three key objectives:

• support labour intensive, export-oriented value chains for recovery and job creation;
• support trade facilitation and deepening regional integration; and
• support greater resilience in the region.

The COP will be responsible for the successful delivery of this programme including:

• High level donor management and fundraising with USAID.
• Overall strategic oversight to ensure design of high impact and high expenditure program including oversight of the delivery of ERRA implementation.
• Stakeholder management/representation and public relations with implementing partners, Governments, and Private Sector players with TMA’s Chief of Programmes and CEO; and
• Working with a core team, ensure effective accountability for delivering results and expenditure with key teams across the organisation.
• Robust risk management and assurance for compliance with the USAID Cooperative Agreement; including timely escalation of identified/ materialising risks.
• Communications and visibility for ERRA results
• The COP may be required to engage on other TMA activities to support the Senior Leadership and Management Team.

Roles and responsibilities

• Fund Raising and Donor Engagement with USAID Working closely with Country Directors fundraise for further ‘buy ins’ within the ERRA budget envelope with key USAID missions, particularly Djibouti, AU Mission and Tanzania. This may involve preparing pitch decks and visit USAID missions.
• Be the key focal point for engagement with USAID to ensure smooth working relationship, particularly with the Activity Managers in the different missions, Agreement Officer Representative (AOR) and the Agreement Officer (AO) including holding regular weekly and quarterly meetings and introducing service level agreements around approvals.
• Ensure the timely and rigorous development of work plans to be approved by USAID;
• Ensure good communications and PR around ERRA to help uplift USAID’s profile including high level US Government visits;
• Participate in USAID regular Chief of Party meetings.
• Strategic oversight of Programme Design and Implementation, delivery of results Strategic oversight in the design of ERRA as well as ensuring knowledge and learning generation and dissemination;
• Hold Quarterly Strategic Review and Pause and Reflect meetings with ERRA teams to ensure alignment with results framework and address other issues.
• Strategic linkages to other TMA programmes The COP will co-ordinate closely with the TCA management team and provide strategic oversights on TMA’s Outcome 2. Given how ERRA will be key to Outcome 2 and important to co-ordinate with TCA (Objective 3) in agreeing a Service Level Agreement on ERRA workstreams;
• Ensure Gender and Climate Change issues are sufficiently mainstreamed and followed through the programme;
• Overall strategic oversight including implementation of Objective 1 (Value Chains), Objective 2 (Trade Facilitation) and Objective 4 (Resilience) of ERRA as well as ensuring knowledge and learning generation and dissemination; and Support to TradeMark Africa's wholly owned subsidiary, Trade Catalyst Africa.

Stakeholder Management

• Ensure excellent engagement with key stakeholders from Government and private sector;
• Develop and maintain good working relations with relevant ERRA implementing partnerships;
• Hold regular meetings and engagements with US American Chamber of Commerce and other key partners and stakeholders with the Chief of Programmes and CEO; and
• Hold regular quarterly project steering committees with USAID.

Team and Performance management

• Manage and nurture strong internal technical competences and knowledge management across ERRA teams, and through this ensure technical excellence of work streams to highest international standards;
• Agree and monitor key targets and OKRS with each team as part of their annual performance management cycle;
• Lead on hiring new staff, subject to approval by TMA’s Chief of Programmes and CEO, to bolster ERRA implementation with further dedication of staff.
• Mentor and motivate dedicated ERRA team members, ensuring strong capacity is developed for successful delivery;

Robust risk management and assurance for compliance

• Ensure all team members are appraised of and comply with the terms of the USAID Cooperative Agreement
• Identify key risks and design mitigation strategies.
• Timely resolution and escalation of issues and risks

Corporate leadership

• Demonstrate collective leadership in contributing to TMA being an effective, collaborative and strategic organisation
• As member of the Senior Leadership and Management Team (SLMT), help set TMA’s strategic direction; advocating for your objectives while shaping them to suit others’ objectives. This will include taking collective responsibility for leadership decisions; and setting a collaborative and results-focused culture;
• Apply the highest standards of controls and risk management practices and behaviours and embed a proactive risk approach, through effective analysis and discussion of risk, timely mitigations and escalation, and implementation of all control measures;
• Promote and adhere to TMA’s core values and ensure compliance with organisational policies and procedures;
• Maintain zero tolerance to bribery, fraud and corruption, and ensure the immediate reporting of any corruption or suspect behaviour that threatens TMA’s reputation; and adhere to the safeguarding policies and procedures and immediately report any safeguarding concerns. 

Academic and professional qualifications

• Undergraduate or postgraduate degree plus in areas relevant to TMA’s focus, such as Development Studies, Economics, International Trade or other relevant disciplines.

Work experience

• Undergraduate degree holders will have at least 15 years’ working experience, including 7 years of management experience (with five of these at a senior level). Postgraduate degree holders will require 13 years’ experience including seven years of management experience (with three of these at senior level).
• Experience in leading the development and delivery of similar programmes, particularly those related to trade and trade facilitation development programmes to enhance the capacities of developing countries in trade policy development, formulation and implementation trade reforms, regional integration, and support to national governments.
• Significant work experience with Regional Economic Communities preferably in East or Southern Africa, in an international multicultural environment.
• Experience in working with the private sector and civil society to deliver trade facilitation development capacity support and to support trade-related advocacy.
• Senior leadership experience with similar USAID-funded programs is mandatory.

Additional skills

• Proven intellectual and strategic thinking skills.
• Strong strategy formulation and implementation skills including ability to communicate strategy and results concisely and simply.
• Excellent leadership and management skills.
• Developed experience of managing and mentoring staff at a senior level.
• Ability to deliver a plan and performance to budget.
• Adept at working with diverse teams and challenging accepted wisdom, delivering change and demonstrating value for money.
• Ability to influence others to achieve objectives and gain consensus and collaboration.
• Sound decision-making and judgement.
• Problem solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent presentation, communication and personal effectiveness skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications.

Additional/background information

The role also requires:

• Good understanding of investment promotion/attraction programmes East Africa.
• Good understanding of market systems and ability to apply tools and instruments to develop market-led, pro-poor, inclusive and/or sustainable development interventions.
• Good understanding of impact investing:
• Good understanding of the dynamics affecting trade facilitation and regional integration at national, regional and at the global multilateral levels, particularly in developing countries.
• Good understanding of trade and investment policy, trade facilitation, infrastructure and transport/logistics.
• Understanding of conceptual frameworks which can be used to identify pro-poor and inclusive development opportunities.
• Ability to support policymakers, development practitioners and professional service providers in their new role as market facilitators.