National Project Coordinator

The National Project Coordinator will coordinate and implement the STDF cashew food safety project in The Gambia, focusing on strengthening the national food safety system to enable export of cashew products. The role involves project coordination, monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and external relations to ensure successful project delivery and sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Advise the Project Manager in preparing detailed work plan and budget, design monitoring and evaluation tool for the project activities.
• Coordinate the execution of all activities leading to the successful implementation of the project in the country, including implementation, quality control and monitoring of all project activities in the country.
• Liaise with government counterparts, provide regular updates, financial reports and troubleshoot problems as required.
• Attend key meetings related to the project and act as the focal point of the project at national level.
• Organize and conduct briefings and debriefings on projects for the country, sub regional aspects, resources and development towards maximizing project performance level.
• Coordinate the preparation of ToRs for recruitment of national project consultants and contractors.
• Manage the coordination of work carried out by the local project team assigned to work on the project and/or to perform ad-hoc activities.
• Coordinate the preparation of technical requirements/technical specifications for procurement, including designing of technical requirements, elaboration of relevant questions from tenders, evaluations, etc. ensuring compliance with the relevant UNIDO administrative rules and policies.
• Take project initiatives to enhance the success of the programme including partnerships opportunities with private sectors.
• Maintain close links with other private sector development initiatives to ensure a consistent and integrated approach.
• Provide inputs for strategic advice in the elaboration of the operational planning and monitoring system for the project.
• Coordinate the monitoring and evaluation for the activities of the project using appropriate tools with output verifiable indicators.
• Execute the administrative and financial monitoring of the project and its activities.
• Coordinate the preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual reporting for the programme according to donor specifications and UNIDO requirements.
• Coordinate the preparation of a final report at the end of the contract comprising all relevant information compiled from the interim reports, conclusions and recommendations.
• Lead the coordination and preparation of steering committee meetings (SCs), including preparing ToRs.
• Maintain networks and partnerships with national institutions, private sector, UN project partners.
• Coordinate the dissemination of project knowledge to the wider public by proposing examples of best practices and success stories, as well as replicable strategies and approaches.
• Prepare a consolidated final report of the programme/project in close consultation with all the stakeholders and submit to UNIDO by the end of the programme/project.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in economics, sciences, agro-industries, environment, or other relevant discipline is required.
• Alternatively, a first level university degree or an advanced technical college diploma may be acceptable provided it is combined with additional 5 years of professional hand-on experience that is directly relevant to the expertise required by the specific assignment.
• At least five (5) years of professional experience in coordinating the implementation of development/technical cooperation programmes/projects at national level is required.
• Experience in evaluating the needs conditions and problems of the country or similar country in the region is required.
• Experience/knowledge of other development agencies donor communities, private sectors, government and relevant institutions in the country, or similar country in the region is desirable.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• Fluency and/or working knowledge of a local language is desirable.

Skills

• Project Coordination
• Program Implementation
• Development Project Management
• Needs Assessment
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Reporting
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Food Control Systems
• Export Development
• Donor Relations
• Government Liaison
• Private Sector Engagement
• Economic Analysis
• Agribusiness Development
• Supply Chain Management

Languages

English