Position Title: Assistant Country Director

Reports to: US-based Program Director

Location: Conakry, Guinea

Summary:

Winrock’s Farmer-to-Farmer Program (F2F) will promote climate smart agriculture (CSA) and inclusive income diversification in Guinea. Guinea F2F will engage public and private sector actors to support the development of CSA-focused micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and start-ups, especially those owned by or focused on youth and women in promising value chains. Assignments will introduce CSA innovations to strengthen value chains and producer cooperatives and diversify economic opportunities. The Guinea office will be responsible for implementing similar F2F program activities in Sierra Leone.

This effort feeds into the goal of the John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program to generate sustainable, broad-based economic growth in the agricultural sector. A secondary goal is to increase the American public’s understanding of international development issues and programs and international understanding of the U.S. and U.S. development programs.

Program objectives are to:

Increase agricultural sector productivity and profitability; Improve conservation and sustainable use of environmental and natural resources; Expand sector access to financial services; and Strengthen agricultural sector institutions.

Duties:

Assist F2F Country Director in administration and management of Senegal F2F Program operations. Serve as Acting Country Director while the Country Director is on leave or unavailable.

Design activities that achieve program objectives and results targets. Ensure compliance with all Winrock International and USAID policies and procedures.

Work to be performed: Volunteer and Host Technical Assistance Work with the Country Director on country planning to further the program’s ability to meet or exceed targets. With the Country Director, lead the development of the Guinea Country F2F Projects and strategies, focusing on promoting CSA and inclusive income diversification.

Prepare F2F country project descriptions, work plans, and budgets as required by USAID and Winrock for timely implementation of the program. Work with target women and youth agribusinesses, including potential hosts in Sierra Leone, to identify and design volunteer technical assistance assignments, conduct needs assessments, draft host technical assistance plans, prepare volunteer scopes of work that ensure the program will meet results, and implement and monitor project activities, and supervise staff to do the same.

Design volunteer assignments to ensure that women and youth participate and benefit to the maximum in project activities. Work with field staff and HQ recruiters to ensure that F2F meets annual implementation targets. Coordinate and support F2F volunteer logistics and movement in the project areas, and support volunteer and staff safety and health.

Accompany US volunteers during their assignments, as needed, to provide technical, logistical, and translation support to achieve assignment objectives, including assignments in Sierra Leone.

Partner Coordination, Liaison & Outreach Professionally represent Winrock International and Farmer-to-Farmer at events with hosts, volunteers, USAID, government, and other stakeholders. With the Country Director, develop strategic partnerships to leverage other public and private sector resources and ensure project success.

Draft short articles and work with HQ team to disseminate through various F2F platforms, including blogs, Facebook, etc. Monitoring, Evaluation, Adaptation & Learning Gather existing sector assessments and other relevant information to identify value chain weaknesses and develop plans for addressing the most significant weaknesses, within the parameters of the F2F program. Lead on F2F monitoring and evaluation, to include collecting and reviewing host-level baseline and impact surveys submitted by field staff and providing needed requests for clarification.

Ensure that host organizations are oriented and have the skills and resources to collect accurate and timely baseline data and project impact information. Ensure timely submission to HQ of volunteer end of assignment reports, as well as additional data and narratives for semi-annual and annual reporting.

Lead on gender analysis; develop and implement strategies that ensure equitable participation of and benefits for women (see program targets for additional details).

Program Management Promote, organize, and facilitate the F2F Program in coordination with F2F staff in the field and Winrock HQ. Work with the Country Director to prepare F2F activity plans, budgets, and reports as required for the timely implementation of the program. Contribute to the preparation of annual work plans and semi-annual technical reports meeting USAID and Winrock requirements. Serve as acting Country Director when the F2F Country Director is absent.

Perform other duties as necessary.

Minimum Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in a field related to agricultural or agribusiness development required; Master’s degree preferred. At least 5 years’ experience in development programs, at least two of which were in a management role (with experience in agriculture and/or agribusiness preferred).

Demonstrated experience managing relationships with a wide variety of Guinean stakeholder/participating institutions. Experience implementing donor-funded programs (USAID or other USG experience preferred). Experience cooperating and collaborating closely with American consultants and/or volunteers strongly preferred.

Demonstrated experience in cross-cultural exchange, interest in engaging with people from diverse backgrounds and ability to make them feel welcome and at ease. Fluent French and excellent written and spoken English required. Willingness to travel and work in the field as needed; may require frequent travel within Guinea or Sierra Leone – for 2 weeks or longer at a time.

Winrock is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all people and value diversity and inclusiveness. Winrock recruits, employs, trains, promotes and compensates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, or any other basis protected by law. At Winrock we have a clear mission: Empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity and sustain natural resources through unwavering dedication to accountability, equity, innovation, integrity and transformation. Winrock knows that its success comes from the hard work and steadfast dedication of its diverse workforce. Winrock remains committed to maintaining diversity, inclusion and equity across the entire organization