The Programme Officer supports the International Cocoa Initiative [ICI] Programme Team in the development and implementation of the ICI programme, in pursuit of ICI’s strategy and objectives, as agreed by the ICI Board.

Under the supervision of the Head of Programmes, the Programme Officer contributes to the implementation of ICI’s 2021 – 2026 Strategy, supports the management of ICI’s project portfolio, supports the contribution of ICI’s country teams in his/her areas of responsibilities, analyses data coming from the different projects and prepares reports accordingly.

Main tasks and responsibilities

Project Management and Learning

• Provide support to the Head of Programmes and Programmes team in the day-to-day administration of projects and grants.
• Support the country teams in the management and monitoring of relevant projects and contracts at all stages, including through regular field visits, ensuring the timely delivery of expected outputs, the sound financial management of the funds and the preparation of reports.
• Contribute to responses to relevant calls for proposals and requests for applications as well as unsolicited proposals by preparing budgets and writing narratives.
• Develop engaging graphics, presentations and reports that clearly communicate project outcomes and contribute to a better understanding of child labour and forced labour in cocoa.

Financial management

• For any project(s) for which he/she is given budget-holder responsibility, ensure the management of relevant contracts or activities, with the support of the finance team, and under the supervision of the Head of Programmes, ensuring that project funds are adequately monitored, reported and liquidated.
• Ensure that financial transactions are within budget, that expenditure is incurred in accordance with ICI’s financial procedures, and that all transactions are coded correctly.
• As appropriate, only approve transactions in accordance with his/her delegated financial authority.

Training and Capacity Building

• In collaboration with the wider programme team, support the development and revision of relevant processes and tools, such as awareness-raising and training modules, manuals, guidelines, and standard operating procedures, to build capacities of ICI teams and stakeholders (farmers, coops, suppliers, companies, national services, etc.).
• Initiate and facilitate collaboration within and between national country teams ensuring that project processes and approaches are identified and properly documented to learn lessons and identify good practices. Ensure that these outcomes feed ICI’s capacity building and learning tools.
• Identify, document and disseminate specific experiences, tools or approaches, from within and outside the cocoa sector, that contribute to good practice and offer essential learning opportunities in his/her thematic area.
• Support the design and delivery of training and capacity-building interventions to roll-out above-mentioned guidelines in country.

Communications/Fundraising

• Support ICI’s broader communications and fundraising efforts, particularly by documenting project outcomes and ensuring that operational and programmatic knowledge is available and presented in digestible ways for external audiences.
• Support ICI’s stakeholder engagement, including by assisting in the organization of board meetings and external stakeholder meetings.

Experience and skills

Education and work experience

Essential

• A master’s degree, or equivalent, in International Development, Social Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Corporate Social Responsibility, Business Sustainability, Business and Human Rights or similar.
• At least three years’ relevant work experience in the field of CSR, sustainability, business and human rights, humanitarian response or international development.
• First-hand field experience in a developing country, preferably in Sub-Saharan Africa, linked to an agricultural value-chain, a commodity supply-chain, sustainable livelihoods or child rights and child protection.
• Experience in Project Management and/or Capacity Building.

 Languages

• Fluency in either English or French, with a strong working knowledge of the other.

Skills

• Advanced written and spoken communication skills.
• Understanding of child labour, children’s rights, forced labour and agricultural livelihoods in low-income countries.
• Ability to work pro-actively, flexibly and independently.
• Ability to work in an international environment and readiness to travel.
• Excellent interpersonal and team-playing skills.
• Mastery of the Microsoft Office software package, especially Excel and Power Point.

ICI Core Values

All ICI staff members are expected to adhere, respect and always promote at any time ICI Core Values: HUMANITY, INTEGRITY, NEUTRALITY, PARTNERSHIP, INNOVATION. Please refer to the ICI website for more details (https://www.cocoainitiative.org/about-us/our-organisation/our-values)

Child safeguarding

ICI has zero-tolerance for all forms of child neglect, abuse (sexual, physical, emotional, and psychological) and exploitation (sexual and commercial). ICI commits to put the best interest of the child first, and at the centre of its work, irrespective of a child’s ability, ethnicity, faith, gender, sexuality, and culture. By applying at ICI, you automatically agree to the above term and uphold the principles described herein.

Equal opportunity and non-discrimination

ICI is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunities and non-discrimination for all employees and employment applicants and to providing employees with a fair work environment free of discrimination.

Disclaimer

ICI and preferred recruitment partners will NEVER ask candidates for fees for any purpose during the recruitment process. No recruitment fee, no hiring fee, no security deposit, no software or equipment charges are charged to candidates applying to ICI. 

APPLICATION

Only candidates authorized to work in Switzerland should apply.

Please send applications in English including a cover letter and your CV to hr@cocoainitiative.org

Please apply using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document. Please also include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations.

Closing date for applications: 18th of February 2024

By submitting your application, you consent to us processing your data for the purpose of evaluating your application for this job position. We will keep your application data confidential and only use it for recruitment purposes. Once the job position is closed, your application will be deleted.

Please note that only those candidates who match the above requirements and who have been selected for interview will be contacted