Project Manager– Networks & Alliances department 126 views

Networks & Alliances department

The Committee Linking Entrepreneurship-Agriculture-Development (COLEAD) is a non-profit inter-professional association founded in 1973 whose purpose is to contribute to the sustainable transformation of food value chains, particularly horticultural value chains, especially in countries and regions where development needs are greatest, by strengthening their economic viability, resilience, and positive social and environmental impact.

COLEAD is a network of companies, professional organisations, experts, private and public partners working in the agricultural sector and development field and committed to sustainable and inclusive food production and trade.

COLEAD manages programmes and projects in the agricultural and agrifood sectors, financed by development partners aimed at supporting producers, processors, exporters and organisations supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem (public sector organisations, research, academia, finance and others), all committed to inclusive and sustainable production and trade in low and lower-middle income countries.

COLEAD draws on more than 50 years’ experience of partnerships and support to both private and public stakeholders from the agrifood sector. More information is available on our website – https://colead.link/.

The Networks & Alliances Department
N&A advances sustainable practices in the agrifood sector through policy and private sector dialogues, entrepreneurship development, and outreach. We prioritize innovative partnerships and capacity development. Our initiatives include regular agrifood online sessions in collaboration with the Pan-African Farmers Organization (PAFO), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Anchored in the COLEAD 2030 Strategy, N&A drives COLEAD’s evolution from a structured network towards a “local” movement.

Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced and proactive Project Manager (PM) to join our Networks & Alliances team in The Gambia (COLEAD SPRING Programme).
The Project Manager will play a central role in the coordination and delivery of N&A programmes and activities, the management of key strategic partnerships, and the strengthening of COLEAD’s community and membership outreach at global and in The Gambia contexts. The role requires both strategic thinking and operational excellence, combining project management rigour with relationship-building skills and a genuine passion for agrifood systems transformation.
The Project Manager will work under the direct supervision of the Head of Networks & Alliances (based in Brussels) and in close collaboration with the Gambia / SPRING Programme coordinator.
The PM will also collaborate with the N&A team and other COLEAD departments (Technical Assistance, Research & Innovation, Access to Finance, Market Intelligence, Training Unit).

Key Responsibilities

Programme & Project Coordination
· Lead or co-coordinate N&A-entrusted programmes and projects, ensuring timely delivery against workplans, budgets and contractual obligations.
· Coordinate with implementing partners, service providers and beneficiaries for the smooth execution of programme activities.
· Contribute to programme reporting, monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) processes, including the documentation of impact and success stories.

Partnership & Alliance Management
· Manage day-to-day relationships with key N&A partners (that will be specifically assigned to the PM), ensuring active follow-up and concrete joint outputs.
· Review partnership documents for coherence and alignment with SPRING objectives and key output indicators
· Support the formalisation and tracking of MoUs, MoAs and partnership agreements; maintain and update the N&A partnership database.
· Contribute to the identification of prospective strategic partners within the Gambia context and at regional – global levels to advance COLEAD’s objectives, strengthen programme implementation, and attract sustainable investments in priority sectors and areas of intervention.
· Represent COLEAD in external meetings, events and working groups as required.

Agrifood Partnership Sessions & Community Engagement
· Coordinate the organisation and delivery of Agrifood Partnership Sessions including logistics, content, speakers and follow-up.
· Manage and animate COLEAD’s digital community platforms (Agrinnovators, member groups, newsletters); ensure regular content production and outreach.
· Contribute to the development and publication of entrepreneur business profiles and knowledge products at scale.
· Support the membership growth and engagement plan, tracking diversity and geographic reach of COLEAD’s community.
· Promote and share nutrition sensitive initiatives across the programme with and among implementing partners
· Encourage partnership building between members and knowledge transfer on new technologies through field days, mentorship and B2B platforms

Women, Youth & Entrepreneurship Inclusion
· Ensure systematic integration of the gender and youth lens across N&A activities, sessions and partnership outputs and along with the SPRING (Gambia) Programme.
· Identify and promote women-led and youth-led enterprises across the SPRING programme.

Operational & Administrative Support
· Support the operationalisation of N&A’s internal management systems (partner database, MoU tracking, activity reporting).
· Contribute to the preparation of departmental reporting, presentations and communication materials.
· Provide administrative support for the selection and contracting of service providers as needed.

Requirements
· A degree in business management, economics, agribusiness, project management, international relations, business communication or a related field; a master’s degree is an asset.
· Minimum 5-6 years of relevant professional experience, including demonstrated experience in project or programme management in an international development or agrifood context.
· Understanding of agrifood value chains, the Gambia development context and COLEAD’s key geography (Sub-Saharan Africa).
· Experience in partnership management, stakeholder engagement and/or alliance building in a local – regional – international context.
· Knowledge in gender, youth mainstreaming and entrepreneurship in development programmes is valued.
· Strong organisational and project management skills; ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously and meet deadlines.
· Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; command of French or Spanish or Portuguese is a strong asset.
· Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); experience with CRM tools, online webinar platforms (Zoom, Teams) and digital community management is an asset.
· Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multicultural, fast-paced environment.

Benefits

This is a full-time role based in Banjul, offered under an independent consultancy agreement for an initial period of one (1) year, with the possibility of renewal.
You will be based in The Gambia, but travel within The Gambia or to other ACP countries and Belgium for short-term missions, might be required.

The position is to be filled as soon as possible.

Joining COLEAD means becoming part of a passionate multicultural team. It’s also an opportunity to enjoy an enriching experience within a civil society organisation working for cooperation and development in the agri-food industry. COLEAD’s values are commitment, difference, humanity, performance and continuous improvement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all qualified individuals. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
This position is based in our office in the Gambia and is open only to candidates with the required work permit.

To apply, please send your CV + cover letter + references by Wednesday 15th of July at noon (12pm) CET