International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) Recruitment for Partnership Contracts Officer

Applications are invited from interested and suitably qualified candidates for the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) Recruitment for Partnership Contracts Officer.

The International Fertilizer Development Center is a science-based public international organization working to alleviate global hunger by introducing improved agricultural practices and fertilizer technologies to farmers and by linking farmers to markets.

Job Description

Company: IFDC- International Fertilizer Development
Location: Ghana
State: Accra
Job type: Full-Time

Background

The 2SCALE program 2019-23 builds on achievements and lessons learned from a first phase (2012-18, www.2scale.org). It aims to be a flagship program for the Netherlands’ food security policy and one of the leading catalysts of inclusive agribusiness in sub-Saharan Africa.

2SCALE is designed to incubate and accelerate inclusive agribusiness development in target countries in Africa (Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria). Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are the core implementation modality to achieve the objectives of the program. 2SCALE’s strategy is three-pronged:

Incubating inclusive business: through PPPs, 2SCALE works together with private enterprises to develop agribusiness models that promote inclusiveness, develop (new) competitive edge, and have the potential for scaling. PPPs support value chain development and agribusiness cluster formation. The agribusiness cluster approach helps smallholder farmers develop farming as a business and supply agricultural products for local, national, regional and international markets. 2SCALE partners with African and multinational agri-food companies as drivers to increase productivity and to improve efficiency and sustainability of supported agribusiness clusters and value chains. Specific attention is given to youth and women to integrate value chains (as farmers, laborers, entrepreneurs, service providers), and to low income / “base of the pyramid” (BoP) consumers that represent the largest market for food products in sub-Saharan Africa.
Replicating inclusive business: through PPPs, 2SCALE supports the replication of most successful business models, in different settings (regions, industries), with the same or different private partners.
Facilitating sector transformation and policy alignment: 2SCALE also supports partnering enterprises to drive sector transformation and policy alignment for critical bottlenecks that cannot be solved by the actors within the focus PPPs, and which affects a number of actors in the sector simultaneously.2SCALE is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by a consortium led by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and comprising the Base-of-the-Pyramid Innovation Center (BoPInc) and the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV). The Partnerships Resource Center (PrC) supports the consortium as a knowledge partner.

Position summary

Main Tasks

Partnerships are the key modality of 2SCALE. They are established with private partners (including the business champions/ lead partners) and other relevant stakeholders and formalized in partnership agreements with lead partners or Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and contractual agreements with supportive partners. Partnership agreements mainly specify the purpose of the partnership, the business strategy, the joint interventions, the responsibilities and the indicative contributions of the various partners, including 2SCALE. The 2SCALE contribution, in turn, is implemented by our own staff, but also through local business support services (BSSs) that partner with the program. 2SCALE has developed a unique system to award service agreements to these BSSs. This system includes administrative procedures, selection processes, evaluation criteria, monitoring and evaluation of these agreements, and close-out activities; it is detailed in 2SCALE’s service agreements manual. The Partnership Contracts Officer supports 2SCALE partnership facilitators and country team leaders to finalize and monitor partnership agreements or MoUs/ contractual agreements in some of 2SCALE’s focus countries. She/ he is responsible for developing and monitoring service agreements, in consultation with the country teams and in compliance with partnership agreements and the 2SCALE service agreements manual. She/ he is also responsible for building the financial/ administrative capacity of the local BSSs that was awarded a service agreement.

Support 2SCALE technical staff in finalizing partnership agreements, MoUs and contractual agreements, including advisory on legal clauses, and review of responsibilities and budgets in some of 2SCALE’s focus countries (to be determined).
Update the system to monitor key deliverables (e.g. governance meetings and filing of minutes; annual financial statement; private sector contribution, etc.) agreed-upon in the partnership agreements as well as in MoUs/ contractual agreements and consultancy contracts related to all active partnerships. Anticipate reminders to partnership facilitators and country team leaders.
Conduct and document the due diligence of potential new contractors, i.e. BSSs or consulting organizations identified for specific partnership-related services, as per the partnership agreements or related action plans.
Review action plans and budgets proposed under service agreements and consultancy contracts. Whenever needed, assist in revising or finalizing them.
Submit service agreements and consultancy contracts for approval and monitor the contract making process until the service agreement/ consultancy contract is fully executed.
File each fully executed service agreement/ consultancy contract and related payment documentation, through 2SCAALE’s agreed-upon filing system.
In collaboration with the Partnership Contracts Manager and using the unique 2SCALE service agreement tracker, monitor schedules for installment disbursements, alert field teams about deadlines and make disbursement projections for the following month.
Identify and prioritize needs and gaps of BSSs in financial, management and governance systems, including operational policies and manuals in the focus countries.
Under the leadership of the Partnership, the Contracts Manager develop an efficient approach to guide and train BSSs in the management of the service agreements.
In close collaboration and consultation with 2SCALE country teams and the Partnership Contracts Manager, visit the selected organizations that are implementing activities through 2SCALE service agreements. Monitor BSSs to assess performance, attainment of targets, adherence to contractual obligations stated in service agreements and quality of interventions.

Other specific duties include:

Write and submit quality progress reports and notes with a strict respect of deadlines for the countries focused on.
Under the leadership of and in collaboration with the Partnership Contracts Manager prepare monthly service agreement recaps and projections, for all focus countries.
Document lessons learned from the focus countries, share them in reports and integrate them into subsequent program activities.
Collaborate with the 2SCALE admin and financial officers of host offices (from both IFDC and SNV) to ensure adequate financial reporting/ forecasting to the management team under the supervision of the Partnership Contracts Manager.
Develop and ensure excellent working relationships with BSSs, lead partners, and other actors involved in partnerships.The Partnership Contracts Officer is also responsible for any other assignments that the management deems necessary for the success of the program.

Supervision and team collaboration

The Partnership Contracts Officer reports to the Deputy Program Director. She/ he works under the coordination of the Partnership Contracts Manager. She/ he collaborates closely with the 2SCALE country teams and the budget and finance administrators.

Position and duty station

The 2SCALE Partnership Contracts Officer is a national position with a duty station at 2SCALE’s Program Management Unit in Accra, Ghana.

The position requires travels (up to 30% of the time) in focus countries.

Contract duration

IFDC will propose a first contract ending on December 31, 2020.

Based on the incumbent’s performance, availability of funds and program needs, the contract could then be extended or renewed.

Required Skills

Minimum Bachelor degree or equivalent in finance, administration or other relevant areas.
Rigorous and meticulous professional, able to spot mistakes, inconsistencies, and non-compliance with contractual obligations.
Result-orientation and ability to take initiatives under minimal supervision, and to meet deadlines.
Excellent writing skills in Standard English.
Work proficiency in French, not mandatory, but a plus.

Required Experience