Fairtrade Africa “Growing Women in Coffee” Project Manager Job in Kenya

Call for Application: Fairtrade Africa “Growing Women in Coffee” Project Manager
 

About Fairtrade Africa: Fairtrade Africa (FTA) is the umbrella organisation representing Fairtrade certified producers (Smallholder Farmer Organizations and Hired Labor set-ups) in Africa, and is a member of Fairtrade International (FI). 

FTA aims to effectively represent producers within the International Fairtrade system and to contribute to livelihood improvement of African producers by increasing access to markets. 

Established in 2005, FTA directs policy and strategy development of the organization’s four (4) regional networks - Eastern, Southern, Western and the Middle East and North Africa supporting producer activities.

Fairtrade Africa aims at:

1. Representing producers within the global Fairtrade system.
2. Ensuring that producers are co-owners of the Fairtrade system and can influence decisions that will impact their lives.
3. Building producers’ capacity through training, partnerships and knowledge exchange.
4. Promoting intra - African trade opportunities to create extra market access and offering African consumers the opportunity to shop sustainably.
5. Raising awareness on trade justice by drawing attention to the concerns and challenges producers face.

About Kipkelion Union ‘Women in Coffee’: Kipkelion Union brings together 20,000 coffee farmers from 32 cooperatives in West Kenya, with female membership averaging just 11% across these cooperatives. While a far higher percentage of women contribute labour on family farms they lack the assets or land to become cooperative members and are therefore unable to sell coffee or earn an independent income.

In 2010/11, the NGO Solidaridad – with support of Fairtrade Africa - trialled an approach in Kabng’etuny Coffee Farmers Cooperative Society - a Fairtrade certified member of Kipkelion Union - for supporting the transfer of coffee bush ownership from men to women which would enable the registration of these women as full cooperative members. 

This approach – known as “asset-transfer” - has led to 300 women gaining cooperative membership, forming a Women’s Coffee Association and generating an independent income from coffee farming for the first time.

Opportunities exist within Kipkelion Union to extend this approach to other member cooperatives and to market the sale of women’s coffee as a premium product within Kenya’s domestic market in order to maximise returns for women farmers.
 

Project details: With the support of Fairtrade Foundation UK, Fairtrade Africa is receiving funding from the UK funder The Big Lottery Fund to implement a project titled “Growing Women in Coffee”. 

This project will support Kabng’etuny Cooperative as a site of best-practice for investing in women farmers and will extend the “asset-transfer” approach trialled in Kabng’etuny Cooperative to Kapkiyai Cooperative, a second Fairtrade certified group in Kipkelion Union.
 

Using the coffee produced by women farmers from these cooperatives the “Growing Women in Coffee” project will then support the development of a branded women’s coffee product for sale in the Kenyan domestic market through commercial outlets and local government procurement. 

Project activities are due to commence in January 2015 and will last for three years with Solidaridad and KENFAP joining Fairtrade Africa as primary implementing partners of project activities.
 

The four overall project outcomes are as follows:
 

1. Improved livelihoods for women farmers in Kabngetuny resulting from increased use of sustainable farming methods leading to improved quality and yields of coffee.
 

2. Improved use of and access to natural resources through the adoption of green energy production by households in Kabngetuny cooperative, also resulting in lower levels of deforestation and less generation of harmful gases, mitigating climate change.
 

3. Improved livelihoods for women in Kapkiyai through the transfer of coffee assets from men to women and improved representation and participation for women through the establishment of a Women’s Coffee Association
 

4. Improved livelihoods for women farmers in Kipkelion Union through support for the sale of branded women’s coffee into domestic markets and through the creation of a learning platform at Union level to spread benefits to women farmers beyond Kabngetuny and Kapkiyai cooperatives
Project partners and roles

Purpose of Project Manager: The main purpose of the Project Manager is to oversee the delivery of project activities by implementing partners towards the specified objectives, ensuring financial and reporting information is in line with the expectations of the funder and that activities are delivered in a timely and coordinated fashion. 

The Project Manager will be the lead representative of Fairtrade Africa with project sites and will also perform a key role in working with others to develop a domestic market for women’s coffee.

Tasks include:

• Managing implementing partners across Outcomes 1 – 4 to ensure the delivery of project activities is in line with project timelines and funder expectations.
• Working with Fairtrade Foundation to manage the overall project budget and to compile regular narrative and financial reports to the Big Lottery Fund, and to disseminate relevant project updates to a wide range of national and international stakeholders.
• Regularly visiting project sites in Kabngetuny, Kapkiyai and at Kipkelion Union to maintain engagement with farmers and management and to address issues in a structured fashion.
• Working with others (including independent consultants and Fairtrade Africa staff) to support the development of a branded women’s coffee product.
• Working with others to develop a local market for women’s coffee, including organising events within Kericho County and Nairobi to promote women’s coffee.
• Through structured contact points ensuring knowledge sharing among project partners to track progress, capture learnings and ensure that project activities remain relevant and effective

Skills Required:

• Strong project management experience with excellent financial management skills and demonstrable track record of managing and reporting on donor funded projects
• Experience or knowledge of promoting market access for smallholder farmers, preferably including local market development.
• Applied knowledge of coffee sector in East Africa, with a focus on Kenya desired.
• Applied knowledge of gender-focused interventions, including a clear understanding of the factors which influence their success.
• Interest and background knowledge in Fairtrade
• Excellent communication skills in English and Swahili and knowledge using full suite of Microsoft Office applications including Excel, Word and Outlook.

Who does this role report to?
 

The Project Manager will report to the Member & Partnerships Manager at Fairtrade Africa, who will also provide hands on support for elements of the project’s implementation, including regular visits to Kipkelion Union, Kapkiyai and Kabng’etuny Coffee Cooperatives in western Kenya.

What are the time commitments and payment?
 

The Project Manager will be recruited into a consultancy position for 3-years, starting in Quarter 1 2015, with the start date adjustable to the commitments of the successful candidate.

The Project Manager will be expected to work for an average of 220 days per year with consultancy fees paid on a monthly basis against an established consultancy day rate as approved by the donor, which is subject to withholding tax as per Kenyan Law.

Other costs such as transport and subsistence (meals & accommodation) during field visits will be met separately on a reimbursement basis in line with Big Lottery Fund requirements. 

The project manager shall be required to sometimes work on evenings and weekends as may be demanded by project activities.
 

Location: The position will be based at Fairtrade Africa Offices in Nairobi, with regular travel to and from the project site in Kipkelion located in western Kenya.
 

Equal Opportunities: Fairtrade Africa is an equal opportunity employer and actively welcomes applications from all sections of the community.
 

Application
 

To apply please send your CV and application letter containing details on how you can meet the skills required for this role to recruitments@fairtradeafrica.net by 12:00 noon on 28th November 2014. 

Please reference ‘Growing Women in Coffee’ in the subject line. 

Only submissions with complete details as stated in the ToR will be considered. 

Note that the successful applicant will be subjected to a background check as a condition of engagement.