West Africa has a population of 435 million people. It is sill marked by persistent poverty (32.5% living below the $2.15/day poverty line) and an economy heavily dependent on agriculture (22% of GDP). The food security situation has deteriorated significantly: the number of people facing acute food insecurity has more than doubled between 2020 and 2024, rising from 22 million to nearly 50 million. As of November 2025, approximately 36.9 million people require immediate assistance, with an additional 10.7 million at risk of worsening conditions during the 2026 lean season. The main factors are armed conflicts (8.4 million displaced people), economic shocks (inflation, post-COVID effects, sanctions), and extreme weather events (floods, droughts).

In response to these crises, governments are developing National Response Plans, but funding remains severely inadequate (34% of needs covered in 2025). The Regional Food Security Reserve (RFSR), established in 2013 under the ECOWAP framework, serves as the primary regional solidarity mechanism, with a stock of nearly 70,000 tons of cereals and 26 interventions to date. Its technical management is handled by RAAF, with support from ECOWAS, CILSS, and UEMOA. A new €16 million EU agreement (2026–2029), implemented by RAAF through the AFD and the AECID, aims to consolidate this three-tiered storage strategy (local, national, regional), improve food security governance, and strengthen the resilience of food systems in the ECOWAS-CILSS region. It is within this framework that the recruitment of a Regional Coordinator based in Lomé is planned. The detailed terms of reference are available for download at the following address: Eng_SCI003_ TDR_Coordo Stock II_030426 vf.pdf

1. 1. Roles/Responsibilities

He/she will be responsible for:

A. Technical Implementation of the Project

• Provide technical support to RAAF for the effective and orderly implementation of the revised Regional Food Security Stockpiling Strategy within the overall framework of ECOWAP.
• Support RAAF’s Regional Food Security Reserve Division in implementing and coordinating project activities at various levels (regional reserve, support for national and local storage systems, livestock feed reserve, support for the implementation of Reserve interventions).
• Support the Regional Food Security Reserve Division in providing differentiated support to stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Regional Food Security Storage Strategy at various levels (local, national, and regional).
• Ensure that project actions align with the guidelines of regional steering bodies for food crisis response (ECOWAS, UEMOA, and CILSS) and other stakeholders (RPCA, UNS, international NGOs, etc.).
• Coordinate the development of the project’s AWPB and Procurement Plan and ensure the proper execution of planned activities in close collaboration with implementing partners (CILSS, UEMOA, OPR, etc.), with a particular focus on meeting deadlines.
• Ensure the day-to-day management of the project, including management of the implementation team and synergies/complementarity with other ECOWAP projects and programs.
• Represent the project in any other high-level forum and maintain regular communication with any entity likely to have an interest in the project, for informational purposes and to explore potential synergies.

B. Administrative, Financial, and Contract Management

• Oversee the preparation and execution of the annual budget and procurement plan in accordance with the procedures of the ECOWAS Commission, AFD, and AECID.
• Supervise, in coordination with RAAF’s Administration and Finance Division, the project’s accounting and financial management, expenditure quality control, and the production of periodic financial reports in accordance with the principles of ECOWAS and the technical and financial partners (AFD and AECID).
• Ensure the preparation of tender documents and requests for proposals, the compliance of contracting processes with established procedures, and the proper management of contracts for intellectual services, supplies, and services.
• Ensure the proper application of RAAF’s administrative and financial procedures manual and the project manual.
• Facilitate, in coordination with the internal audit unit, the internal and external audits specified in the project document and conducted by the ECOWAS Commission.
• In the context of project implementation, assume responsibility for compliance with ECOWAS rules and the contractual provisions of the financing agreements with the EU, AFD, and AECID.

C. Monitoring and evaluation, reporting, knowledge capture, and dissemination of project outcomes

• Establish a system for monitoring and evaluating the performance of project activities that aligns with the mechanisms of the RAAF, ECOWAP, and technical and financial partners.
• Produce semi-annual and annual technical and financial reports, as well as any other reports required by ECOWAS rules, in accordance with the deadlines set forth in the contractual provisions of the financing agreements with the EU, AFD, and AECID.
• Oversee internal and external evaluations of project activities.
• Capitalize on best practices and disseminate lessons learned and success stories.
• Support the implementation of the communication and visibility strategy for the project and the RAAF.

D. Project Coordination and Governance

• Develop, implement, and monitor the annual work plan and budget (AWPB) as well as the project’s procurement plans.
• Oversee the activities of the project’s technical implementation team.
• Prepare technical documents for meetings of the Steering Committee (CoPil) and the Technical Monitoring Committee (CTS) for ECOWAP projects and programs, and ensure the implementation of recommendations.
• Ensure consistency between the project’s functional organization and RAAF’s internal organization (reporting lines, validation processes, decision-making channels).
• Serve as the liaison with RAAF, the DARD, the EU, the AECID, and the AFD, as well as other technical and financial partners and national stakeholders.
• Represent the project at technical meetings at the national, regional, and international levels and explore potential synergies that may arise.
• Ensure the annual individual performance evaluation of the project team is completed within the required deadlines in preparation for contract renewals and propose improvement measures as needed.
• Oversee the timely production of periodic project implementation reports in accordance with ECOWAS rules and the provisions of the financing agreements, as well as reports presented to the ECOWAP Regional Steering Committee for Projects and Programs.
• Manage the archiving, cataloging, and preservation of documentary information produced in the context of project implementation in accordance with the provisions of the financing agreements.

E. Other Tasks

• Support the planning and operationalization teams of the ECOWAP Project Steering Committees and the ECOWAP Technical Project Monitoring Committees.
• Support RAAF teams in the preparation of semi-annual and annual reports for the Economic Affairs and Agriculture Department of the ECOWAS Commission.
• Provide technical support and the necessary information to RAAF’s cross-cutting departments (monitoring and evaluation, communication, administration, etc.) to ensure effective management of the institution.
• Support and promote the development of synergies with other projects and programs operating within the project’s scope of action in the region;
• Effectively ensure the visibility of the project’s actions and, by extension, those of ECOWAS
•  Perform all other tasks related to achieving the project’s objectives.
  2. Qualifications, Experience, Skills

A. Academic Qualifications

•  Master’s degree (or equivalent) in economics, agroeconomics, agronomy, animal husbandry, development sciences, or equivalent.
• Proficiency in computer software (database management, data analysis, word processing, Excel, etc.).

B. Required professional experience and CV evaluation criteria

The candidate must demonstrate proven experience, presented in a detailed resume and supported by supporting documents:

1. General Experience

• At least ten (10) years of professional experience in managing multi-donor projects (coordination, technical, administrative, and financial management, and team management) in the field of food and nutrition security and food crisis response, including at least 3 years in the position of project coordinator related to food security.

2. Specific Experience:

• At least five (5) years of proven professional experience, with technical and/or coordination responsibilities, in the fields of food and nutrition security and the management of food, nutrition, pastoral, and agro-pastoral crises.
• Proficiency in regional policy frameworks and mechanisms: Demonstrate a solid understanding of the implementation of ECOWAP or the UEMOA Agricultural Policy.
• Knowledge of the ECOWAS Regional Food Security Storage Strategy, as well as the main food and nutrition security governance mechanisms (PREGEC, RPCA, NRP, etc.) and their alignment with national policies is an asset
• Experience in project implementation and food crisis management : Demonstrated experience in preventing and responding to food crises in the Sahel and West Africa, including the implementation of projects or programs funded by ECOWAS, the European Union, AFD, and/or AECID or any other bilateral donor, and a track record of collaboration with key institutional and humanitarian actors (intergovernmental organizations, states, TFPs, UNS, NGOs, etc.).
• Professional experience in supporting state actors in capacity building related to agricultural policies, food and nutrition security, and food crisis response.

3. Additional Skills

• Leadership, management, and communication: Demonstrate strong leadership and multidisciplinary team management skills, as well as excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to represent RAAF in high-level forums.
• Institutional integration, tools, and mobility: Have a thorough understanding of ECOWAS’s administrative structure and demonstrate the ability to integrate the project team into the functional organization of an agency such as RAAF, along with strong proficiency in IT tools, database management, and document management systems, and a willingness to travel frequently within the ECOWAS region and beyond.

4. Language Skills

• Ability to communicate fluently in at least one of the three official languages of ECOWAS; knowledge of a second language would be an asset.

• 1. Location and duration of the assignment
• The Regional Coordinator will be based in Lomé, Togo, at the ECOWAS Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (RAAF);
• The assignment duration is for the entire life of the Project following a six-month probationary period. However, the consultant’s contract will be signed for 12-month renewable periods, subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory performance, and the Project’s needs, over the course of the project (4 years)
• The position is full-time;
  2. Other conditions
• The Consultant must adhere to the objectives and values promoted by ECOWAS;
• The Consultant must work in accordance with the principles and guidelines established within RAAF;
• The Consultant is required to avoid any situation that could create a conflict of interest in the context of the assignment assigned to them.
  3. Application Package

Application packages must include:

• A cover letter including the candidate’s email address and phone number and specifying the date of availability;
• A recent resume detailing professional experience and similar assignments;
• Three professional references (first and last name, current and past positions, email, and phone numbers);
• A certified copy of the highest degree obtained;
• Copies of employment certificates or certificates of services rendered, as listed in the resume, attesting to the experience gained;
• The signed Declaration of Integrity, Eligibility, and Environmental and Social Responsibility (according to the template provided in Annex 1);
• The signed Consultant Security Commitment Letter (according to the template provided in Annex 2).

All documents must be compiled into a single PDF file with the following label: “CANDIDATE NAME–Coordo Stock II-SCI003-2026”.

The eligibility criteria for AFD financing are specified in Article 1.3 of the “Guidelines for the Award of Contracts Financed by the AFD in Foreign Countries,” February 2024, available online on the AFD website: http://www.afd.fr.

1. 1. Submission of Applications

Applications must be received no later than April 28, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. GMT, by uploading them via the following link: https://bit.ly/45Ayfpr

1. 2. Selection Method

The consultant will be selected using the method for selecting individual consultants in accordance with the “Guidelines for the Award of Contracts Financed by AFD in Foreign Countries,” February 2024. A shortlist of no more than six (6) candidates will be drawn up to continue the selection process. In the event of a tie, the candidate with the highest score in terms of experience criteria will be selected. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next stage of the process.

1. 3. Request for Additional Information

Interested consultants may obtain further information by writing to the following email addresses: procurement@araa.org cc: ctienon@araa.org ; azonou@araa.org ; with the subject line “Coordo Stock II-SCI003-2026.”

RAAF reserves the right not to proceed with this call for applications.