Project Officer Bey Diiwaan Yi - Specialization in Territorial Governance and Agroecology

Key information

• Duty station: Ngaparou (Mbour department) with regular travel to the three living labs (Mbour, Fatick, Bignona) and to Dakar
• Reports to: Scientific Director
• Contract type: Fixed-term, renewable over the duration of the project (until 31/12/2027)
• Compensation: 800,000 - 1,100,000 FCFA gross/month depending on profile and experience
• Contract duration: 1 year, renewable
• Start date: Immediate

1. Main mission

The Project Officer leads the overall management of the Bey Diiwaan Yi project (“Cultivating the Territories”), a three-year programme (2025-2027) funded by LED - Liechtenstein Development Service and implemented by the CREATES-Nitidæ consortium across three territories (living labs): the Petite Côte (Mbour), the Saloum (Fatick) and Casamance (Bignona).

With a strong specialization in territorial governance and agroecology, they are responsible for the project’s operational coordination, technical quality, donor reporting and partnership management. They directly lead the territorial governance component (Outcome 1) in close coordination with the Dynamics for Local-Level Agroecological Transition (DyTAEL) and the national-level DyTAES, farmers’ organizations, Village Development Committees and local authorities.

As a member of the CREATES team, they also contribute to the organization’s other projects that mobilize a “territorial governance, agriculture and agroecology” thematic line - notably ARTS, AgroVoices, PRATAM and emerging initiatives - in order to generate synergies between projects and consolidate the living labs.

2. Organizational context

The Centre for Research-Action on Ecological and Social Transformations (CREATES) is a transdisciplinary research-action organization based in Senegal. CREATES aims to co-create innovative solutions to the complex challenges of sustainable development in West Africa, fostering North-South and South-South partnerships. Anchored in territorial living labs, CREATES adopts a participatory approach in close collaboration with local communities.

Its areas of intervention include:

• Agroecology and territorialized food systems;
• Sustainable habitat;
• Equitable natural resource management;
• Valorization of scientific and traditional knowledge.

The Bey Diiwaan Yi project is one of CREATES’ flagship projects. Implemented as a consortium with Nitidæ (a French NGO active in Senegal since 2013, specialized in agroecological intensification and value chain support), it pursues three interdependent strategic results (outcomes):

• Outcome 1: Inclusive governance of food systems - territorial governance structures strengthened to integrate agroecology into local policies and practices.
• Outcome 2: Agroecological intensification - more sustainable and productive local production systems through co-developed infrastructure and practices.
• Outcome 3: Development of alternative markets and value chains - new market opportunities for agroecological producers and processors.

3. Main responsibilities

3.1. Overall management of the Bey Diiwaan Yi project (≈ 55%)

• Ensure operational coordination of the entire project across the three living labs (Mbour, Fatick, Bignona), in close coordination with consortium partner Nitidæ.
• Lead the multidisciplinary project team (agronomy technician, DyTAEL coordinator, markets and value chains officer, communication and MEL officer) and ensure cohesion between components.
• Develop and update annual planning, quarterly work plans and operational budgets, in line with the logical framework and timeline.
• Lead the monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) system in collaboration with the dedicated MEL officer, and ensure the quality of data collected on indicators.
• Draft narrative and financial progress reports for the LED donor (annual reports, continuation requests, phase reports) and prepare donor monitoring missions.
• Ensure overall budget monitoring, in coordination with the administrative and financial managers of CREATES and Nitidæ, and identify reallocations needed during implementation.
• Represent the project with institutional partners, local and national authorities, and in multi-stakeholder coordination spaces.
• Manage project risks (political, security, operational) and propose appropriate mitigation measures.
• Actively prepare phase 2 of the project (co-financing mobilization, capitalization of results, design of the next submission).

3.2. Territorial Governance and Agroecology specialization - Outcome 1 (≈ 30%)

• Engage, monitor and mobilize key actors in the agroecological territories: DyTAES, DyTAEL Fatick, DyTAEL Mbour, DyTAEL Bignona, RACINES, farmers’ organizations, decentralized technical services and local authorities.
• Coordinate territorial diagnostics and actor mapping in the three living labs (in synergy with the ARTS project for Fatick and Bignona).
• Support the development of territorial agroecological transition plans (target: 3 departmental plans and 5 village plans) and their operational implementation.
• Support the establishment or reactivation of Village Development Committees (CVDs) and inter-village committees, as well as other collaborative governance platforms.
• Design, organize, facilitate and document multi-stakeholder events (workshops, dialogues, forums) at local, territorial and national levels.
• Strengthen the capacities of CSOs, CVDs and farmers’ organizations in territorial governance and community-based natural resource management (targets: 25 meetings/trainings, 500 participants of whom ≥ 30% women and ≥ 30% youth).
• Design and implement territorial advocacy strategies in favor of the agroecological transition, in coordination with the communication officer.
• Document and disseminate good practices in territorial governance (capitalization, lessons learned, contributions to scientific publications).

3.3. Cross-cutting contributions to other CREATES projects (≈ 15%)

• Participate in CREATES’ research-action activities in the fields of territorial governance, agriculture and agroecology (ARTS, AgroVoices, PRATAM, Sáfene Oral and Botanical Tradition and new initiatives).
• Identify and activate synergies between Bey Diiwaan Yi and other CREATES projects in order to share diagnostics, multi-stakeholder workshops and methodological tools across shared living labs.
• Occasionally contribute to the collection and analysis of qualitative data on governance, agricultural public policies and stakeholder dynamics.
• Provide technical input to project proposals under development at CREATES (governance / agriculture / agroecology thematic line).
• Represent CREATES, in coordination with management, in certain national and regional dialogue spaces on agroecology and agricultural policies.
• Contribute to the associative and strategic life of CREATES (team meetings, retreats, annual planning, quality processes).

4. Required qualifications and skills

• Education: Master’s degree (5 years of higher education) in social sciences, development studies and international cooperation, natural resource management, agronomy, agroecology, political science or a related field. A doctorate or additional training in development project management is an asset.
• Professional experience: Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience, including at least 3 years in multi-stakeholder development project management (ideally funded by European / Swiss donors) and 2 years supporting CSOs, advocacy or local governance. Experience in a rural Sahelian context is essential.
• Knowledge of the territories: Work experience desired in one or more of the intervention territories: Fatick, Bignona, Mbour. Good knowledge of Senegalese agroecological dynamics is expected.
• Thematic knowledge: Mastery of concepts of inclusive territorial governance, agroecological transition, community-based natural resource management, territorialized food systems and sustainable value chains.
• Project management: Proven experience in strategic planning, project cycle management, monitoring and evaluation (logical framework, SMART indicators, theory of change), multi-donor budget management and narrative and financial reporting.
• Consortium work: Demonstrated ability to work in a consortium with other organizations and to coordinate multidisciplinary and geographically distributed teams.
• Network: Well-established network in the field of agroecology in Senegal (DyTAES, DyTAEL, RACINES, state technical services, NGOs, farmers’ organizations). Deep knowledge of the main actors and their agendas.
• Communication and facilitation: Excellent command of oral and written communication. Strong experience in facilitating participatory multi-stakeholder workshops (participatory facilitation methods, design thinking, forum theatre, participatory mapping are assets).
• Research-action and innovation: Sensitivity to transdisciplinary research-action and ability to integrate innovative approaches (living labs, co-design, participatory methods) into territorial governance.
• Languages: Fluency in French (oral and written) and Wolof is essential. Knowledge of Sérère, Diola or Mandinka would be a significant asset. A good level of English is desired (donor reports, publications, international exchanges).
• IT tools: Good command of office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), collaborative tools (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365), and ideally project management and data collection tools (Asana or equivalent, KoboToolbox / ODK, basic QGIS).
• Personal qualities: Autonomy, leadership, rigor, initiative, relational intelligence, ability to work in a multicultural team, geographic mobility (regular field work across three territories) and commitment to the values of agroecology and social and environmental justice.

5. Working conditions

• Position based in Thiafoura / Somone (Mbour department), at the CREATES office, with frequent travel to the three living labs (Mbour, Fatick, Bignona) and to Dakar for strategic and institutional meetings.
• Service vehicle and per diem provided for field travel.
• Possibility of partial remote work according to the organization’s internal arrangements and operational requirements.
• Dynamic, collaborative and demanding work environment, within a multidisciplinary team distributed between CREATES and Nitidæ and connected to international partners (University of Bern, LED, etc.).
• Opportunities to participate in international scientific and professional events and in collective publications.

6. Why join CREATES and the Bey Diiwaan Yi project?

Joining CREATES and the Bey Diiwaan Yi project means taking on a high-level responsibility at the heart of a strategic project that aims to territorialize the agroecological transition in Senegal. You will work at the interface of research-action, advocacy, technical support and local governance, within a consortium that combines CREATES’ transdisciplinary expertise in social sciences and food systems with Nitidæ’s operational expertise in agroecological intensification and value chains. You will contribute to consolidating an emerging center of excellence in West Africa, with strong opportunities for professional development, influence on public policy and the production of knowledge useful to actors in the territories.

7. How to apply

The application file must include:

• A cover letter (2 pages maximum) specifying interest in the position, availability and salary expectations (PDF, 5 MB max);
• A detailed curriculum vitae (4 pages maximum) (PDF, 5 MB max);
• Contact details of three references (to be included in the CV or cover letter);
• Where applicable, one or two examples of relevant written outputs (report, note, publication) - may be included in the CV or mentioned at the interview.

To apply, use the Apply button below. You will receive a confirmation email after submitting your application.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the deadline. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview. CREATES encourages applications from women and from candidates reflecting the social and geographic diversity of Senegal.