CONTEXT

Inter Aide (IA) is a French NGO. For 40 years, IA has been carrying out and monitoring concrete development programs in remote rural areas of six African countries and Haiti.

Since 2007, in Sierra Leone, Inter Aide has been implementing agriculture and water supply hygiene & sanitation (WASH) programs. To stimulate agricultural development, IA introduced and disseminated technical innovations to the farmers, promoted off-season vegetable gardening production and supports local farmers’ organizations to develop structuring services to their members (agricultural loans and input purchase). To foster access to safe water, IA intervenes in different complementary domains: hygiene and sanitation, construction and rehabilitation of water wells equipped with hand pumps, promotion of household water treatment, as well as a large program of hand pumps’ repairs and maintenance. The different interventions of IA in Sierra Leone are detailed on our website (http://www.interaide.org).

In 2020, Inter Aide is present in 4 different districts of Northern Sierra Leone (Karene, Bombali, Tonkolili and Port Loko), operates from 3 different offices (Kamakwie, Makeni and Port Loko) and counts nearly 100 local staffs. The agricultural team (20 people) is managed by a Project Manager with the support of 2 assistants, WASH activities (45 teams) by 2 Project Managers and 4 assistants. Teams are backed up by the Support Department that includes finance, administrative, logistics and guards (25 persons). The only expatriates are WASH Maintenance Project Manager and Head of Support department. Those IA projects in Sierra Leone mission are supervised by a team working at the headquarter including sectorial experts (3 persons with one more specifically in charge of Sierra Leone) and one Financial Officer. Regular missions are organised from the headquarter on the field (4 mission per year).

Inter Aide programs in Sierra Leone are financed by several donors including public donors such as the French Agency for Development (AFD), European Union, decentralized agencies (French Water Agencies) as well as private donors. Fund raising, communication on projects, reporting to donors is coordinated by the Headquarter (HQ)

Considering the growing number of projects in Sierra Leone, Inter Aide is looking for an experienced person, committed and motivated to take the lead on the operational coordination, project strategic support and Inter Aide representation in Sierra Leone mission. It is a new position in the organigram. As specific support and coaching are needed for the agriculture project, Inter Aide is looking for a person who has a good background and experience in tropical agriculture.

MISSIONS OF THE DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS OF INTER AIDE SIERRA LEONE
He / she will be based in Makeni with frequent travels to the project sites (Karene, Bombali, Tonkolili, Port Loko), as well as Freetown. He / she will report directly to the Sector Heads based in Versailles. The main responsibilities of the Program Coordinator and Representative will be as following

1) Support and train the Program Managers, their Assistants and their teams to better manage their projects thanks to more anticipation and organization

  • Train the Project Managers in the use of organisational tools and programs, outlook, excel, file management, backup;
  • Ensure activities, Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) logistics and reporting plans are implemented on time and accordingly;
  • In coordination with the Support Department, Support the Project Managers in logistic aspects especially in the anticipation and respect of donor procedures: formulation of purchase plans and procurements, preparation and follow up of stocks and donations tracking
  • Support PMs in improving team management (delegation of tasks, team organization and dimension, staff evaluations, etc.);
  • In coordination with the Support Department, assist the Project Managers in the vehicle fleet management, safety and security of IA teams, assets and premises

2) Ensure an operational monitoring of projects and program at SL field level

  • Support PM, their Assistants and their teams in the implementation of their projects;
  • Support the managers in monitoring and evaluation including identification of indicators, design of M&E planning and organization of data collection (forms, timetable, trainings, and processing);
  • Continuously analyse the performances of the projects with the managers and in coordination with the sector heads in order to improve the impact, the diffusion and the sustainability of projects;
  • Take part in knowledge management and experience sharing.

3) Jointly with Sector Heads, ensure Inter Aide's representation to institutions, donors and partners

  • Identify, design and articulate, with PM and HQ, the strategic orientations of the programs;
  • Take part in fund raising for ongoing programmes : writing of proposal, preparation of budgets;
  • Ensure reporting to HQ and communicate with donors on projects outputs and perspectives;
  • Organize donors, evaluators, experts and audits missions and assume IA’s representation.

4) Programs representation and advocacy, coordination, promotion and diffusion to Sierra Leonean stakeholders and partners

  • Support the PM in developing institutional capacities to gradually take over the supervision of the key activities (Water Directorate for the monitoring and supervision of the maintenance activities, Ministry of Agriculture for the support of farmers’ organisations…);
  • Advise on and supervise the implementation of actions with local partners and other stakeholders (decentralized public services of the government, international and local NGOs ...);
  • Collaborate with Sierra Leonean Government (District Councils, District Agencies of Water and Agriculture; National Line Ministries), with INGO and national organizations. Participate in key sectorial meetings with the institutional representatives (jointly with the PM);
  • Contribute to knowledge and experience sharing in agricultural and WASH sector in Sierra Leone;
  • Advocate at national level for Yearly Preventive Maintenance Strategy, the review of new WASH national guidelines and policies including maintenance, the promotion of horticultural value chain and support to family farming.

5) Financial, administrative and logistics

  • Work in close collaboration with Head of Support Department;
  • With the Head of Support Department , the Finance Officer and the Heads of Sector supervise and control projects’ expenditures, prepare activities budget with the Managers and IA HQ;
  • Validation of monthly and quarterly fund requests linked with activities.

PROFILE

  • Advanced education in a relevant topic (agriculture, forestry, rural development...);
  • Experience of 2 years minimum in project and team management compulsory, preferably in developing countries;
  • Proven experience in monitoring and evaluation tools, as well as in database management
  • Negotiation and relational skills: diplomacy, self-control, respect for cultural alien values
  • Field oriented, tenacity, flexibility and autonomy, able to cope with rough field conditions;
  • Coaching ability and analytical skills
  • Fluent English (including writing skills) & good level of French appreciated;
  • Car driving licence;
  • Off-road Motorbike riding skills would be a big +

STATUS

  • 2 years contract minimum
  • Between 1200€ and 1300 € net monthly salary + field allowance
  • Full health insurance + repatriation insurance
  • 1 round trip flight at the beginning and the end of the mission + 1 round trip flight per year

This vacancy is archived.

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