About Woord en Daad
Woord en Daad (WD) is a Dutch faith-based development organization. Woord en Daad connects people throughout the world in order to alleviate poverty and to contribute to real and sustainable change in the Netherlands and worldwide. All work done is based on Biblical norms and values. WD focuses on education, technical and vocational training, youth employment, agribusiness, sustainable water as well as emergency relief and resilience. In the Netherlands, WD aims to create awareness among ordinary people, private organizations such as companies as well as government institutions about their responsibilities worldwide. Collaboration with others is project-based and focuses on the added value each member organization provides. WD always works through (project)partners, and for this reason WD does not have a country office in Sierra Leone.
Our ambition in Sierra Leone
Currently, in Sierra Leone WD is active with two of its programs: Education and Agribusiness.
Education
From The Netherlands, WD started an International Network for Christian Education (INCE) in 2016. Now, in 2025 there are several INCE projects all over the world (e.g. Guatemala, Burkina Faso and Nepal), aiming to strengthen education sectors by investing in the quality of education. Orientations have started to build an INCE partnership in Sierra Leone as well, as we see the need of quality improvement in the education sector. In 2024 a workshop with a variety of stakeholders from the sector was used for mapping out the educational sector, validate challenges of areas where the educational system need strengthening, prioritize needs/challenges, mapping actors working in addressing the prioritized needs/challenges and discussed proposed possible interventions. 2025 will be the year to get really started, strategize our intervention, build the consortium and achieve the first results. Our chosen approach is to start small by focusing on activities at teacher training and advocacy & lobby in a few districts. Once activities are running and more funding is available, we want to scale the intervention to a broader range of activities and districts.
Agribusiness
In Sierra Leone, WD also has projects on Inclusive Agribusiness, currently on cashew and rice. We organize value chains that add value for the local farmers. In 2020 we started with a consortium of 5 parties a project in the cashew sector to build the value chain for opening the export market for the cashews. As a follow up of this project we build a new project plan for the period 2024-2029 where we organize the cashew farmers in cooperatives to strengthen their position and create a hub where the farmers can share knowledge, organize financial stability and a way to sell their cashews towards the market. In another project, we started 6 years ago with giving trainings on rice farmers and connect them with a local processor. Currently the project is changed to developing swamps towards rice production areas. For the rice project we would like to build a new plan that scales up the current activities towards a plan with sector impact for the coming 5 years with and a strong link towards the strategy of the government. For this program we will start with a mapping of the rice sector and analyze what is our added value and where are the gaps so we can develop a future proof plan that keep the possibilities.
Description of the vacancy
We are looking for a program coordinator, based in Sierra Leone, who shares the dream for systemic change of the education and agribusiness sector to strategize and define the long-term objectives of these programmes in Sierra Leone, position it towards multiple stakeholders and build a consortium of relevant actors to reach value-based systemic change on the long term in both sectors. The program coordinator has the responsibilities as described below, working in close cooperation with the project leaders and the team members in the Netherlands, and the (potential) consortium members in Sierra Leone. In general, the program coordinator coordinates the project- and partnership, especially through facilitating and strengthening the cooperation between (possible) consortium partners. He/she also inspires and coordinates the consortium to achieve the agreed deliverables. The program coordinator is expected to works in line with WD’s principles of southern leadership and to shape this into the context of Sierra Leone.
Regarding the INCE-program, we are looking for a program coordinator who:
- Contextualizes the INCE basic principles into the Sierra Leone context, resulting in a multi-year strategy and Theory of Change with smart formulated targets and ambitions.
- Engages potential relevant stakeholders and consortium partners for INCE, resulting in a strong consortium for value-based systemic change. Together with these stakeholders the above mentioned INCE strategy will be defined and specified.
- Involves relevant stakeholders from (different layers of) the government and other strategically relevant actors in the Education sector of Sierra Leone, which might be part of the consortium, but can also function as resource outside the formal consortium.
Regarding this Agribusiness program, we are looking for a program coordinator who:
- Further develops the strong network in the Agri sector with the aim to build on value-based systemic change in the sector of rice and cashew.
- Align with the feed Salone strategy with the government
- Engage with the public offices and potential relevant stakeholders for the consortium partners
- Select and challenge grass root organizations that can fit as a project partner and that have the ability to create impact in communities.
- Support those grass root organizations to develop (business) plans that adds a sustainable value towards the development of households and families.
- Continually looks for business development that can be linked to the Inclusive Agribusiness program in Sierra Leone.
- Stimulates project partners in working together in an transparent and effective manner.
Candidates are requested to apply if they:
- Endorses the mission, vision and core values and is involved in a Bible faithful church;
- Have affinity with the agricultural and education sector including all policies, structures and stakeholders and have preferably a good (civil society) network in this sectors;
- Have experience in advocacy and policy influencing strategy conception and implementation;
- Have minimal of 5 year’s relevant experience in a project coordination position, working with consortia in multi-stakeholder projects in an international context;
- Are a strong networker, bring their own network contacts, pro-actively identifying and approaching relevant actors, including the government and other institutions and organisations in the public, private and civil society sector;
- Work from a result-driven, flexibel, adaptive and entrepreneurial mindset with a pro-active and actor oriented attitude;
- Are inspirational and motivational leaders and people persons with the ability to resolve matters constructively;
- Have extensive knowledge and experience with contemporary project-based strategies, Theory of Change, Result Based management tools and practices, and budgeting:
- Have strong analytical, conceptual and strategic insights, supported by a Master’s degree;
- Demonstrate strong English reading, listing, speaking and writing skills.
We offer:
- A contract for a year with option for renewal in case of good performance / availability of funds;
- An attractive financial package;
- A challenging working environment in an international setting.
How to apply
Inquiries and applications can be sent to vacatures@woordendaad.nl. For a general impression of WD, please visit www.woordendaad.nl/english. Applications should include a motivational letter and curriculum vitae (in English), three professional referees, proofs of experience and copies of academic qualifications. Deadline for applications: March 1, 2025. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted within 1 week after the deadline for submission. The first round of job interviews (through Microsoft Teams) is planned on March 6, 2025. Due to the number of responses please note that only shortlisted candidates for an interview will be contacted.