Field Project Manager - Senegal

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Field Project Manager position for a large scale, long term agriculture development project in Senegal.  MEDA is an association of compassionate women and men who invest in people living in poverty around the world so they can unleash their potential to earn a sustainable livelihood to provide for their families and enrich their communities. MEDA provides management, technical and consulting expertise to MEDA projects and to a wide range of clients, helping as many of the poor as possible by creating business solutions to poverty.  To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org. 

Position Summary 
Leading a team of field staff, the Field Project Manager (FPM) ensures effective implementation of project strategies, adjusting course as needed based on interim performance, to achieve life-of-project performance targets. This position involves frequent travel to project locations within Senegal. The FPM will report to and work closely with MEDA’s North America-based Sr. Project Manager tasked to supervise this Project. This is a full-time indefinite term contract for the duration of the project, subject to continued donor funding. Start date is TBD.  Applications due Jan 11, 2018.

Project Summary

MEDA has been awarded a new five-year project from Government Affairs Canada that will improve the economic resilience of women and youth farmers in Senegal.

The project, valued at close to $18 million, will encourage farmers in the Sedhiou and Tambacounda regions of Senegal to adopt innovative technologies and best practices to ensure that their agricultural and irrigation practices are climate friendly. This will directly benefit 15,000 women and youth and improve the economic resilience of over 150,000 people in the region.

Responsibilities

Project Implementation

• Acting as MEDA's representative in Senegal
• Ensuring daily management of the project and assuming full accountability of project results
• Ensuring project performance tracking
• Implementing security protocols
• Project Financial Management
• Maintaining strict budgetary adherence and monitoring
• Ensuring review and timely submission of regular financial reports
• Project Compliance
• Ensuring effective and efficient management of project's compliance with planning, monitoring, evaluation, performance and reporting
• Ensuring adherence to local legal requirements
• Management of Field Staff
• Overseeing the management of all field staff, including recruitment, selection, supervision and ongoing performance evaluations
• Relationship Management
• Managing successful relationships with the Government of Senegal, donor agencies, the business community and other stakeholders
• Managing successful relationships with Key Facilitating Partners; ensuring positive relationships are maintained and project targets are achieved.
• New Business Development
• Supporting, as time allows, the Sr. Director's new business development efforts in-country and regionally

Job Requirements

• Follow all Organizational Policies and Procedures
• Demonstration of MEDA Core Performance Values:  Respect, Collaboration, Entrepreneurship and Accountability
• Keep up to date on all required training
• Support effective Staff Management and supportive work environment

Qualifications

• Appreciation and support of MEDA’s faith, values and goals
• University degree (ideally Master's) in international development, business administration or related field
• A minimum of ten years of senior level experience leading and managing complex, large scale, multi-million dollar economic and enterprise development initiatives (or similar private sector experience)
• Fluency (written and verbal) in English and French is required
• Strong understanding of: business/financial decision making in competitive market environments; inclusive subsector development and value chain development facilitation methods
• Proven leadership abilities with a multiple field office environment and relationships with North American-based HQ specialists and management
• Functional experience in marketing, business planning, business growth advisory service or related areas
• Direct private sector experience is desirable
• Demonstrated ability to mobilize stakeholders into partnerships and alliances, lead and facilitate collaborative processes
• Experience in using commercial business development services (BDS) providers to upgrade farmer, entrepreneur and enterprise competencies
• Prior work experience in Ghana or comparable country context is preferred
• Understanding and appreciation of business principles, international development and MEDA’s approach of creating business solutions to poverty

MEDA is an equal opportunity employer and accommodations are available during all phases of the recruitment process. We ask that any applicants requiring accommodation make their needs known in advance.