Careers

The West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), founded in 1987, brings together the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) of 23 West and Central African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tomé et Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. 

CORAF's vision mentioned in its Strategic Plan 2018-2027 is a future where the people and communities of West and Central Africa achieve food and nutrition security and prosperity. Its mission is to achieve a sustainable improvement in agricultural productivity, competitiveness and markets in West and Central Africa.

To achieve the goals of socio-economic development and human well-being, African agriculture must significantly improve its productivity, while maintaining the sustainability of diversified, high-quality agri-food systems. 

A high yield gap, estimated at 75% of potential yield, and a low average growth rate for most agricultural products (below the 6% target set by the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme or CAADP) are worrying, given the substantial investments made in the sector over the last 10 to 15 years. 

The limited availability of agricultural inputs, inadequate distribution networks in isolated communities, poor quality and counterfeit seeds, and high prices for certified seeds and inputs are ongoing challenges in West Africa, and constitute major obstacles to agricultural productivity and growth. To address these shortcomings, donors and governments in West Africa have been working through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other regional bodies to develop and operationalize consistent quality control procedures, strengthen seed systems, and make input trade easier, faster and cheaper.

ECOWAS received financial support from USAID/West Africa for the development of a Regional Agricultural Input Strategy (RAIS). CORAF developed the strategy on behalf of ECOWAS/CILSS/UEMOA, outlining an integrated approach to increasing agricultural inputs, including seeds, crops, livestock and aquaculture. As part of the strategy's implementation, CORAF, designated as the technical secretariat, has received funding to implement the West Africa Seed Sector Development Program (WASSD). The project aims to increase availability and access to quality seeds, improve yields and food security, while strengthening the private sector and the policy environment.

The overall objective of the West Africa Seed Sector Development Program (WASSD) is to improve agricultural productivity through increased farmer access to and use of improved agricultural inputs and technologies provided by West African private sector companies, and through collaborative engagement with a multitude of regional and national organizations and associations.

Design, implement, lead and manage a high-performance monitoring and evaluation system for the WASSD project:  

• Define and implement an effective monitoring and evaluation system for the project; 
• Set up, organize and lead the monitoring and evaluation of the WASSD project; 
• Support project teams in carrying out project evaluations, especially final evaluations;
• Design and coordinate M&E capacity building programs for project partners;
• In collaboration with the Project Coordinator, ensure that all partners have updated performance monitoring/management plans (PMP);
• Ensure reporting and participate in WASSD project knowledge management; 
• Support the coordinator in drawing up annual work programs and budgets;
• Monitor the implementation of the WASSD project in the region and ensure data quality;
• Ensure that the monitoring systems developed work and are correctly applied, and that project teams and national partners accurately report results (EU OPSYS platform, MEL CORAF platform);
• Ensure data quality assurance;
• Lead internal monitoring/evaluation/learning meetings and organize feedback to beneficiaries and partners.
• Carry out any activity or task related to its missions upon request.

• BAC+5 in Agronomy, Agricultural Engineering, Statistics or a related discipline with relevant short-term training in M&E.

• Minimum experience of seven (7) years in the management and monitoring of research projects funded by donors such as IFAD, EU, USAID, WORLD BANK, etc... ;
• Minimum experience of seven (7) years in the analysis of performance indicators, logical framework approach, cost-benefit analysis and impact evaluation approaches; 
• Minimum five (5) years' experience in managing data platforms, technologies and innovations; 
• Minimum experience of five (5) years in Results-Based Management (RBM) ; 
• Minimum experience of two (2) years in donor procedures;
• Minimum experience of five (5) years in a multicultural environment.

• Humility;
• Courtesy of ;
• Ability to work under pressure ;
• Discretion ;
• Methodical ;
• Organizational skills ;
• Team spirit ;
• Adaptability ;
• Integrity ;
• Sense of priorities ;
• Listening skills ;
• Analytical skills ;
• Anticipation ;
• Reactivity.

• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Statistical and data collection software (ODK, KoboCollect, Survey Solutions or related)
• SPSS
• QGIS or ArcGIS

It must include : 

• A letter of motivation addressed to the Executive Director, Dakar, Senegal. The file must be named as follows: Initial of first name +Last name in upper case_LM. For example, ADIALLO_LM); 
• A detailed CV, with the names and contacts of three mandatory references (e-mail, address and telephone number). The CV file must be named as follows First name initial + Last name in uppercase_CV_Month and year. For example, ADIALLO_CV March 2024.

Applications should be sent to the following address

Youmann Executive Search