Vacancy – AFIWEL Program Manager

The Africa Fish and Aquaculture Welfare (AFIWEL) Program is a pan-African initiative led by One Health and Development Initiative (OHDI) to promote ethical, welfare-centered, and sustainable aquaculture across the continent. In its next phase of implementation, the program aims to deepen its impact through targeted policy integration, enhanced farmer capacity building, and improved market access for ethically raised fish under the established AFIWEL SAFE model – Sustainably raised, Affordable, Food-safe, Ethically produced. The program operates in eight focus countries – Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, and Tunisia – through a robust network of AFIWEL Fellows and national partners.

OHDI is seeking an experienced, strategic, and visionary Program Manager to coordinate the AFIWEL program activities across Africa. The Manager will oversee multi-country operations, drive program strategy, ensure technical excellence, and lead a high-impact agenda that integrates aquatic animal and fish welfare into national and regional animal welfare, aquaculture, and blue economy policies. The role also includes spearheading stakeholder engagement, supporting AFIWEL Fellows, guiding farmer training and onboarding, and developing sustainable market access channels for welfare-compliant fish products.

This is a unique opportunity for a passionate leader with expertise in aquatic systems, animal, health, sustainable agriculture, or food policy to shape the future of ethical aquaculture in Africa.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Program Strategy & Management: Lead the strategic planning, implementation, and scale-up of the AFIWEL Program across 8 countries. Oversee workplans, budgets, performance tracking, and donor reporting to ensure timely and efficient program delivery.

AFIWEL Fellow Support & Regional Coordination: Provide strategic oversight and technical mentorship to AFIWEL Fellows. Facilitate peer learning, innovation sharing, and alignment between country-level interventions and continental goals. Resolve implementation challenges
and ensure effective field-level coordination.

Policy Advocacy & Integration: Champion the integration of aquatic animal and fish welfare into national and regional policies, including animal welfare frameworks, aquaculture development plans, fisheries laws, and blue economy strategies. Represent the program in
policy dialogues and engage regional bodies and national stakeholders to drive systemic reforms.
Farmer Training & Welfare Compliance: Oversee the design and rollout of farmer training programs on fish welfare and ethical aquaculture practices. Support AFIWEL Fellows in facilitating training and evaluations. Ensure compliant farmers are onboarded into the ethical
supply chain and provide improvement plans for those needing support, and lead the development of the AFIWEL SAFE market access framework.
Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships: Cultivate partnerships with governments, civil society, donors, research institutions, and private sector actors. Promote inclusive public-private partnerships and mobilize multi-sectoral support for ethical aquaculture development.
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning: Lead the program’s MEL strategy, including baseline assessments, progress tracking, outcome documentation, and adaptive learning. Use insights to inform program refinement and contribute to the development of a continent-wide Fish Welfare Certification Standard.
Communications & Brand Promotion: Collaborate with the OHDI communications team to lead awareness campaigns across Africa. Represent AFIWEL Program in high-level events and media platforms, amplify farmer stories, and strengthen the visibility and impact of safe, healthy ethically produced fish products.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
● Minimum of 7 years of progressive professional experience in multi-country program leadership, preferably within aquaculture, animal welfare, One Health, agricultural development, or sustainable food systems.
● At least an advanced degree in Aquatic Animal Health, Veterinary Medicine, Fisheries Management, Public Policy, Agriculture, or a related field.
● Demonstrated experience in farmers’/stakeholder training, supply chain development, and the implementation of compliance systems.
● Strong understanding of fish and animal welfare, including relevant policy and regulatory environments in aquaculture and the blue economy.
● In-depth knowledge of aquaculture systems and animal welfare challenges in Africa.
● Proven ability to navigate complex policy landscapes, engage stakeholder networks, and manage donor-funded projects.
● Excellent skills in communication, leadership, strategic planning, budget oversight, and cross-cultural team coordination.
● Experience in policy engagement, coalition-building, and advocacy at national and regional levels.
● Strong capabilities in proposal development, reporting, and donor communication.
● Proficiency in English is required; fluency in French or Arabic is a strong advantage.
● Willingness and ability to travel frequently across Africa and engage with a wide range of partners and communities

WHAT WE OFFER
● A leadership opportunity in a groundbreaking pan-African program with potential for lasting impact.
● Flexible and collaborative work environment with room to innovate and lead.
● Competitive remuneration commensurate with experience and qualifications.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Location: Remote work location within Africa (preferably in one of the 8 AFIWEL focus countries) and frequent regional travel required
Contract Type: Full-time, initial 6-months contract (renewable based on performance and funding)

HOW TO APPLY
Interested applicants should complete the application form here until May 16, 2025. You will need to provide the following:
● A cover letter describing your motivation and fit for the role
● A CV
● Contact information for 2 professional references