Overseas Volunteer Opportunity: Ghana

Value Addition Advisor

Contribute. Discover. Grow. Volunteer with CDF Canada.

Eligibility criteria:   Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada

Location:   This position is in the field (Kpandai)

Start Date:   As soon as possible.

Duration:   3months

Language Requirement:   English (Mandatory)

Reporting to:   Country Program Officer

The Program – VOICE for Women and Girls

VOICE for Women and Girls, funded by the government of Canada, is a volunteer cooperation program (2020 – 2028) that aims to strengthen the performance of country partner organizations to advance gender equality and economic empowerment of 50,000 co-operative and credit union members from marginalized communities in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi.

The program, supported by volunteers, strives to address the challenges and barriers that adversely affect the economic and social well-being of vulnerable groups, with particular emphasis on women and girls. VOICE aims to respond to the needs identified by these groups and to increase the capacities of individual producers and primary co-operatives, to support more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient growth. Supporting institutions such as apex co-operatives, co-operative colleges, and government/regulatory bodies will also be engaged to increase the capacity and prioritization of vulnerable groups.

The Partner you will work with

SEND Ghana has previously implemented the ACCESS and Fostering project and in some initiatives including 4R-NSP in partnership with CDF with funding from GAC. SEND Ghana focuses on research and advocacy to increase good governance practices of accountability, transparency, equity and participation in pro-poor policies and social services as well as empowers resource poor women and men to expand their small enterprises to improve income and farmers to increase food and nutrition security

What you will do – Activities and deliverables

Your assignment

The Value Addition Volunteer will be based in Kpandai and will report directly to the Country Program Officer, who coordinates all project activities at the country level. The Volunteer will work closely with cooperatives, DCP, credit unions where relevant, and other key stakeholders engaged under the VOICE Project.

The Volunteer will regularly organize and facilitate meetings, coaching sessions, and training workshops with cooperative members and managers in the assigned districts. The duration of this mandate is estimated at three (3) months.

The VOICE Project has identified critical value addition gaps among beneficiaries and is seeking a qualified Value Addition Specialist to conduct detailed assessments, generate evidence-based insights, and provide practical recommendations to address identified challenges.

This position requires both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience in value addition and enterprise development, particularly in training women to convert waste and locally available raw materials into innovative, climate-smart, environmentally sustainable products that can serve both community needs and income-generation purposes.

The Value Addition Volunteer will support cooperatives and partner institutions to strengthen product development processes, improve processing techniques, enhance quality standards, and increase market competitiveness. The assignment will focus on building technical capacity, improving product quality, promoting sustainable practices, and expanding income-generating opportunities, particularly for women and vulnerable members.

Deliverables

The desired value Addition Volunteer is expected to carry out the following key duties and responsibilities. The Volunteer will deliver a comprehensive Value Addition Support Package to the targeted cooperatives, including:

·        Conducting a value chain and market assessment to identify gaps, opportunities, and market demand.

·        Providing practical recommendations to improve product quality, processing efficiency, packaging, branding, and pricing.

·        Developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for production, hygiene, storage, and quality control.

·        Delivering hands-on training and coaching to cooperative members on value addition techniques and business management.

·        Supporting the development of simple business and marketing plans for value-added products.

·        Developing cost-tracking, pricing, and profit-monitoring tools to improve financial management.

·        Facilitating market linkages and buyer engagement where feasible.

·        Submitting a final technical report documenting achievements, lessons learned, and recommendations for sustainability and scale-up.

Your qualifications

The Value Addition Volunteer should possess the following qualifications, skills, and experience:

·        A minimum of a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in Agribusiness, Food Science, Agricultural Economics, Business Development, Cooperative Management, or a related field.

·        Proven experience in value chain development and product value addition.

·        Practical knowledge of agro-processing, quality control, packaging, and product standardization.

·        Experience supporting cooperatives, producer groups, or small enterprises to improve product competitiveness and market access.

·        Strong understanding of costing, pricing, and basic financial management for small businesses.

·        Experience in facilitating participatory training sessions and mentoring community-based groups.

·        Ability to translate technical concepts into simple, practical guidance suitable for grassroots cooperatives.

·        Strong analytical and report writing skills.

·        Experience working in rural or community-based settings (preferably in Africa) is an added advantage.

·        Ability to work independently, adapt to remote environments, and collaborate effectively with partner organizations.

Support package

This is a voluntary assignment. CDF Canada supports volunteers through the provision of a comprehensive package designed to cover a modest and healthy lifestyle, while allowing for effectiveness in the placement:

·        Return-trip international and/or domestic airfare.

·        Visa-related costs (if needed).

·        Police record check.

·        International health insurance.

·        Vaccination and health-related costs (covered by the insurance if needed).

·        Interpreter and/or translator (if needed and depending on the assignment).

·        Modest monthly living allowance.

·        Pre-departure support and orientation.

·        Support and orientation during the assignment.

·        Debriefing upon completion of the assignment.

E-volunteering

Depending on the nature of the assignment, volunteers are encouraged to provide e-volunteering support to our local partners before or after their assignment.

Engaging Canadians

CDF Canada provides technical and logistical support to young and experienced professionals through volunteer assignments to apply and acquire new skills and knowledge in international co-operative development. We ask each volunteer, regardless of the duration of their assignment, to share their experience during and upon return to Canada. The experience can be shared by providing stories of human interest and photographs that can be used for social media outreach; Participate in events/conferences or other public engagement activities to share their experience to motivate other Canadians to volunteer.