TransFair USA Position: Program Manager

GPS Program Manager for Africa

Job Number JOB-000047
Category Global Producer Services
Location
Oakland, CA

Overview of Position:
The Global Producer Services (GPS) department of TransFair USA works to strengthen farmer organizations through product quality improvement, business and cooperative management training, and market linkage opportunities. GPS is currently working with a number of cooperatives in African countries. Working with the GPS Director, fellow Project Managers, Associates and Interns, this position will be responsible for overseeing capacity building projects with producer organizations in multiple countries to augment their Fair Trade market opportunities. The GPS Project Manager for Africa will be responsible for identifying potential producer partners, building relationships with donors, producers, and technical assistance providers, mapping out strategic priorities, implementing start-up projects and providing leadership in establishing program management structures in support of excellence in service delivery. GPS projects in Africa will always involve our producer partners, will target multiple commodities and will often involve one or more of our 500 industry partners.

Description
Specific duties include:

• Plan and execute a portfolio of targeted capacity building and market development projects for Africa producer organizations, and provide a baseline level of support to other Fair Trade producer groups as needed and carry out market linkage activities with producer representatives;

• Implement industry-standard project management processes, tools and evaluation methodologies for the GPS Department to monitor producer involvement and activities;

• Manage budgets and expenses, and carry out financial reporting;

• Develop and manage relationships with technical assistance providers to ensure on-the-ground services to producer groups;

• Visit producer groups and project partners in target countries to monitor project implementation and provide periodic evaluations and recommendations for project improvement;

• Conduct research, data collection and analysis for reporting to funding agencies, measuring Fair Trade impact, and informing GPS strategy and services;
• Investigate producer needs and industry opportunities to create GPS proposals for development agencies, foundations and multilateral development banks;

• Supervise staff and consultants.

Qualifications
• A BA or equivalent degree is required, a masters degree in international development, business or a related field is desired;
• A minimum of four years work experience with donor funded projects in international agricultural or SME development with at least two years in the field managing project implementation is required;

• Knowledge of small holder commodity value chains, in particular in the coffee, cocoa, tea, sugar or fresh fruit industries is preferred.
• Experience managing donor projects with an emphasis on USAID experience is required.

• Experience supervising and managing a multicultural team is required
• Fluency in French and English is required

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are a must.

• Must be proficient using the applications of Microsoft Office.