Country Coordinator – Sierra Leone

About the role

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is seeking a Country Coordinator for its I‑Youth 2.0 project in Sierra Leone. The post provides strategic, technical, operational and administrative leadership to implement the Youth in Agribusiness (IYA) model, strengthen the national network of youth agripreneurs and link activities to the continental IYA network.

Key responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for the I‑Youth 2.0 project in Sierra Leone.
• Develop and implement annual work plans, budgets, procurement plans and project schedules.
• Coordinate and supervise all technical interventions, including capacity building, enterprise development, workforce development, digital transformation, monitoring and evaluation, communication and safeguarding.
• Lead and manage the country project team and field coordinators, ensuring performance management and staff development.
• Ensure timely implementation of activities in line with donor agreements, institutional policies and quality standards.
• Engage strategically with national and sub‑national government bodies, development partners, private sector, financial institutions, research and educational institutions and civil society.
• Establish and strengthen partnerships that support project sustainability, investment and scaling.
• Oversee the establishment and operational performance of Agribusiness Parks and related enterprises.

Required profile

• Proven experience in leading large‑scale development projects, preferably in agriculture or youth entrepreneurship.
• Strong knowledge of agribusiness, agripreneurship and rural development contexts.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, donor compliance and procurement processes.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and partnership building skills.
• Leadership experience supervising multidisciplinary teams across multiple locations.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and represent the organization at national level.

Required skills