CAADP Senior Advisor

The mandate of the AUC Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (DARBE) is to initiate, develop and promote continental policies, frameworks, and programs to contribute to agricultural transformation, rural development, blue economy and sustainable environment in line with Agenda 2063.

The Department has two Directorates: (i) Agriculture and Rural Development Directorate with two Divisions namely: Agriculture and Food Security Division and Rural Development Division; and (ii) Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Directorate also with two Divisions. The Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development wants to recruit a CAADP Senior Advisor to strengthen the Department’s coordination of CAADP processes at the continental, regional, and national levels through effective advocacy and communications. The Senior Advisor will also lead the development of a state-of-the-art advocacy and communications strategy to help translate the CAADP Biennial Review—a mutual accountability process to track implementation progress on the Malabo Declaration commitments into concrete impact to drive agricultural transformation on the continent.

Main Responsibilities

The CAADP Senior Advisor will:

• Design and implement results-oriented advocacy and communications strategies to advance the CAADP/Malabo agenda, in partnership with the CAADP Non-State Actor Coalition, government agencies and development partners.

• Lead coordination of all CAADP related processes and activities within DARBE including the Biennial Review process, and a develop workplan to domesticate the Malabo Declaration commitments at regional and national levels.

• Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive Biennial Review communications, outreach, and advocacy plan and toolkit for strategic multi-stakeholder engagement with clear deliverables and timelines.
• Cultivate and maintain strong working relationships with governments, academia, civil society and other African institutions, prepare performance related status reports on African governments’ implementation of National Agricultural Investment Plans.
• Convene and facilitate high-level political engagements and dialogues within AU Member States—at continental level, among Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and at national level, to invigorate and ensure buy-in on the CAADP agenda across the continent.
• Support the implementation of strategic initiatives including the CAADP Partnership Platform, the CAADP Business Meeting, the Permanent Secretaries retreat and the Biennial Review meetings.
• Support national governments and Regional Economic Communities to develop and implement National Agricultural Investment Plans and Regional Agricultural Investment Plans, respectively, that are Malabo-compliant to achieve specific Biennial Review outcomes.
• Galvanize CAADP stakeholders at the country, regional, and continental levels to amplify the Biennial Review report and scorecard in order to i) facilitate dialogue on Biennial Review data and findings and ii) trigger policy and investment actions required to accelerate progress toward achieving Malabo goals.
• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with international Development Partners, Donor Agencies at both bilateral and multi-lateral levels as well as private sector investment institutions to ensure adequate technical and financial resources are mobilised for implementation of country investment plans.

• Coordinate development of key strategy documents to guide agriculture sector development programmes on the continent.
• Coordinate Regional Capacity Building to support countries review of their national agriculture sector performance, develop investment plans and programmes and report regularly on progress made in implementation to AU policy organs.
• Prepare and manage programme budgets and work plans, as well as prepare and disseminate implementation reports to development partners.

Requirements:

• An advanced degree (MSc or PhD) in agricultural sciences, development studies, international relations, with a strong focus on gender integration in policy and programs at country, regional, and continental levels.
• Ability to build partnerships and manage complex multi-stakeholder advocacy and communications processes to translate complex policy commitments into action.
• Proven record of program management acquired through a minimum of 7 years of demonstrated capacity to lead in an international, multidisciplinary, and cross-cultural environment
• Conversant with CAADP framework and linkages with the Regional Economic Communities and national processes.
• Experience in results-based management and donor procedures with a strong focus on gender integration in policy and programming.
• Management experience and excellent advocacy, communications and interpersonal skills.
• Sound planning, coordination and organizational skills
• Ability to diplomatically negotiate; systems thinker with a history of systems influencing governments, civil society, donors, and other influencers—ideally working across several ministries, beyond agriculture.
• Ability to delegate the appropriate responsibility, accountability, and decision-making authority with regard to performance management and professional development
• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Reporting

• The CAADP Senior Advisor shall report to the Head of Agriculture and Food Security Division.

Duration

• The initial appointment shall be for two years, renewable based on satisfactory performance and availability of funds.