CAADP Program Manager

About Policy LINK

The seven-year (2019 – 2026) Feed the Future Policy LINK project strengthens the capacity of local actors and institutions to lead and manage the agricultural transformation process and contribute effectively and collectively to improved, broad-based food security policy outcomes.

Specifically, the program aims to strengthen food security policy systems by investing in and reinforcing productive human and social capital and developing strategic partnerships that help bring these innovations and capacity investments to scale in order to achieve a critical mass of local actors with the ability and opportunity to effect positive policy change through collective action.

Policy LINK’s general approach is grounded in facilitative leadership and collaborative governance, which emphasize engaging stakeholders from civil society and public and private sectors in consensus-oriented decision making, collaborative problem solving, and adaptive learning.

Policy LINK has held a partnership with AU for over 10 years to provide backbone support for Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) in the area of strategy, learning and coordination for country and regional implementation processes. CAADP is an AU-led policy framework to strengthen the agriculture sector and improve food security across Africa. Some of Policy LINK’s specific activities in the coming years include providing technical, facilitation, coordination, and logistical support to implement the CAADP Business Plan, co-develop a “Post-Malabo Agenda” with key AU institutions, and to enhance stakeholder engagement and inclusivity in CAADP Processes.

Position Background

CAADP is the premier initiative/framework that guides continental efforts to achieve agricultural transformation, wealth creation, food security and nutrition, economic growth, and prosperity for all. The African Union Commission (AUC) has various processes, platforms and structures to support the design, implementation and follow up of CAADP goals, but also to facilitate co-creation, stakeholder dialogue, reflection and input at continental, regional, and country levels.

CAADP activities are designed and implemented in a collaborative environment with the AUC and other key AU institutions. This unique partnership also requires that Policy LINK be responsive and adaptive based on emerging lessons, relationships, and the expertise and resources from different actors. Policy LINK strives to support processes considered strategic and that add value to the CAADP process, based on AU’s needs, with an emphasis on building social capital of the actors engaged in the systems and processes – including strengthening stakeholder engagement, partnerships, learning and accountability amongst stakeholders.

Specifically, Policy LINK provides technical, facilitation, coordination and relevant logistical support to various CAADP activities towards the successful realization of the overall Agenda. This includes:

• Design and facilitation of CAADP processes, events, platforms to achieve broader CAADP goals
• Strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration, dialogue, learning and accountability platforms and strategic partnership for effective planning, consensus-building, joint action
• Strengthening communication around CAADP to enhance advocacy, visibility, political will, partnerships, resources mobilization, knowledge management and learning around CAADP
• Facilitating the use of evidence to inform dialogue, decision-making and learning
• Strengthening inclusivity of specific constituencies in the CAADP process, especially the private sector and those at the periphery.

CAADP Program Manager will provide program management and coordination support to CAADP activities as outlined in this scope of work.

Position Objective

The CAADP Program Manager will provide program management and coordination support to the overall CAADP Program. Working closely with CAADP Program Lead and specific activities team leads, the Program Manager will coordinate, facilitate and support the design, implementation, documentation, communication, follow up and reporting for CAADP activities and teams, ensuring quality and timely delivery of the project deliverables and outcomes to achieve the CAADP Agenda. This will include the development of the scope and work plan, supporting activity teams, documenting process, actions and lessons, follow up, and ensuring compliance and quality assurance.

The Manager is expected to support stakeholder engagement and to develop strong partnership (working relationships) with AU CAADP team, Technical Partners, Technical Working Groups, organizing teams and platforms for effective planning, co-creation, coordination, execution and reporting of CAADP activities. S/he will facilitate team meetings, coordinate and support the development materials and tools to support CAADP activities, including communication tools and materials and reports. The Manager will support the generation of relevant reports for Policy LINK reporting purposes. S/he will coordinate and, where necessary, supervise the required consultants and individuals for successful delivery of planned activities.

The Program Manager will continually reinforce Policy LINK’s agreed-upon core purpose and principles, and ensure all decision-making is rooted in the purpose and principles. S/he will contribute to a learning environment in which personal and team growth is supported, with a shared understanding that the “team” always comes before the “individual.”

Roles and Responsibilities

The scope of program support manager’s work includes program design and coordination, coordination of activity teams, documentation and reporting, events coordination and management, and stakeholder / external communication and management. In coordination with CAADP Program Lead and with AU CAADP Team the Program Manager will oversee and coordinate CAADP activities and events. Specific roles are described below.

Program Coordination and Management

• Support the development of concept notes, activity descriptions, work plans, activity budgets, and implementation / task trackers to facilitate project management. This should reflect the joint priorities and work plan agreed with AU CAADP Team.
• Under the guidance of CAADP Program Lead, coordinate regular program and team meetings and debriefs to set targets, design activities, review progress, and draw lessons for successful implementation of program activities.
• In collaboration with the LINK MEL team, support effective documentation of CAADP processes, activities, and lessons to support overall learning and reporting.
• Manage short-term consultants and vendors hired by Policy LINK to provide specific services to CAADP activities, including supporting recruitment, orientation and supervision
• Support AU and Technical partners to co-create and execute specific activities and events, as required by the work plan or as needed
• Ensure that all the necessary documents and reports are uploaded and maintained in SharePoint, USAID shared folders and TAMIS as part of LINK closedown guidance.

Event, Processes and Platform Management

• Serve as activity team lead and/or provide support to activity team leads in overall coordination, organization and support for the design, preparation and facilitation of CAADP trainings, meetings, workshops, seminars, conferences and events, and technical working groups (TWGs) supported by Policy LINK to ensure synergy and successful delivery.
• Support the design and development of the content, tools, materials and report for planned CAADP events and meetings
• Document, compile and share events, meetings and process related reports including analysis report, workshop reports or technical reports as appropriate
• Coordinate with communications team provide communication support to CAADP activities; develop and sharing communication products – highlights, slide decks, policy briefs, press releases, and reports for meetings and events, as needed
• Coordinate and support procurement and logistics for the planned CAADP events including working with operations to obtain venue, equipment, materials, travels and managing RSVPs; reconnaissance visits, on-site support.

Activity Teams Coordination

• Support CAADP Program Lead to coordinate Policy LINK activity teams to ensure team effectiveness and proper coordination across teams.
• Monitor the status of CAADP activities and work plan progress, providing ongoing feedback to the CAADP Program Lead, including issues that require urgent attention.
• Ensure that activity team minutes, reports, resolutions and action plans are compiled, shared internally and externally, and that follow-up actions are developed.

Stakeholder Coordination and Liaison

• Support and maintain good communication and relationships with AU counterparts and other technical partners, consultants and stakeholders
• Represent LINK in CAADP meetings and processes as required and appropriate
• Contribute to Policy LINK activities designed to enhance the engagement of various CAADP constituencies, including youth, women, parliamentarians, media and private sector representatives, and civil society actors.
• Contribute to and/or serve as activity lead on Policy LINK activities designed to organize, coordinate and support various CAADP partners, TWG and organizing teams to collaboratively design and undertake various CAADP activities

Documentation, Data and Information Management

• Ensure proper documentation of program activities and implementation records, including activity descriptions, work plans, tools, minutes and conference reports.
• Manage CAADP activity folders and files on Sharepoint, based on the approved folder structure, including conducting regular updates and quality assurance.
• Supporting project-wide Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) and reporting on CAADP activities. This includes preparation or review of CAADP activity documents and reports (e.g., workshop reports) to ensure quality and conformity with agreed templates and outline; compilations and sharing of CAADP Program Bi-weekly update with USAID/RFS, and the development of bi-annual reports.
• Support for Policy LINK Learning agenda – to ensure CAADP related learning products are produced and disseminated.

Provide support to other buy-ins and Policy LINK activities as demand and availability allow.

Reporting

The CAADP Program Manager will report to Policy LINK CAADP Program Lead.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The CAADP program Manager may directly supervise short-term personnel hire to support various CAADP activities including short-term consultants and vendors for various services.

Qualifications

• A degree in project management, business management, agriculture, economics, development studies, public policy, or similar and relevant areas.
• Strong competencies in program management and process facilitation within an international development context.
• Experience in supporting and implementing policy development programs.
• Demonstrable knowledge of regional and continental agriculture, trade, and climate change policy processes or initiatives including CAADP and AfCFTA will be helpful.
• Experience working with USAID-funded programs, including a demonstrated understanding of USAID technical priorities and reporting requirements will be an advantage.
• Strong communication, interpersonal and stakeholder relationship management skills, including ability to engage with government counterparts, national and regional organizations, private sector, and other donor organizations and development agencies.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with demonstrated experience in working with diverse stakeholders and senior leadership at institutional, national, and continental level.
• Strong and demonstrated expertise in policy facilitation, collaborative governance and institutional strengthening methodologies and tools and processes.
• Strong project management skills and demonstrated experience in working in complex programs including organizational and coordination skills, strong task management andability to juggle multiple priorities and to switch gears and reprioritize the workload as necessary.
• Ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary activity teams and to provide an overall positive and friendly atmosphere internally and externally – ability to work with various stakeholders including technical partners, governments, research institutions, CSO and private sector.
• Ability to appreciate evidence and its use to inform to policy process with practical experience in promoting the use of data or evidence in decision making, dialogue or advocacy processes.
• Good computer skills – understanding of SharePoint, teams, outlook, word, excel.