Community Development Manager

About the Role

The person will be responsible for implementing community-based and child-centered approaches in Nyonkopa cocoa sourcing areas in Ghana. The person will be responsible for developing interventions, overseeing implementation, and monitoring while ensuring quality program outcomes. She/he ensures integration as well as smooth teamwork within and across other county programs at the Program Area level. She/he develops a strategic plan to meet community needs over time by identifying resources, stakeholders, and potential funding sources. Key components of the position also include community advocacy and networking, strategic thematic area planning, developing, and strengthening partnerships, and mainstreaming of child-centered community development.

Key Responsibilities

Within the limits of delegated authority, the Manager will be responsible for performing the following duties:

1. Design, Management of Sustainability Programs:

• Responsible for the delivery of a range of quality sustainability projects, aiming at improving Cocoa farmer’s well-being, strengthening local and/or national human rights and child rights protection systems as well as increasing communities’ knowledge in child protection, and children’s rights in line with National Policy.

• Ensure the alignment of the implementation of community development programs in Ghana with the overall strategy of Barry Callebaut, quality implementation of the risk-based model, or any new methodologies.

• With the Human Rights Lead Africa, formulate recommendations and develop strategies to better promote and protect human rights including Child rights, and women’s rights, whilst strengthening local human rights structures and mainstreaming child-centered approaches in all BC programs/interventions in the selected communities

• Contribute to the integration of gender perspectives/considerations and specific women/girls' rights issues in all activities, programs, and strategies;

• Assist in the development, coordination, and implementation of the human rights work plan; evaluates or assist in the valuation of its progress and suggest as needed

• Facilitate the communities to develop their Community Action Plans (CAP) which shall become a framework for implementing sustainable community development and child well-being activities.

• Develop and improve the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of all the activities related to community development management.

• Assist in the creation and implementation of policies and procedures/protocols to ensure human rights are respected in our supply chains and beyond

 2. Stakeholder Management

• Establish and maintain contact with local government authorities, civil society, UN Agencies, private sector, and other relevant partners to promote and advance human rights including tackling the roots of child labor in the selected area and advising on strategic and policy issues to better protect and promote human rights;

• Ensure good collaboration with other internal departments (Sustainability operations, Finance, reporting, M&E, procurement, internal audit etc.)

• In collaboration with the finance team, develop the annual operating budget and monitor it.

• Participate in internal and external meetings related to human rights including child labor, and forced labor.

• Identify opportunities for forming strategic partnerships with other organizations to support the implementation of community action plans that bring about more effective and efficient delivery of community programs, and eliminate any unnecessary duplication of effort

• Coordinating and lobbying to create public policy that meets community needs

3. Operation & Implementation of activities

• Follow up with the team of consultants working on community development projects according to annual objectives;

• Design an annual operational plan taking the sustainability program commitments and operational constraints;

• Ensure the quality of the implementation of activities (such as CLMRS, Income generating activities for women, and other activities in line with the BC theory of change).

• Set up a due diligence system in farmer groups to ensure compliance with international standards, and cocoa horizons to achieve forever chocolate objective

• Train and support field staff (i.e. Sector Managers, Technical Officers, and Coaches) BC coaches and manages their performance and assist in the training needs assessment ensuring proper execution of the community development interventions.

• Provide technical direction on community development, child protection, and Human rights.

4. Monitoring & Evaluation

• In collaboration with the M&E team, define program evaluation and reporting indicators;

• Propose or improve the reporting frameworks

• Report periodically to the country Sustainability manager on the progress, of the activities carried out;

• Provide technical backstopping for the sustainability operations team on the day-to-day operations of the human rights / Child labor pillar.

• Develop and ensure that all community development projects/activities are completed on time and within budget.

• Perform other related duties or missions within or outside the department as required

About You

• A degree in Human Rights Law, Political Science, International Relations, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Public Administration, Community Psychology, or a related area. A Master’s Degree will be an added advantage.

• Knowledge of and exposure to a range of human rights and community development issues in the cocoa-growing communities in Ghana including approaches and techniques to address sensitive and complex, human rights problems in their political, ethnic, racial, gender, and socio-economic dimensions.

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in human rights/ child protection, community development, or a closely related field, of which at least half in the area of child rights and gender are required.

• Have a good understanding of Ghana’s cocoa sector and the needs of cocoa communities. Experience in cocoa or other tropical commodities is a plus

• Ability to manage local authorities, community leaders, partners, donors and other private company as a representative

• Evaluate the N-1 performance of team members against clear targets and define a clear career path

• Strong listening and analytical skills with the ability to multitask

• Proficiency in MS Office applications – Word, Power Point and Excel to a competent standard.

• Willing to travel frequently up-country, a valid driver’s license with driving experience in the rural area