Manager, TASC Country Engagement in Togo

JOB TITLE:   Manager, TASC Country Engagement in Togo

TYPE OF CONTRACT: Consultancy

UNIT/DIVISION: PRORT

DUTY STATION:   Lomé, Togo

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT:

Agriculture and food systems are vital to food security, livelihoods, and development. The sector has proven to be more effective for poverty alleviation and job creation than others, and sustainable transformation of agriculture and food systems can underpin economic development for many African countries. One innovative approach to spur transformational change is in the use of a Nodal Agency—successively leveraged by many Asian countries and beyond.

The nodal agency model was successfully leveraged by many Asian countries in the 1960s to 1990s to drive transformational growth and rapidly expand their economies.  More recently, the nodal agency model was used successfully by the Government of Ethiopia when it established the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) in 2010.

The nodal agency model leverages key characteristics to achieve impact: 

• Operates from a “center of government” position with strong links to senior government officials including the Head of State.
• A high level of authority, independence, and responsibility that allow it to innovate, use evidence to inform decision making, work across public and private sectors, exert influence over actors, and ultimately manage and ensure effectiveness.
• High organizational performance that enables efficient systems to be implemented, focuses on results, and ensures learning takes place within and across institutions and programs to adapt to changing contexts and take advantage of opportunities.

TASC supports scoping, design, and development of nodal agencies when governments in Africa identify this model as an approach to transform their agriculture sector.  The number of governments engaging with TASC to work on the nodal agency approach is increasing:

1. Ethiopia: With over 10 years of continuous evolutions in implementing the nodal agency approach, the Agricultural Transformation Institute (formerly the Ethiopian ATA) serves as a key resource of learning for other countries.
2. Sudan: TASC has completed scoping and preliminary design activities of the Sudan Agriculture and Livestock Transformation Agency (ATA) and awaiting further engagement to support establishing and implementing the organization.
3. Togo: TASC has completed scoping and preliminary design of the Togo Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA); a Design Team will be assembled in Q1 2023 and undertake full design of the Togo ATA’s focus area in support of the ATA’s launch in January 2023.
4. Additional countries. TASC is in discussions with partners to potentially add several additional countries to its nodal agency portfolio in the next 18 months. 

POSITION DESCRIPTION: Manager, TASC Country Support for the Togo ATA, will represent TASC in Togo; support linkages between ongoing WFP activities and the ATA; and provide direct in-country support to the newly formed Togo ATA so that it can move from launch (Jan 2023) to operational and programmatic success. 

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES (not all-inclusive, within delegated authority):

• Provide direct support to Senior Leadership at the ATA on operations and programming
  • Advise on strategic and operational issues
  • Participate to technical and operational meetings
  • Contribute to the development of operations and programs including templates, internal manuals and processes, data collection and analysis, etc.
• Ensure TASC leadership is engaged as needed to support the Togo ATA Senior Leadership
  • Identify areas for TASC leadership to support the ATA and facilitate engagement
  • Provide updates on ATA challenges/opportunities
  • Work with TASC leadership to provide appropriate advice to the ATA Senior Leadership Team
• Support collaboration between the World Food Program and the ATA
  • Identify areas in the World Food Program that align with ATA priority areas
  • Develop the collaboration if the capacity and interest exists
• Support ATA concept note and proposal development
• Maintain and strengthen TASC relationships with Government institutions, multi/bilateral partners, and the private sector in Togo
• Other duties as needed

OUTCOMES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

1. The ATA is a high functioning organization that is central to agricultural development in Togo
2. The ATA has begun program operations
3. The ATA is engaging well with the Ministry of Agriculture and other government partners

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education: Bachelor’s degree (post-secondary) or higher in relevant field, e.g., agriculture, business, economics, public administration.

Experience: 7 or more years of experience in international development with a preference for starting and/or leading new projects in the agriculture sector; significant experience in managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders in West Africa.  or a similar organization.  Extensive experience managing multicultural teams, developing and maintaining strong partnerships, and enabling teams to learn and improve performance. A strong understanding of complex organizations and their operations; experience with a startup organization advantageous. 

Knowledge & Skills:

• Broad knowledge of agriculture and development practices with a particular focus on managing teams to develop and execute workplans
• Experience in a “start up” environment as part of a private sector company, government agency, or launch of a large development program
• Making decisions at senior levels
• Designing and managing agricultural projects
• Leading projects and teams in West Africa where contextual sensitivity and a dynamic environment underlie success
• Ability to design and facilitate meetings with multiple stakeholders to achieve results
• Ability to understand and align diverse views
• Track record of creating successful concept notes and proposals for development partners
• Ability to identify key documents, synthesis and create summary documents
• Ability to design a learning program that can be applied to teams and departments
• Ability to create presentations of complex material for audiences that are not familiar with the subject
• Ability to converse in French on agricultural topics

Language: Fluency in French and intermediate knowledge of English.

Closing Date : 19.12.2022

Togolese nationals are encouraged to apply