Project Officer – MATE MASIE Project, Child Labor Ghana - Winrock International

Background: Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that works with people in the United States and around the world to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources. Winrock is implementing the four-year, Making Advances to Eliminate Child Labor in More Areas with Sustainable Integrated Efforts (MATE MASIE) project. The project is funded by the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) and will strengthen capacity, connections, and accountability across child labor enforcement and monitoring within cocoa cooperatives in Ghana and will build the capacity of cooperatives to support vulnerable member households directly and by linking their members with other service providers.

Summary of Assignment: Winrock International is recruiting for four Project Officer positions for the MATE MASIE project. Each Project Officer will be based in one of the four selected project districts in the Ashanti region of Ghana. The Project Officers will be responsible for assisting the Capacity Building Specialist (CBS) in capacity-strengthening activities including training of labor law enforcement agencies, social protection entities, and community stakeholders. Additionally, the Project Officers will support the CBS to execute tasks related to stakeholder engagement, provision of technical support/coaching to the project’s four grantee cooperatives, and coalition-building at the district level. The Project Officers will liaise directly with staff from cocoa cooperative grantees, law enforcement agencies, and social protection entities to improve coordination on enforcement of child labor laws and child labor monitoring systems at the district level.

This is a local/national position and is not eligible for international allowances.

Detailed Description of Duties

• Support CBS in training the four grantee cooperatives, labor law enforcement agencies, and social protection agencies including District Labor Officers, District Child Protection Committees (DCPCs), and Community Child Protection Committees (CCPCs).
• Support design of cooperatives’ capacity building initiatives and a menu of household support services.
• Monitor implementation of cooperatives’ capacity building initiatives and a menu of household support services including all remediation and referral activities.
• Monitor the implementation of district labor law enforcement agencies/social protection agencies’ district-specific action plans.
• Responsible for periodic administration of data collection tracking forms at the district level and for analysis of the data from these forms as assigned by CBS.
• Support all in-house or external project assessments/surveys/evaluations at the district level
• Support Grants Officer in training cooperatives on grant requirements, documentation, and implementation.
• Ensure proper set-up and roll-out of the pilot Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS) and farm to cooperative child labor traceability system with the respective cooperatives and scaling up of these systems
• Support CBS in the implementation of the project’s private sector engagement plan.
• Hold and report on regular project progress meetings with cooperatives
• Periodically document and share with CBS, Monitoring & Evaluation Officer, and Communications Specialist: best practices, success stories, and lessons learned.
• Keep and maintain an updated database of information relating to cooperatives, labor law enforcement agencies, and social protection agencies within your operational district.
• Serve as the liaison between cooperatives, district labor law enforcement officials, social protection agencies, and the MATE MASIE project office in Kumasi.
• Other duties as assigned

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Qualifications:

• University degree in development planning/studies, social sciences, management, or other relevant disciplines, with at least two years relevant work experience in a similar position
• Knowledge of the cocoa sector and experience in activities related to combatting child labor and forced labor
• Experience in working on cocoa supply-chain based CLMRS and traceability systems
• Experience in partnership development, specifically working with the District Assemblies, Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs), confectionaries, DCPCs/CCPCs, and cocoa cooperatives/societies/associations.
• Ability to work autonomously in remote environments and keep a high level of motivation
• Excellent organizational and planning skills
• Strong written and communications skills
• Fluency in English and Twi
• Ability to rapidly analyze and integrate diverse information from varied sources.
• A good team player and ability to contribute to a cooperative work environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
• Driver’s license for a motorbike preferred

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply