KEY COMPETENCIES – EDWARD KUSI ASAFO-AGYEI

EDUCATION
I am currently pursuing M.SC. MONITORING AND EVALUATION (weekends) at the Christian
Service University College in Kumasi after pursuing MPhil Agricultural Economics at the Kwame
Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. At the first degree level I pursued
B.Sc. Agriculture specializing in Economics.
These are social science and development programs that will ensure that I deliver on this new role.
These trainings have equipped me with adequate knowledge and skill to handle my portfolio well.
TEAM PLAYER
I have a good functional role when working in teams and promotes the overall goals of the
organization. My previous roles have involved working in teams ranging from 30 to 130 where I
directly supervised and together we achieved great feat. Each of these teams, however, have not
been free from diverse ethnic, social, racial and political inclusiveness. Nonetheless, my firm belief
in unity in diversity has urged me on and this undoubtedly has yielded results.
PROGRAMME QUALITY AND M&E
For over 10 years, my career path has been evident. I have been involved in quality assurance and
monitoring and evaluation roles of most organizations I have worked with. Having risen from
Assistant M&E Officer to now where I play more senior roles in management of my department,
Sustainable Management Services of Ecom Ghana.
DATA ANALYSIS
My training as Agricultural Economist and an MEL Expert have exposed me to working with data
on a daily basis submitting weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports. Quantitative data
analysis has been a major part of my reporting which I do using EXCEL, SPSS, EVIEWS or
STATA. However, I have been using qualitative research methods for portions of the narrative
report.
I have been exposed to modern trends in monitoring and evaluation in recent years. Again, my
further education for MSc. Monitoring and Evaluation has further enriched this skill and
experience for social accountability.
M&E SYSTEMS
I have played leading roles in the building, development and use of complex M&E systems. Over
6 years I have assisted to build M&E systems for newly created District Assemblies where I was
posted. In my current role, I have been involved in helping to build a complex system for the
organization, dealing with a large database for over 100,000 cocoa farmers across six cocoa
growing regions in Ghana.
I was recruited to join the company when they were undergoing structural reforms in the
performance of their functions and the M&E Unit was a new addition at Ecom Ghana. I have
achieved all of these with little supervision.
COACHING AND MENTORING
My career path in M&E has meant that I have been involved in coaching and mentoring for at least
6 years now. I hold trainings for all 130 junior officers who report to me at Ecom Ghana on a
quarterly basis. This was to ensure that they are effective at the task given to them. Intermittently
during my visits to each of these officers on the field to ensure that they are doing things right, I
provide further coaching and capacity building to enhance the effectiveness entire M&E systems
of the company.
GENDER AND DIVERSITY
I place much premium on gender and diversity in my roles in M&E. This is largely due to the fact
that monitoring the impact of the developmental projects is aimed at finding out what proportions
of gender are benefitting and making optimum gains.
Donor and development partners also stress on gender as this is a critical part of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDG) 3, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5. Hence all my
reporting formats have placed emphasis on gender and diversity.
DYNAMISM
As a result oriented person, I creative and seek to infuse innovation in every sphere of endeavor.
For instance, in the ministry in 2014, I spearheaded e-reporting in my department even before the
whole country began to implement same. This was to reduce the time spent on reports to enhance
the effectiveness and efficiency of the unit.
Achieving these, however, means that I am committed to working hard even under stressful
conditions to ensure that goals and objectives are met.
TIME MANAGEMENT
I am good at managing time. My portfolio involves working to meet client and donor deadlines so
at every time my focus is on apportioning my timelines for myself and my team to reach set targets.
Weekly progress reports that I demand from my team is one sure way of ensuring that we are
gradually meeting timelines given to my unit.
I also understand that the sustainable relationship with clients depend on quality and timely reports
and this is achieved largely due to proper prioritization, organization and working under pressure.
INDEPENDENCE
I have largely worked independently in the past, though, collaborating with other programme heads
to achieve set objectives. This is what has enriched my ability to think strategically and
innovatively to produce needed results.
COMMUNICATION AND COMPUTER SKILLS
I communicate fluently and effectively in written and spoken English. I have good organizational
and presentational skills.
I have a strong knowledge and experience in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power-point. In
September this year I undertook an Excel Training Course organized by Kaplan Genesis – Dubai,
to upgrade my knowledge.
OXFAM VALUES AND PRINCIPLES
Working through partner organizations, humanitarian principles, accountability and learning,
using data responsibly, staff code of conduct, sharing platforms, political activities and
campaigning, sexual diversity and gender identity are all great values of Oxfam that I cherish and
uphold.
These values will ensure that I carry out my duties in a professional manner for greater impact. I
therefore have a strong commitment to these values.
I am also very flexible and adapts easily to campaign contexts
NGO POLICY
Having worked with some NGOs and INGOs, I have acquainted myself with adequate knowledge
on NGO policy for development particularly the Compliance Manual by the World Association of
Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO).

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES
Competency Experiences
Decisiveness I am very explicit and open about my decisions and I situate my
decisions with context and take full responsibility for them.
Influencing I create the necessary relationship channels, build and maintain
them as I believe my success and broader impact depends on other
stakeholders.
Humility I always dwells the strengths of others in my team and put our
collective interest first. I make sure team members own the goals
to be achieved.
Relationship Building Building relationships is crucial to me. Since every project I
monitor has benefits on my company and the society in which it
was implemented. It is the reason why I cultivate good
relationships internally and externally.
Listening I am a good listener who appreciates the diverse viewpoints of
colleagues and stakeholders and factor them in decision making.
Mutual Accountability I have remained accountable for my actions and inactions and I
hold others same. This way we are able to improve upon the
quality of delivery.
Agility, Complexity, and I always look for to uncertainties and prepare adequately for them.
Ambiguity I have also been working with large and complex datasets that are
interrelated in diverse ways and still enjoy it.
Systems Thinking Problems arise out of our day to day activities and so they are
expected. However, for every problem there are causes, effect and
solutions. Most importantly to me are the learnings that are made
for the improvement of the system going forward.
Strategic Thinking and I make sound predictions and judgements that are in line with
Judgment organizational objectives for continual improvements in my roles.
As a result, I always plan strategically and therefore received best
employee award for my department in 2014.
Vision Setting I provide a visionary and strategic leadership for my team. I
always aim at very high targets and strive to achieve them.
Self-Awareness I have a strong self-awareness of my strengths and weaknesses
and I use my strengths and minimizes my weaknesses.
Enabling I ensure a conducive environment for my team. I support my team
by building their capacity, trusting in their ability to deliver on
organizational goals.