Deputy Chief of Party, USDA Food for Progress – Togo

Job Title: Deputy Chief of Party, USDA Food for Progress -Togo
Level and Grade: 90 BG-11 LCN-11 / Deputy Director
Job Type: Regular Full-time
Reporting Manager: Chief of Party
Department: International Operations
Operations Office: Togo
Date: September 5, 2023

About Corus and LWR :

Corus International is the parent of a family of world-class organizations working to deliver the holistic, lasting solutions needed to end extreme poverty once and for all. We are a global leader in international development, with 150 years of combined experience across our brands. Our nonprofit and for-profit subsidiaries include IMA World Health and its fundraising brand Corus World Health, Lutheran World Relief, CGA Technologies, Ground Up Investing, and Farmers Market Brands. Our more than 600 employees around the globe are experts in their fields and dedicated to helping the world’s most vulnerable people break the cycle of poverty and lead healthy lives. At Corus we believe that good only grows stronger and we reflect that belief in our workplace culture. We value every employee’s specialized area of expertise and nurture professional growth. We promote an engaging and supportive work environment, where employees feel enabled and driven to innovate, learn and collaborate. And because our subsidiaries often function as partners, our employees have the opportunity to work across our enterprise family. Corus is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in our worldwide workplace, and we believe that social justice and respect for the human dignity of every person are fundamental to all we do as an organization.
Further details about the organization can be found at: https://corusinternational.org

Job Summary:

Lutheran World Relief (LWR) seeks a qualified Deputy Chief of Party for the upcoming USDA-funded Food Security project. Through this project, and working through partners, it will assist the Togo Ministry of Agriculture to increase production of selected food/cash crops. The project support will increase efficiency and effectiveness of domestic resources at the Regional and other local levels and enhance a sustainable transition of USG funded food security program. This SOW will focus on the areas of agricultural production, policy and capacity building of regulatory structure. The project will more broadly increase food security in Togo through use of new technologies and management practices; reduce policy and regulation barriers; increase efficiency of agriculture sector resource allocations between the government departments and private sector.
The project will build on the work of Togo government’s Agricultural Development Strategy, and other pertaining ministry acts, policies, and regulations. This will include improving the ability of the project partners to plan, finance, and implement solutions to Togo’s agricultural
development challenges. It will support the implementation of the other USDA funded projects while enhancing USDA’s strategic objectives of increased productivity and expanded trade by supporting selected crops production in the targeted Regions in Togo.

This work will span four key components:

• Activity 1. Training: Improved agricultural production techniques, post-harvest processing, and cooperative capacity development.
• Activity 2. Market Access: Facilitate buyer-seller relationships.
• Activity 3. Capacity Building: Government institutions.
• Activity 4. Financial Services: Facilitate agricultural lending, microfinance, and in-kind matching grants.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

The DCOP will work almost exclusively on Activity 1 and significantly contribute to Activity 2. Specifically, the DCOP will be charged with:

• Working directly with relevant government institutions, helping advance thinking and implementation around the selected food crops.
• Building capacity of the relevant government institutions to be equipped to pursue their broader aims of developing schemes leading to food security in Togo.
• Providing subject matter expertise on global and regional best practice, specific research, developing regulations, and local contextualization, for developing and implementing agricultural policy related milestones and metrics.
• Helping strengthen relationships between the project partners, the private sector, the Ministry of Agriculture, and other key stakeholders.
• Representing the project to the highest levels of GoT.
• Delivering high quality analytical deliverables in a timely manner, including specific studies and analyses to support the development of agricultural priorities in Togo. These will be determined based on the needs of both the Ministry of Agriculture, key research, and academic institutions other, other stakeholders and in consultation with the project team.

To be successful in fulfilling these responsibilities, the DCOP will work in collaboration with several stakeholders.

The DCOP will have administrative support from both project staff in the field and Corus/LWR home offices and will communicate regularly with both to ensure timely submission of deliverables.

Required Qualifications:

The DCOP is expected to have the strategic vision, leadership qualities, depth and breadth of technical expertise and experience, professional reputation, management experience, interpersonal skills and written and oral presentation skills to fulfill the diverse technical and managerial requirements of key roles and responsibilities.

• Master’s Degree (minimum), or a Doctorate (desirable), in Agricultural value chains, climate smart agriculture, food security or another relevant field.
• 10+ (15+ desirable) years of relevant professional experience in managing progressively complex agricultural value chain programs. Experience working in Togo or the West Africa Region managing USG programs is highly desirable.
• Recognized expertise in agricultural research, with demonstrated success in strengthening national food crop development, and climate smart solutions.
• Proven track record of working effectively with government counterparts at various levels, ideally in Togo, West Africa or other USG funded food security or value chain projects.
• Substantial developing country context experience, combining food security systems strengthening and private sector financing. Previous experience building capacity and/or mentoring on these topics in a developing country context will be an advantage.
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills and ability to lead and motivate multidisciplinary, multicultural teams.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with USDA, ministry officials, and other development partners and a proven track record of interacting with other projects, high-level host country governments and international agencies.
• A proven, successful record of achieving results.
• Fluency in English and French is required.

Both Togolese nationals and international applicants encouraged to apply.

Other Duties:
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities for the position. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. All positions are required to perform any additional tasks assigned by the supervisor. Global positions that are bound by contracts will not be changed without notice and approval.

Working Conditions, Travel and Environment:

• The duties of the job require regular attendance of at least 5 days/week. The employee must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required. Corus has a hybrid work policy, allowing 50 percent of work to be done remotely.
• This position must be able to travel as required for standard domestic and international business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in different locations, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Zero Tolerance to Abuse

As a member of the Corus Family, each employee is expected to:

• Help to develop and maintain an environment that welcome and develop a diverse workforce.
• Foster a work environment where everyone feels valued and included.
• Support employees’ evaluation and promotion processes based on skills and performance.
• Promote a safe, secure, and respectful environment for all members of Corus family, stakeholders in general, and particularly for the communities we serve.
• Follow Corus Code of Conduct helping to prevent any type of abuse including workplace harassment, sexual abuse and exploitation, and trafficking in persons.
• Adhere to the Organizational Core Values of Inclusion, Disruptive, Interconnected andAgile.

Corus International prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability status, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by U.S. or International law.

To Apply, please click at the link below.

Deputy Chief of Party, USDA Food for Progress – Togo – Lomé – Corus International Jobs (applicantpro.com)