Job Description
CONSULTANT,
AGRICULTURAL VALUE CHAINS SPECIALIST & PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT – CONAKRY, GUINEA
The
Organization
The Alliance of Bioversity
International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
deliver research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and
sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions
address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss,
and environmental degradation.
The Alliance works with local,
national, and multinational partners across Latin America and the Caribbean,
Asia, and Africa, and with the public and private sectors. The Alliance is part
of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to
reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural
resources and ecosystem services.
With novel partnerships, the
Alliance generates evidence and mainstreams innovations to transform food
systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and
nourish people in a climate crisis.
The Alliance of Bioversity
International and CIAT is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We
believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence,
and is critical for our mission. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an
inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority. We
encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes,
national or regional origins, ages, disability statuses, sexual orientations,
marital status, and gender identities. Female candidates are strongly
encouraged to apply.
The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a
global research partnership for a food-secure future. https://alliancebioversityciat.org/www.cgiar.org
About the position
Based in Conakry, the Consultant will provide
technical expertise, project development, and coordination support for
agricultural and rural development initiatives in Guinea and the broader West
Africa region. With a primary focus on the cocoa and coffee value chains, the
assignment requires strong familiarity with Guinean institutions, local
agricultural policy and dynamics, and the international development cooperation
framework.
The
consultant will also be supporting the Cacao Connect Initiative - a flagship,
multi-country partnership led by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
International Cooperation (MAECI), designed to foster dialogue and collaboration among the main actors in
the value chain, as a possible contribution to strengthening partnerships and
synergies in support of more sustainable, resilient and inclusive development
of the sector.
In
addition to driving the Cacao Connect agenda locally, the Consultant will
support broader agricultural value chain activities (including cocoa and
coffee), assist in monitoring field activities, and support technical
coordination with key partners, including the Embassy of Italy in Conakry,
Guinean national authorities, and international development cooperation
agencies.
The
Consultant will operate under the direct contractual and functional
responsibility of the Alliance, while maintaining a close collaborative
relationship with AICS and the Embassy of Italy in Conakry for
technical-institutional coordination of mutual interests.
Building on proven experience in managing
large-scale cocoa sustainability programs and origin-country partnerships, the
role demands strong technical capabilities, diplomacy, and the operational
flexibility required to operate effectively across West Africa.
Responsibilities
Key responsibilities include:
1. Agricultural Value Chain
Analysis and Technical Support: Provide technical expertise on agricultural and
agri-food value chains in Guinea and West Africa, with particular emphasis on
cocoa and coffee, including production systems, farmer organizations,
post-harvest management, processing, market access, sustainability,
traceability and value chain development. This shall explicitly encompass in-depth technical and territorial
analyses of the cocoa value chain, focusing on climate-resilient agroforestry
production systems, product quality enhancement, post-harvest handling, supply
chain transparency, traceability mechanisms, and compliance requirements under
the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
2. Institutional Coordination
& Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the main in-country focal point for the Cacao Connect Initiative. Facilitate coordination and dialogue
with relevant Guinean ministries and public institutions, development
cooperation agencies, the Embassy of Italy in Conakry, international
organizations, research institutions, private-sector actors, farmer organizations
and other local stakeholders. Furthermore, the role entails designing
and continuously updating a comprehensive mapping and structured coordination
of key institutional, technical, scientific, and private-sector stakeholders
across the value chain, leveraging public-private partnerships.Support the organization and follow-up
of technical meetings, missions, consultations, and institutional engagements.
3. Support to Project Monitoring
and Field Activities: Support the monitoring of ongoing activities and
projects in Guinea, including regular field visits to production areas and
project sites. This includes
delivering comprehensive operational and logistical support for the
preparation, execution, and systematic follow-up of institutional missions,
high-level technical meetings, field visits, and participatory stakeholder
consultations in-country, ensuring rigorous action-tracking.Identify priorities,
complementarities, potential synergies, implementation challenges, and
opportunities for collaboration. Engage directly with farmers, cooperatives,
producer organizations, local authorities, implementing partners and other
beneficiaries to assess implementation progress, identify operational
constraints and collect information required for technical and institutional
reporting.
4. Technical Documentation,
Reporting and Project Development: Prepare and contribute to
technical notes, project briefs, mission reports, value chain assessments,
monitoring reports, concept notes, presentations, and other documentation
required to support programme implementation and institutional decision-making. Furthermore, the Consultant will
ensure strategic coherence, programmatic synergy, and operational
complementarity among the Cacao Connect Initiative, the new Italian bilateral
intervention, and broader upcoming European programming in the cocoa and coffee
sectors. Contribute to the
design, coordination and drafting of new project proposals, including technical
activities, implementation arrangements, stakeholder roles, expected results,
and monitoring frameworks.
5. Pipeline Development and
Identification of New Opportunities: Identify and monitor emerging
priorities, funding opportunities and potential new initiatives in the
agricultural sector in Guinea and West Africa. Support the development of a
pipeline of projects and partnerships, ensuring alignment with national priorities,
development cooperation strategies and existing programmes, and contribute to
the identification of potential implementing and technical partners.
Key deliverables
A
country-level strategic document outlining Guinea’s priorities, institutional
entry points, ongoing initiatives, gaps, risks, quick wins, and potential
opportunities for Cacao Connect engagement. The Country Strategy should be
aligned with the Cacao Connect Strategy, Theory of Change, and relevant
national priorities.Stakeholder
map: mapping of relevant institutions, partners, private-sector actors, civil
society, donors and technical actors.Country
Action Tracker (Living Document): A regularly updated log tracking agreed
action points, meetings, pending deliverables, responsible focal points,
deadlines, and risk/issue escalations to the Core Team, Embassy, MAECI, or
Steering Committee.Regular
strategic inputs and briefings on institutional, political, and stakeholder
dynamics.Support
in organizing workshops and consultations in Country (as needed)Attend
and represent as needed institutional engagements, engagement activities,
including meeting summaries and action points.
Requirements
Advanced university degree in
Political Science, International Relations, Development Studies, Economics,
Agriculture, or related fields.Minimum of 4 years of professional
experience in stakeholder engagement, government relations, strategic advisory,
or development programs.Proven experience working in complex
institutional environments, preferably in West Africa or Guinea.Strong understanding of political
economy dynamics, public sector engagement, and development cooperation
frameworks.Experience working on agricultural
value chains and sustainability-related initiatives, with knowledge of the
cocoa sector considered a strong asset.Experience in coordination roles or
multi-country / multi-stakeholder platforms is considered an asset.Strong analytical and strategic
thinking skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information into clear
recommendations.Excellent drafting and communication
skills in English and French (both written and spoken). Knowledge of additional
languages is an asset.Strong organizational skills and
ability to manage multiple priorities independently in a fast-paced
environment.Willingness and availability to
travel internationally as required.
Terms of employment
This is a remote consultancy position for an initial
duration of 12 months, renewable subject to satisfactory performance, continued
need, and availability of funds. Compensation will be commensurate with
experience and aligned with institutional standards.
Applications
Applicants are
invited to visit https://alliancebioversityciat.org/careers to get full
details of the position and to submit their applications.
Applications closing
date: 1st October 2026
Please
note that email applications will not be considered.
Only
short-listed candidates will be contacted.