The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is a public international organization (PIO) governed by an international board of directors with representation from developed and developing nations. The non-profit center focuses on increasing and sustaining food and agricultural productivity in developing countries through the development and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technology and agribusiness expertise.

Since 2018, IFDC is implementing the U.S. Agency for International Development West Africa Mission’s (USAID/WA) Feed the Future Enhancing Growth through Regional Agricultural Input Systems (EnGRAIS) program, in partnership with ECOWAS, UEMOA, CILSS, CORAF, and WAFA, inter alia.

USAID/WA is considering a 3-year cost and time extension of the EnGRAIS project, with a focus on four workstreams: (workstream 1) Boosting the private sector-led supply of quality fertilizer and seed inputs through public-private partnerships (PPPs); (workstream 2) Increasing nutrient use efficiency through scaling up of dissemination and adoption of innovative and efficient agricultural input packages (AIPs) under the framework of the ECOWAS Regional Agricultural Input Strategy; (workstream 3) improving and harmonizing fertilizer policy and regulatory systems across West Africa in accordance with ECOWAS guidance, and (workstream 4) Facilitating knowledge dissemination of large-scale, high-quality fertilizer market data.

1.2 Position description

IFDC is seeking to recruit a Chief of Party. He will provide overall vision, leadership, and guidance of the project internally with project staff and externally with USAID, host governments, other donors and stakeholders.

He/she will be leading IFDC’s team and serving as the primary point of contact with USAID about day to-day activity implementation and management matters relating to the contract, ensure on-time and on budget performance, leading to achievement of all program objectives, and on-time reporting and compliance with all laws and requirements; and provide special leadership in building alliances, high-level policy discussions, and maintaining constructive relationships with partners and major sub-grantees.

1.3 Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the development of all program, strategic, and annual plans.
• Lead advocacy efforts and negotiation teams for acquisition of bilateral mission buy ins to bolster and expand the reach and resources of the program.
• Ensure timely and effective implementation of all program activities including project planning, implementation, and management; project finances and administration; outreach and reporting; monitoring and evaluation.
• Ensure the technical quality and appropriateness of the services provided through the project and the quality of the results generated.
• Direct and evaluate the performance of all program personnel. Assure that all assistance provided under the contract, whether by international or local experts/personnel, is technically sound and appropriate for the needs to be addressed; and adequately manage and supervise the work of all experts/personnel provided under the agreement.
• Serve as IFDC’s representative to relevant donor, line ministries, other donors and multinationals, technical agencies and other participating organizations as required.
• Engage directly in other high-level program activities as appropriate.
• Execute legal documents on behalf of the program;
• Ensure sound financial management and compliance with laws.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for information on the progress and status of all activities under the contract and establish appropriate mechanisms to ensure that activity progress and specific implementation concerns are regularly and promptly reported.
• Manage the preparation and presentation of proposed implementation plans and all reports.
• Perform other related duties as required.

1.4 Duty station

He/she will be based in any IFDC office in West Africa and should be available to travel frequently within and outside the region when called upon to.

1.5 Period

The position is open for the duration of the project (March 2023 – Feb 2026), subject to availability of funding.

1.6 Equal opportunity

IFDC is an equal-opportunity employer. Applicants will be considered for employment with no discrimination on the basis of their protected characteristics (race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, age, marital status, disability).

Interested candidates must send their resumes in English accompanied with a motivation letter in either English or French.

Required Skills

• Master’s degree (equivalent) or PhD in business management, agriculture, agronomy, soil science, or another relevant field.
• At least 5 years of experience in a senior management position of multi-year donor-funded programs.
• High level and strategic thinking capacity and decision-making.
• Solid background and knowledge of USAID Rules and Regulations
• Experiences with the regional policy makers bodies (ECOWAS, UEMOA, CILSS)
• Strong skills in technologies, markets, stakeholders, policies, and rules related to fertilizers and soil health in West Africa.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with public and private sector partners, including donor agencies, government officials, and industry groups.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders.
• Demonstrated technical leadership in multi-sectoral agricultural programming.
• Fluency in speaking and writing in English or French and working knowledge in the other.