Senegal: Deputy Chief of Party - Senegal, The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau

Shelter For Life International (SFL) is an international faith-based relief and development organization with over 30 years’ experience in providing sustainable development and humanitarian assistance to post conflict countries around the world. We are currently operational in Afghanistan, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, The Gambia and Senegal, with Headquarters located in Minnetonka, MN. Our team provides support and assistance in the following areas:

1. Population Movement and Settlement

2. Public Infrastructure Reconstruction

3. Economic and Social Development

Our mission is to Demonstrate God’s love by enabling people affected by conflict and disaster to restore their lives and rebuild their communities. To learn more about us, please head to www.shelter.org

Position Summary:

Under USDA/FAS Food For Progress (FFPr), SFL is implementing a six year program in Senegal, The Gambia, and Guinea- Bissau with a goal to develop and upgrade value chain linkages necessary to support an integrated regional trade network for the cashew value chain. The “Linking Infrastructure, Finance, and Farms To Cashew” (LIFFT-Cashew) program is working to create durable trade infrastructure, increase access to financial services, organize and train farmer-groups, and improve investment in cashew processing in the region.

We are currently seeking a Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) to help lead the LIFFT-Cashew project in Senegal, The Gambia, and Guinea- Bissau. The DCOP will provide leadership and guidance in three main areas outlined below.

Areas of Responsibility:

Regional Cashew Policy

· Work with the governments of Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, and The Gambia to develop a coherent, strategic cashew policy to promote regional cashew production, processing, and trade

· Communicate the objectives and successes of the cashew policy regionally and internationally

· Meet with and help organize cashew actors (producers, processors, traders) to understand and promote cashew policy in the three countries

Project Representation

· Represent SFL and the project in meetings with government officials of Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, and the Gambia, representatives of the US Government, and other relevant stakeholders

· Represent SFL and the project to stakeholders, such as the World Bank, UN Agencies, foreign government representatives and others, to help facilitate cashew production, processing and trade

Reporting and Communications

· Work with Sector Managers to collect, analyze and compile regular progress-repots

· Compose and submit monthly and biannual reports to the COP and SFL’s Director of International Operations

· Develop a communication strategy and public relations materials that highlight activities and achievements of the project

· Disseminate public relations information for social media, SFL’s website, and other media outlets

Education and Experience Requirements:

· Bachelor’s degree in international development, marketing/communications, public relations, journalism, or related field, or professional experience in the same areas; a master’s degree is preferred

· A minimum of five years’ successful experience in marketing or public relations, especially experience promoting economic growth

· Industry knowledge and experience in the food production and/ processing industry or other agri- business enterprise is a plus

· Ability to interact diplomatically with a range of stakeholders (national, provincial, private sector, NGOs, and government officials)

· Experience in reporting project progress in accordance with specified guidelines

· Strong leadership and administrative skills, demonstrated management ability in a cross-cultural environment

· Excellent communication skills, including good writing ability in English

· Prior development experience in West Africa and/or agri-business is a plus

Personal Skills & Abilities:

· Solid leadership skills with ability to maintain a positive work environment with professionalism

· Strong interpersonal, teamwork and listening skills combined cross-cultural sensitivity

· Ability to research, analyze, coordinate, and plan, both strategically and innovatively

· Ability to assess complex programs and situations and form accurate opinions

· Ability to respond practically and operate successfully in difficult field conditions

· Flexibility, persistence, and ability to communicate diplomatically to gain respect among staff, local community leaders and other stakeholders, as well as government ministries and donor organizations

Additional Notes:

· A minimum of 12+ months commitment to live and work in Ziguinchor, Senegal is required

· The applicant must be able to travel frequently, particularly within the SeGaBi region

· SFL offers competitive pay and generous benefits, including six weeks of paid time off, two weeks of R&R, ACA-compliant health insurance, and allowances for housing, food, and incidentals.

SFL is interested in applicants whose professional ethics, values and determination to achieve impact are aligned with organizational priorities.

To Apply:

Please send your resume and cover letter to info@shelter.org with the subject line: “**DCOP – SeGaBi**”. Applications must be in English. Please include your name in the title of all attached documents. In your resume, work experience should be presented chronologically and should include sufficient detail to enable the review team to evaluate the qualifications and experience. The CV/resume should include the name, telephone number, and email of at least two references who do not work for the applicant’s current employer.