Project Coordinator at Vi Agroforestry (Vi-skogen)

Job Title: Project Coordinator
Project: Smallholder Coffee Development Project (SCDP)
Duty Station: Mwanza, Tanzania
Reports to: Tanzania Vi Agroforestry Country Manager
Project Period: 1st of May 2020 – 31st April 2024

About Vi Agroforestry
Vi Agroforestry (Vi-skogen) is a Swedish development cooperation organisation, fighting poverty and working with sustainable agriculture and land management through agroforestry – growing trees alongside crops and livestock. We do this together with small-holder farming families and farmers’ organisations in four countries; Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. Agroforestry provides increased access to food, access to sustainable energy sources and more income.
Agroforestry also contributes to the mitigation of climate change and protects against the negative effects of climate change. Since its inception in 1983, Vi Agroforestry has reached over 2,3 million people and facilitated the planting of over 100 million trees.

The SCDP project
The objective of the Smallholder Coffee Development Project (SCDP) is to contribute to inclusive and sustainable development of the coffee value chain for enhanced incomes and improved nutrition status of smallholder farmers in Ruvuma, Mbeya and Songwe regions of Tanzania. The Project Coordinator will be based in Mwanza, Tanzania. Extensive domestic travel is expected.

The action will strengthen smallholder coffee cooperatives as a key enabler of support services that enable increased production, processing and trade of coffee produced by smallholders in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. It also seeks to stimulate trade-led economic growth by strengthening the competitiveness of smallholder coffee producers, promoting investments and jobs creation along the coffee value chain.

The project coordinator will have the overall responsibility for the successful initiation, planning and implementation of the project, including responsibility for national and community dialogues and cooperation, with a broad network of stakeholders. Coordination and strengthening of the partnership between the lead applicant, the four implementing organisations, farmer cooperatives, coffee value chain actors and the government is crucial for successful implementation of the project.

Also, the Project Coordinator will be expected to handle the daily management of the project including technical support to implementing partners and Vi Agroforestry staff at the country office, with adequate technical and professional guidance to ensuring quality delivery of the project outcomes.

Key responsibilities

• To prepare and coordinate the project management activities, developing annual work plans and budget, ensure production of quality and timely reports for the donor and stakeholders and work with the communication team to ensure that appropriate project documentations are created;
• To be the project representative and spokesperson and ensure that standards and requirements are met;
• Assign tasks and provide expertise and technical support to project staff and implementing partners;
• Ensure mainstreaming of gender to ensure women (and youth) are among the main target beneficiaries of the project;
• Coordinate and chair the project operational committee;
• Engage and liaise with partners and stakeholders for successful implementation of the project;
• Liaise and engage with Ministry of Agriculture, LGA, TCB, value chain actors and decision-makers in promoting Public-Private Partnership for enhanced investment in the coffee value chain;
• In collaboration with partners, facilitate evidence-based advocacy for supportive policy frameworks and investment guidelines in the coffee sector;
• Enhance collaboration between research institutions and the project for coffee research findings disseminations;
• Develop coffee sectoral advocacy messages and presentations for various platforms; and
• Engage in resource mobilization.

Qualifications and field experiences

• Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Applied Agricultural Extension, Agriculture General, Crop Science, Agronomy, Environmental Science or related field with at least three years of relevant and proven working experience, preferably in the coffee sector or bachelor’s degree in relevant field and at least 5 years of relevant and proven working experience.
• Computer literate and conversant with Microsoft packages.
• Project management skills and experience.
• Strong oral communication, analytical, listening and presentation skills together with excellent command of written and spoken English and Swahili.
• Strong skills and work experience in advocacy, networking and facilitation.
• Experience in working with civil society and government structures.
• Knowledge of development cooperation and experience in EU funds management.
• Knowledgeable about (and experience in) the national coffee sector, guiding policies and regulations and familiarity with policy research methodology and analytics.
• Ability to synthesize program performance data and produce analytical reports in order to inform management and for strategic decision-making.
• People oriented and results driven.
• Takes initiative and seeks opportunities to initiate actions.
• Experience in the fields of gender equality and human rights.
• Social and cultural sensitivity.
• This position is for Tanzanian nationality applicants only.
• Women with the stated qualifications are highly encouraged to apply.

MODE OF APPLICATION:
Deadline for the application is 22nd of April 2020 not later than 1700 hours/5:00 pm
If you meet the set criteria, please send your application letter and CV only, Send application to: [email protected] With a copy to: [email protected] Subject Line: SCDP – Project Coordinator

Vi Agroforestry is an equal opportunity employer and canvassing is strongly prohibited.