Palladium Ghana Recruits New Staffs. (2017)

Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with foundations, investors, governments, corporations, communities and civil society to formulate strategies and implement solutions that generate lasting social, environmental and financial benefits.For the past 50 years, we have been making Positive Impact possible. With a team of more than 2,500 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of more than 35,000 technical experts, Palladium has improved – and is committed to continuing to improve – economies, societies and most importantly, people’s lives.Palladium is a child-safe organisation, and screens applicants for suitability to work with children. We also provide equal employment to all participants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran or marital status.

Job Description

Job Title: Technical Portfolio Manager

Project Overview And Role

The Technical Portfolio Manager for WAFM is the technical lead for the Challenge Fund and for ensuring the interests of Challenge Fund grantees inform and feed into Policy Facility priorities. S/he is responsible for ensuring that the programme and grantees delivers technical impact in line with the programme objectives. The Technical Fund Manager supervises a pool of technical advisors, and works in close partnership with the Policy Facility Manager, the Grants and Finance Officer, and WAFM Team Leader on all portfolio matters.The ideal candidate for the role of Technical Portfolio Manager will be a senior technical expert, with expertise in both grants and portfolio management, analysis of quantitative data and reporting systems, and providing technical support to agribusinesses.

Responsibilities

The Technical Portfolio Manager will be guided by the following key responsibilities:

Strategic technical management and reporting (60%)

• Provide strategic and technical oversight to the Challenge Fund
• Provide high quality technical fund management services
• Analyse grantee performance (via review of quarterly reports and regular visits) and ensure a) grantees’problems achieving against agreed targets and business plans are identified and flagged with Team Leader, Director and DFID on a regular basis and b) grantees out-performing against targets and business plans / opportunities for further innovative support from the policy facility are flagged with the team leader, director and DFID and fed into the programme’s technical communications;
• Promote internal and external technical learning and knowledge dissemination
• Plan, deliver and evaluate the implementation of Challenge Fund activities in close partnership with Team Leader
• Sourcing and managing Technical Fund Officers and short-term consultants

Specific Duties Will IncludeTechnical assistance and capacity building to CF grantees

• With the Team Leader and grantees, identify areas of technical support required over the course of the grant and resources required to deliver technical support
• Analyse grantee performance (via review of quarterly reports and regular visits) and ensure a) grantees’problems achieving against agreed targets and business plans are identified and flagged with team leader, director and DFID on a regular basis and b) grantees out-performing against targets and business plans / opportunities for further innovative support from the policy facility are flagged with the team leader, director and DFID and fed into the programme’s technical communications;
• Ensure the technical liaison between grantees and Short-Term Technical Assistance pool to ensure the adequate delivery of TA in view of grantees’business and technical needs;
• Functions as the main link to ensure that Challenge Fund grantees’priority issues inform and feed into Policy Facility priorities and implementation strategies. Flag key emergent opportunities identified by Challenge Fund grantee reports or during visits to the Policy Facility Manager.

Results verification and reporting

• Ensure the effective monitoring and documentation of all grantee intervention outputs and outcomes, by working with grantees and MRM Officer/Technical Specialist M&E.
• Assist the MRM Officer in liaising with grantees to verify their understanding of WAFM logframe indicators, data collection and reporting procedures
• Complete required reporting to DFID on technical and financial progress of the CF, including summaries of CF progress in quarterly and annual reports

Knowledge and communication

• Plays a key role in ensuring that WAFM develops a technical reputation for excellence and becomes the ‘go-to’team for stakeholders seeking comment on West African regional agri-businesses and regional food trade policy issues;
• Develop and disseminate knowledge and communication products around Challenge Fund and grantees’activities, business models and results -including on the WAFM website -to demonstrate programme impact.
• Promote learning and sharing of information amongst the WAFM team. Facilitate sessions to extract and distil lessons learned through CF grantees’activities.
• Coordinate the collation and dissemination of all grantees progress reports and lessons learnt and contribute to the incorporation of said into the overall programme strategy.

Fund Portfolio Management (40%)Grant portfolio management

• Liaise with the Grants and Finance Officer to approve grantee disbursements and ensure timely disbursements of grantee payments
• Review of all contracting documentation to ensure they meet WAFM, Palladium and DFID requirements.
• Review of the Grant Agreements between Palladium and grantees to ensure relevant special conditions are sufficient to ensure all elements of the grant management are well covered.

Grant monitoring

• Take lead responsibility for monitoring and evaluating grantee progress (including annual monitoring visits)
• Monitor projects and grants and advise Team Leader on measures necessary, to reduce and manage risk in the Portfolio
• Jointly with the Grants and Finance Officer request progress reports (technical and financial) from grantees and avail the necessary templates for their completion
• Review grantee reports and ensure that they are compliant with set policies and procedures. Ensure accurate and timely reporting and accounting for grants.

Review of grantees’performance against implementation plans

• Review, analyse and assess grantee performance against KPI as per funding agreement
• Review of draft letters to grantees highlighting key concerns on project performance
• Follow up on feedback sent to the grantee to ensure issues raised have been addressed by the grantee

Management of overall relationship with grantees

• Review of contract addendums prepared as required throughout the project duration
• Communicate effectively with grantees at all times

Requirements

• Masters degree in accounting, finance, business administration, agricultural economics or related field
• Minimum of ten years of experience in agri-business programme implementation, and/or Agri-business M&E experience, including management level experience
• Strong competencies in analysis, data management, finance and administration, business processes, agribusiness and agribusiness financing, grant making processes and project delivery mechanisms.
• Previous experience with the technical management of Challenge Funds
• Demonstrated ability to develop individual and institutional technical capacity
• Management, including pre and post award management, financial analysis, budgeting and grants management
• Advanced skills in writing, presentation, ICT, word processing, excel spreadsheets, and verbal communication
• High attention to detail and the ability to deliver high quality technical services with minimal external supervision
• Strong verbal communication skills and effective interpersonal style; ability to engage and build relationships at multiple levels
• Demonstrated ability to work with private sector players and provide technical assistance in the agricultural sector (financial institutions, exporters, buyers, traders, transporters, input suppliers or processors)
• An established track record and interest in finance, accounting, cash flow projections and its analysis
• Excellent abilities in the use of ICTs, data analysis and reporting
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently with limited supervision
• Proficient in both written and spoken French and English (desired)