Country Director and Local Legal Counsel

CNFA is currently seeking a Country Director and Local Legal Counsel to assist with the implementation of the USAID-supported Farmer-to-Farmer Program in Zambia. Please see further details on both opportunities below.

Program Description:

The USAID-supported Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Program combines volunteer consultancies with highly skilled local staff to deliver technical assistance and business development services to farmer organizations, and agricultural MSMEs. Our volunteer consultants are U.S. citizens (or  permanent U.S. residents) and comprise of farmers, agribusiness professionals, cooperatives managers, bankers, agricultural educators, and others with expertise in agriculture. The primary goal of the F2F program is to generate rapid, sustainable, broad-based economic growth in the agricultural sector; the secondary goals is to increase the American public’s  understanding of international development issues and programs as well as international understanding of the US and US development programs.

Country Director Position Description:

CNFA is currently seeking a Country Director for Zambia. to be based in Chipata (Nyanja language skills required).

The F2F Country Director is an employee of CNFA and reports to the Washington, DC based F2F Program Director. Under the direction and supervision of the Program Director and Program  Officer, the Country Director supervises field office employees, travels frequently within the country to maintain active liaison with actual and prospective volunteer projects, is responsible for volunteers while in country. and oversees the country budget and deliverables. Additionally,  the Country Director is responsible for maintaining a strong working relationship with the local USAID office and other key stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Agriculture, public and private  agricultural development organizations and the NGO community.

Position responsibilities include:

• Coordination of all F2F program activities within Zambia;
• Identifying potential partners and hosts, providing pre- and post assignment technical / business assistance to hosts, and communicating closely with hosts to assess their needs, status  changes, and satisfaction with the CNFA program;
• Developing volunteer scopes of work and facilitating volunteer assignments;
• Ensuring sound systems for monitoring and assessing impact from program activities;
• Preparing comprehensive and quality program documents and reports (including but not limited to weekly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports);
• Developing and maintaining working relations with the USAID Mission, keeping them informed of program progress or issues;
• Preparing for and facilitating the visits of other CNFA staff or official guests, including evaluation teams
• Updating or developing a security and health plan for volunteers and staff in country
• Providing training to personnel on project development principles and methodology;
• Conducting regular performance evaluations of staff and making recommendations for improvement and growth, providing close supervision of progress;
• With input from the Program Director and Senior Program Officer, developing annual work plans in line with the overall regional program strategy;
• Supporting new business development efforts, as appropriate, including program design, proposal development, and donor liaison;
• Maintaining annual country budgets to support program activities and monitor expenditures based on allowed budget allocations, and working within the parameters of the CNFA F2F budgeting, reporting , and administrative systems.
• Other responsibilities to be determined by CNFAand/or USAID

Minimum qualifications include:

• University degree (preferably in agriculture or a related and relevant field); Master’s degree preferred
• At least eight (8) years professional experience in assignments relevant to the F2F Country Program;
• At least five (5) years of experience with proven leadership in managing work teams and executing complex projects; and
• Fluency in English and Nyanja is required.
• Experience in agricultural production, marketing and/or development;
• Ability to network effectively with country agricultural sector stakeholders;

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Interested individuals email Jerrel Gilliam at a CV, cover letter, and minimum of 3 (three) references with relevant contact details. Please use “Country Director” as the subject line.

CNFA is also currently seeking the services of local Legal Council.

Introduction, Technical Background and Scope of Work

1.1 Introduction: CNFA is a non-profit international development organization based in Washington D.C. which currently implements the Farmer-to-Farmer project in Zambia. As a part of project start-up activities, CNFA is seeking the services of local legal counsel to provide guidance pertaining to local labor law, registration requirements, tax exemption, and similar operational tasks.

Offerors are responsible for ensuring that their offers are received by CNFA in accordance with  the instructions. terms, and conditions described in this RFP. Failure to adhere with instructions described in this RFP may lead to disqualification of an offer from consideration.

1.2: Scope of Work: CNFA requires the services of local legal counsel to advise the  organization in setting up operations in Zambia including registration, guidance on the labor law, review of labor contracts, review of policy manuals, and guidance on tax exemption requirements.

1.3: Period of Performance: January 7, 2018 through March 8. 2019. Note that upon excellent performance, a contract for general legal services may be extended for the duration of the five-year project (2018-2023).

1.4: Tasks: The selected offer or will provide the following services through in-person meetings in their respective countries, phone calls, and in writing as requested by CNFA:

• Advise on tax exemption requirements, if applicable, for international nonprofit organizations.
• Provide an overview of key requirements of the labor law for long term employees and consultants such as labor categories, severance, leave policies, IY month bonuses, probation and termination procedures, salary increases, other fringe benefits (required vs.  industry norms), etc.
• Review CNFA’s long term employment agreement and consultant agreement and provide recommendations to ensure compliance with local labor laws and customs.
• Review CNFA’s employee policy manual and provide recommendations, to ensure compliance with local labor laws and customs.
• Other tasks as requested and assigned by CNFA.

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