Fish farming and agricultural development project manager M/F

The European Institute for Cooperation and Development (IECD) is an international solidarity organization created in 1988 which implements socio-economic development projects in partnership with local institutions.

Present in sub-Saharan Africa since 1992, IECD develops innovative projects supporting farmers and to agri-food entrepreneurs, particularly in Cameroon and Ivory Coast.

In collaboration with the COFAD expert firm, IECD carried out a diagnosis of the fish farming sector in the Kouilou region – Republic of Congo (around Pointe Noire). Given the strong development potential identified in this region, a support and training project for existing fish farmers, using a research-action approach, was launched in April 2023 for a period of 3 years. The objectives of the project are to:
1/co-build with breeders sustainable breeding models and practices (technically and economically) in the context of Congo
2/train and support stakeholders in the sector to increase the level of skills,
3/increase the production of freshwater fish on the local market,
4/consolidate and increase jobs and income for actors in the value chain.

To contribute to the management of the project in partnership with COFAD, we are currently looking for a person passionate about agricultural development, with an interest in fish farming, and willing to participate in a project with strong social value to join our teams in Congo.

• Support the planning and implementation of the action plan closely with the COFAD mission head (international expert) and the IECD Agricultural Development program;
• Adapt monitoring, support and training tools to the IECD methodology drawing on COFAD expertise
• Support operational teams in the implementation of activities with COFAD and other partners and supervise logistics
• Evaluate and measure the impact of the actions implemented based on field feedback carried out by the COFAD-IECD team;
• Ensure good consistency between the actions deployed and the targeted impact, in particular the transfer of skills to fish farmers and actors in the value chain;
• Ensure capitalization on the project: creation of educational tools for the transfer of technical skills to fish farmers with the support of COFAD (practical sheets, training booklets for trainers and beneficiaries, etc.) reusable by project stakeholders or for project duplication
• Coordinate regularly with the IECD Agricultural Development program based in Paris for the monitoring and implementation of activities: advice, capitalization and exchange of good practices in other countries of intervention

2/ Support the operational team in managing relationships with different partners

• Guarantee good coordination and relationships with the partners involved:
  – COFAD and Congo Entreprises Développement which provide staff to the project,
  – Fish farmers involved in the project, in particular the pilot farms (partnership agreement)
  – Other actors in the value chain involved (food producers, technicians, etc.)
• Organize and lead the quarterly steering committee with the lessor and maintain a relationship of trust with the lessor

3/Ensure management financial and administrative, accountability to the lessor and project communication

• Manage the project budget: construction of the annual budget and quarterly update, monitoring and validation of expenses, monitoring of collections;
• Manage project-related purchases with the support of support services;
• Ensure reporting in accordance with the financing agreement (semi-annual report, impact assessment, field visits, etc.)
• Promote visibility and communication to guarantee a good understanding of the project among local stakeholders, institutions and allow the dissemination of skills transfer tools/improvement of breeding practices

4/Ensure monitoring and contribute to the development of new agricultural projects in Congo 

Education: BAC+5 agricultural engineer type

Experience : Minimum 2 years experience in managing agricultural development projects. Experience in breeding and expatriation in a developing country would be a plus.

Skills:

• Project management
• Management of partnership relations, consortium work
• Strong sensitivity to breeding techniques, strong interest in fish farming
• Budget monitoring
• Good writing level in French
• Mastery of the pack Office

Expected qualities:

• Excellent interpersonal relations, diplomacy
• Representation capabilities vis-à-vis various partners
• Organizational skills
• Rigor
• Autonomy, capacity for initiative
• Pragmatism, perseverance
• Excellent ability to adapt to local culture and realities on the ground
• Adherence to the values ​​of the IECD: a look at the person, a sense of service, a commitment

Conditions 

• Status : Agreement under French law – Tripartite International Solidarity Volunteering Agreement (VSI) between the European Raid Guild, the collaborator and the IECD
• Having as reference: Congo Delegate, based in Pointe-Noire
• Support for field teams:
  – COFAD field expert
  – IECD technical assistant trainer
  – Entrepreneurship trainers IECD-Congo Business Development
• Close collaboration with:
  – The COFAD mission head: part-time international expert on the project
  – Coordination at the headquarters of the Entrepreneurship division and more particularly with the Agricultural Development Program Manager
  – The IECD Congo and Congo Business Development field team
  – The support services of the IECD Congo delegation
• Dates and duration of the VSI mission
  – Start ideally March 2024
  – 2-year VSI mission
• Location : Position based in Pointe-Noire, with frequent field trips to fish farms in the Kouilou region and occasional geographic mobility to other sub-Saharan African countries.