Project Coordinator at Heifer International

Job description

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

FUNCTION

The Project Coordinator, under the management of the Director for Programmes, will assume overall responsibility for the management and coordination of the Food for All Project Kenya, which is implemented in partnership with Solidaridad Eastern and Central Africa Expertise Center, Meru Greens Horticulture, Soil Cares Foundation and Horticultural Crop Directorate. This is a five-year € 5,352,986 project funded by Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Food Security Facility (FDOV) in which Heifer International Kenya is responsible for establishment and strengthening 5 farmer owned milk marketing organizations through which 10,000 smallholder farmers will be able to sell their milk. This position is expected to contribute to the development and replication of the hub model in the Heifer Kenya Country Program.

Essential Character Traits

Heifer International Kenya is looking for a self-motivated and result oriented person to fill in the position of the Food for All Project Coordinator.

Responsibilities & Deliverables
(including approximate percentage effort)

• Project Management (30%)
  
  • Assume overall responsibility for the management of the Food for All Project including project resources ensuring adherence to the compliance and accountability policies.
  • Ensure that all employees and partners engaged to work for the project are effectively managed to achieve their targets.
  • Oversea the performance of any temporary employees and partners engaged in the implementation of the project.
  • Manage the implementation of the project to achieve the planned milestones
  • Facilitate establishment of project management structures at the project, Hub and collection center levels
  • Profile and develop a data base of all the potential resource persons in the project area that the project can utilize to provide specialized trainings once need arise
• Deliverables
  
  • Over 80 % of the planned milestones achieved
  • Project resources for food for ll Project maintained.
  • Project Management structures operational and meetings documented which will include the Project Management Committee, Group Coordination Committee and Group Management Committees.
  • Project sustainability and exit plans developed and implemented.
  • A data base developed and used to guide in engagement of external resources persons to support in implementation of certain trainings.
  • Develop and implement sustainability plans for the project
  • Producer Organizations Capacity Building (30%)
  • Facilitate the transformation of producer organizations (POs) into formal collective enterprises that stimulate rural dairy business hubs
  • Facilitate development of business planning guidelines and conduct strategic business planning sessions for member organizations
  • Facilitate the capacity building of the Producer Organizations on business skills, financial management, leadership and governance
  • Facilitate market linkages for the producer organizations to implement the appropriate business model for each of the hubs
  • Conduct monthly business review meetings with each of the hubs and advise on actions to top address any gaps noted
• Deliverables
  
  • 5 Producer organizations supported to become functional dairy hubs.
  • Business plans developed for each of the hubs and regularly reviewed to monitor the performance against targets.
  • Comprehensive capacity building of 5 Producer organizations (hubs) developed on business skills, entrepreneurship, record keeping, Financial Management, Governance and Leadership undertaken.
  • 5 producer Organizations linked to sustainable markets.
• Project reporting (10%)
  
  • Compile the monthly, quarterly and annual project progress reports and submit them on timely manner.
  • Compile the donor reports as requested by the donor through solidaridad and submit them on schedule and in the recommended formats.
  • Compile and submit a monthly business analysis report for each of the hubs supported by the project, making recommendations to address any issues noted.
• Deliverables
  
  • Monthly, Quarterly and annual project progress reports submitted on schedule using the right format s
  • Donor reports are submitted as requested.
  • Monthly Business Analysis reports for each of the hubs supported by the project submitted on schedule
  • Manage the delivery of farmer trainings by the technical resource persons (10%)
  • With Support from the Animal Wellbeing Manager and the Training Manager, develop and manage the implementation of an extension system to ensure the target farmers are adequately trained according to the project plan.
  • With support from the Training Manager, oversee the formation and strengthening of Dairy Interest Groups in the 5 hubs being supported by the project through Value Based Community Development Approaches
  • With support from the Animal Well-being Specialist and the Training Manager, oversee the capacity building Dairy Interest Groups on dairy husbandry, savings and credit mobilization and group dynamics as planned in the project document.
• Deliverables
  
  • Extension systems developed and made operational in each of the Producer Organization being supported by the project.
  • Dairy Interest Groups are formed and strengthened to become active in dairy based activities with increased application of Value Based Holistic Community Development approaches.
  • Dairy Interest Groups are trained on Group dynamics, Savings and Credit Mobilization and and technical aspects of dairy husbandry as planned in the project document.
• Annual planning and budgeting (5%)
  
  • Develop an overall project operational plan aligned to the project log frame that will guide in project implementation.
  • Development and implementation of project workplans (monthly, quarterly) that are aligned to the project log frame
  • Develop monthly and quarterly budgets aligned to the project workplan, and manage the spending as per the budgets
  • Review Monthly and Quarterly Budget Monitoring reports and provide reports on status of the project spending
  • On a quarterly basis, develop project procurement plans and submit to the procurement committee
• Deliverables
  
  • Overall project operational plan developed and implemented
  • Project Workplans (monthly, quarterly) developed and implemented.
  • Budgets (monthly, quarterly, annual projections) developed and managed ensuring spending variance is within +/- 10%
  • Reports on status of monthly and quarterly project spending.
  • Project procurement plans developed and shared with the procurement committee on a quarterly basis.
  • Private sector linkages, partnerships and Collaboration (5%)
  • Provide overall leadership in designing and implementing partnerships that will entail provision of specialized business advisory services and training to address the commercial needs of various value chain actors within the Food for All project.
  • Identify MFIs/Banks and other financial service providers ready to engage with producer organizations and agro entrepreneurs and assist in developing financing options with a view to increase net returns to producer organizations
  • Identify and facilitate the engagement of producer organizations and service providers in agro inputs products, animal health and AI services.
  • Establish and maintain and close collaboration with the county government and other NGOs that will support the sustainability of the project interventions.
  • Be the key contact and relationship manager between Heifer International and project partners at the field level and maintain a relationship management framework to cover joint planning, reporting, financial management, training and all other relevant project field level outputs.
  • Deliverables
  • Partnerships developed and implemented to address different needs of producers in all the Producer Organizations being supported by the project
  • Partnerships with other stakeholders such as County Government, NGOs and other public and private sector actors developed and used to leverage the project initiatives while also supporting project sustainability.
  • Producer Organizations and agro entrepreneurs providing services to farmers are linked to appropriated financing opportunities
  • Producer Organizations being supported by the project are implementing checkoff systems to facilitate farmers to access agro inputs, animal health, AI and other essential services to enhanced field level relationship with the project partners
  • Monitoring and Evaluation (5%)
  • Develop and implement a system for monitoring the delivery and effectiveness of farmer trainings
  • Tracking of the achievement of project outcomes
  • Undertake quarterly technical reviews for project
  • Collaborate with Project partners during the project evaluation activities
  • Monitoring the project risks and issues and making recommendations of actions to address them
• Deliverables
  
  • A system for monitoring the hub extension system developed and implemented.
  • Project outcomes tracked and reported on a quarterly basis.
  • Technical Reviews of the project, based on the M&E framework developed.
  • Project issues and risks monitored and reported.
  • Any Other Duties As Assigned By The Supervisor
  • Program Development and Scaling Up of Hub Models (5%)
  • Participate in the development of new initiatives including the scaling up of the Heifer Hub model in Kenya
  • Support the documentation of the project model for its replication in other Heifer International Kenya Program areas.
  • Regular document case studies and success stories for dissemination

Required Skills
Most Critical Proficiencies:
Strong project cycle management skills and financial management skills including planning, management of project budgets and reporting
Strong business skills, leadership, strategic and innovation skills.
Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions and design catalytic activities within the value chain (e.g. the concept of quality-based pricing, designing appropriate business models that link hubs to the markets directly etc.).
Demonstrated knowledge of the latest developments in advancing good/best practices in value chain development.
Strong communication skills both in English, Swahili, and other local languages of the cluster area.
Demonstrated ability to design and implement strategies aimed at providing institutional capacity building’ to Producer Organizations with a view to build a more efficient, competitive, and sustainable dairy value chain. This requirement is in line with the need to have in-built ‘exit strategies’ within the project as a measure of ensuring that there are self-sustaining businesses by project end.
Ability to manage training programs targeted at farmers in animal husbandry, feed and health.
Knowledge of and experience in setting up cottage industries for processing locally branded dairy products (e.g. cheese, butter, fortified milk and yoghurt among others) for onward supply to niche and markets as well as implementing supply promotion/stimulation strategies in the context of dairy sub-sector.
Experience in facilitating establishment of strategic alliances and joint ventures with local and foreign processors.
Knowledge of equity financing (e.g. venture capital and/or private equity investing).
Strong computer literacy, preferably with Microsoft Office Suite.
Essential Job Functions And Physical Demands
Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to relate to individuals diplomatically and tactfully.
Ability to integrate financial services within a value chain with the view to foster trust and build strong relationship between chain actors and financial service providers.
Must be courteous, honest and of high integrity, especially in high-pressure situations.
Proven interpersonal and communication skills with ability to relate to individuals and groups diplomatically and tactfully.
Self-starter and self-motivator with the ability to work in a multicultural setting.
Must be a team player and have the ability to execute and manage multiple tasks with minimal supervision.
Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.

Required Experience

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in the fields of Agriculture Economics, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Enterprise Development or other related field, plus five (5) years in a mix of economic growth/trade, value chain competitiveness, investment promotion, or agriculture development.

Preferred Requirements

• Master’s degree or equivalent in the fields of Agriculture Economics, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Enterprise Development or other related field, plus five (5) years in a mix of economic growth/trade, value chain competitiveness, investment promotion, or agriculture development.
• Minimum of five (5) years’ management level work experience.
• Significant experience in building public/private partnerships, preferably in the dairy sector.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting business, investment analyses, and capital budgeting and sufficient evidence on how the results were used to develop potentially viable business ideas and subsequently tangible businesses.
• Proven experience in building the capacity of partner institutions, manage knowledge, measure progress and plan and innovate within the dairy industry.
• Demonstrated experience in project management including in donor project budgets management, proposal development and monitoring and evaluation.
• Demonstrated project reporting and donor reporting experience.