Project Officer - Ashanti, Kumasi
Ashanti, Kumasi, Ghana
Full Time
AgFinance
Entry Level
The Project Officer oversees groups of Business Support Agents (BSAs) and Farmer Support Agents (FSAs). The role will manage, train, and monitor the BSAs and FSAs in the delivery of capacity-building training to young women (under age 35) from rural client groups, to promote new and improved jobs in agriculture and ag-adjacent sectors. The Project Officer will ensure, through training and coaching, that FSA and BSA farmer training is being conducted, monitoring project activities, quality of training, and measuring impact.
RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Business Service Agent and Farmer Support Agent Management
Opportunity International Ghana is a consortium member of the First+ Scale Up program focused on stimulating demand for capital in agriculture and ag-adjacent value chains among young people, especially women and people living with disabilities. The goal is to build the capacity of young people (smallholder farmer groups and ag-adjacent MSMEs) by deploying a network of Business Support Agents (BSAs) to increase incomes and jobs among youth in Ghana.
ABOUT OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL
Opportunity International is a global non-profit that has been equipping people to build sustainable livelihoods and educate their children for 54 years. Opportunity provides 21 million families with innovative financial resources, training, and support to grow their small businesses and send their children to school. In 2024, Opportunity International and its partners helped fund 19,000 schools that reached 3.4 million children. We respond to Jesus Christ's call to love and serve people living in poverty. We seek to emulate the Good Samaritan, whose compassion crossed ethnic groups and religions. We serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. Discover more at opportunity.org or join the conversation on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
CHILD PROTECTION COMMITMENT
Opportunity believes that all children have a right to protection from any form of abuse regardless of gender, culture, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, or ability. Opportunity operates in line with international best practices for child protection and recognizes its responsibility to ensure that all employees. This policy applies to anyone acting on behalf of Opportunity or is involved in its programs in any capacity. All employees are subject to background checks, which include criminal checks and sex offender list checks, as allowed by local law.
RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Business Service Agent and Farmer Support Agent Management
- Recruit, onboard and train groups of BSAs and FSAs to deliver training and capacity-building to rural clients.
- Monitor the data collection activities of the BSAs and FSAs & provide technical support where necessary.
- Provide troubleshooting and systems support to the partners & BSAs utilizing the client management system (CommCare).
- Facilitate the regular training of trainer sessions in coordination with the project partners.
- Ensure the effective delivery of the FSA/BSA-led training at the farmer group level.
- Identify hurdles & bottlenecks to the success of the model and where possible, suggest and implement solutions.
- Assist the Agriculture Finance team with overall management and administration support of the BSA network with various project partners.
- Ensure cordial working relationships with all local stakeholders, including farmers, financial institution partners, private sector partners, and Ghanaian government staff within assigned communities.
- Develop a good working relationship with financial institution partner agricultural finance staff and working knowledge of the financial products offered.
- Coordinate with financial institution partner branches to ensure seamless communication regarding on-the-ground factors affecting project success.
- Monitor and track progress against work plan and project targets.
- Validate and verify BSA and FSA data entries on farmer profiles, training activities, and surveys.
- Guide BSAs and FSAs in collecting data, developing activity reports, and collecting client success stories.
- Prepare weekly reports for AgFinance management, noting progress on project deliverables and challenges faced.
- Assist Opportunity in conducting impact assessments using monitoring and evaluation tools developed by Opportunity.
- Monitor Business Support Agents and Farmer Support Agents (external agents who earn stipends/incentives based on work completed)
- Degree or Diploma in agriculture, community development, finance, or related fields.
- A minimum of 3 years of experience working with rural communities, youth (up to age 35), and/or women-focused projects.
- Practical experience working with community-based financial organizations (VSLAs, etc.)
- Project management skills to effectively perform activities/tasks in a manner that consistently achieves high standards.
- Proficiency in the use of MS Office applications and Android Apps. Must be able to demonstrate competency.
- Ability to self-empower to enable the development of open communication, teamwork, and trust needed to support performance and a customer-service-oriented culture in agriculture.
- An understanding of and a commitment to advancing the mission and core values of Opportunity International.
- Written and verbal fluency in English and one Ghanaian language required.
- Must be able to attend & fully participate in meetings conducted in English.
- One and a Half (1.5) Years Fixed Term Contract
- Position will have frequent domestic travel, up to 70% throughout project areas.
- International travel may be required 1-2 times yearly for team meetings or cross-learning trips.
Opportunity International Ghana is a consortium member of the First+ Scale Up program focused on stimulating demand for capital in agriculture and ag-adjacent value chains among young people, especially women and people living with disabilities. The goal is to build the capacity of young people (smallholder farmer groups and ag-adjacent MSMEs) by deploying a network of Business Support Agents (BSAs) to increase incomes and jobs among youth in Ghana.
ABOUT OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL
Opportunity International is a global non-profit that has been equipping people to build sustainable livelihoods and educate their children for 54 years. Opportunity provides 21 million families with innovative financial resources, training, and support to grow their small businesses and send their children to school. In 2024, Opportunity International and its partners helped fund 19,000 schools that reached 3.4 million children. We respond to Jesus Christ's call to love and serve people living in poverty. We seek to emulate the Good Samaritan, whose compassion crossed ethnic groups and religions. We serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. Discover more at opportunity.org or join the conversation on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
CHILD PROTECTION COMMITMENT
Opportunity believes that all children have a right to protection from any form of abuse regardless of gender, culture, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, or ability. Opportunity operates in line with international best practices for child protection and recognizes its responsibility to ensure that all employees. This policy applies to anyone acting on behalf of Opportunity or is involved in its programs in any capacity. All employees are subject to background checks, which include criminal checks and sex offender list checks, as allowed by local law.
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