Operations Manager

This position coordinates our sustainability operations and acts as the focal person for program implementation and results between field and management. The role would focus on operational excellence ensuring all sustainability activities are need driven, well-structured at the field level, aligned with local context and specific requirements and identify improvement opportunities.

Key Responsibilities Include

• • Develop annual Work Plans and a strategy for the different activities, including KPI’s and budget in liaison with the different Managers (Farm Services, Finance, Community, Thriving Nature, Sourcing)
  • Closely manage the execution of the Work Plans for the year, ensuring the achievement of the expected targets and in line with the budget.
  • Contribute to strengthen all programs, with focus on creating synergies and driving impact on the ground.
  • Participate in the content of Cocoa Horizons, RA standard and evolutions discussions.
  • Ensure efficient collaboration with and in between the different stakeholder, Sourcing, Sustainability and Monitoring /reporting teams.
  • Monitor the budget and progress on KPI’s assigned to origins and support on the monthly/quarterly reporting.
  • Coordinating local NGO’s and follow up on deliverables from their side on community development intermediate results activities.
  • Drive development of special project for Cocoa Horizons customers.
  • P lan and coordinate all third party verification processes - traceability, data, premium payments, impact measurement.
  • Put in place a reporting tool and frame for operational and financial KPIs
  • Preparing all the necessary documents / information requested to Barry Callebaut by our clients and our Corporate team in Zurich.
  • Contribute to COH methodology content evolution and improvement.
  • Coordinate all client trips and events calendar and filing of all trip reports
  • Support fund sourcing proposals to scale impact on special projects to address basic needs of program communities

About You

• BSc. Agronomist / Natural Resource Management, Economics.
• Experience at least with the following
  • Minimum 5 years’ experience in agronomy, agriculture and sustainability
  • Good budgeting and cost leadership skills in program execution
  • Good knowledge of certification schemes and sustainability standards
  • Basic knowledge on cocoa agribusiness and cost control
  • Experienced in community development facilitation
  • Experienced in country cocoa industry dynamics and culture
  • Experienced in Farm Service delivery model
  • Good reporting skills and client program management

• Fluent in English and local native languages of the Ghanaian cocoa belt are a must.
• Agronomic knowledge, especially on cocoa culture, or similar tree crops.
• Experience managing complex field operations with large team.
• Community development facilitation skills and partnership synergies rapport.
• Strong Project Management and Microsoft Office suite
• Budget and performance management
• Monitoring and Evaluation, data management.
• Good networker and stakeholder management
• Good communicator, self- starter and team motivator
• KPI driven/Results oriented