LORENZO SACKOR NIMLEY
Monrovia,
Summary
A highly experienced professional with a master's degree in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD), and 18 years of expertise in developing and managing agricultural projects and programs, including five years of technical and administrative leadership in USAID. Notably, I contributed to Caritas & Development Office Monrovia’s transition from relief to development, and I have a strong track record in strategic planning, grant management, and partnership development. Skilled in critical thinking, problem-solving, and multitasking, with a commitment to transparency, accountability, and team-building. Culturally adaptable, and an effective communicator, fluent in English, with experience leading high-impact projects, managing significant budgets, and driving sustainable development outcomes.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Acting Economic Growth Director
USAID
02.2025 - Current
- Provide technical and managerial leadership for USAID’s economic growth portfolio, ensuring program alignment with Mission and U.S
- Government priorities
- Lead the development and execution of office-wide work plans, staff annual work plan, strategic documents, and policy engagement initiatives
- Monitor program impact and performance metrics, ensuring projects are effective and aligned with USAID’s Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework
- Maintain strong professional relationships with Government of Liberia (GOL) agencies, private sector partners, donors, and civil society organizations
- Provide supervisory and technical guidance to the EGO team, including technical specialists, and support staff
USG Feed the Future Coordinator-Liberia
USAID
11.2022 - Current
- Coordinating the USG Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) Interagency team in Liberia in the development of the GFSS Liberia Country Plan
- Sharing information with the USG-GFSS Interagency partners on a regular basis
- Facilitated engagements with stakeholders in Liberia that are supporting development in the agricultural sector
- Convened dialogue sessions with the Government of Liberia, donors, UN Organizations, INGOs/NGOs, Universities and Research Institutions, Agribusinesses, Cooperatives, women and youth groups, and obtain information on the drivers of poverty, hunger and malnutrition in Liberia and pathways to address those drivers
- Drafted and finalized the GFSS Liberia Policy Cable and followed up on the approval and publication of the cable
- Led the drafting of the GFSS Liberia Country Plan and routing it for clearances and approvals within the United States Government
- Global Food Security Strategy Liberia Country Plan approved by the U.S.government interagency and the Ambassador
- The plan is being posted on the Feed The Future website
- Global Food Security Strategy Liberia Policy cable approved by the U.S
- Government interagency and the Ambassador and published
- GFSS Interagency team established at Post
- Interagency Policy Team established at Post
Agriculture Development Specialist/ Agriculture & Food Security Team Lead
USAID
09.2020 - Current
- Company Overview: USAID/Liberia (Office of Economic Growth)
- AOR- FTF Liberia Food Security, Nutrition and Resilience (FSNR) activity ($20 million)
- Activity Manager- Food Security Monitoring Project implemented by UN-World Food Programme
- Activity Manager- FTF Liberia Policy Link Activity (to commence in 2025)
- Activity Manager- Farmer-to-Farmer Financial Inclusion Activity (to commence in 2025)
- Principal strategic advisor for USG-funded agriculture projects in Liberia
- Keeping abreast of planned and ongoing projects of other donors and of the GOL, as well as coordinating opportunities that will strengthen the impact of USG programs
- Supporting USAID technical offices in the creation and implementation of strategies, including cross-sectoral or mission-specific agricultural development strategies
- Assisting in the preparation of USAID/Liberia annual reports to Washington
- Representing USAID/ Liberia at Food Security meetings and events
- Coordinating stakeholders and acting as the Point of Contact for issues pertaining to agriculture in Liberia
- Working with other parts of USAID, across the USG, and with other donors to promote collaboration around agricultural development to increase the effectiveness of the program overall
- Gender Point of Contact ( USAID Economic Growth Office)
- USAID/Liberia (Office of Economic Growth)
- Successfully managing a cross-cultural team of 4 comprising FSNs and FSOs
- Led the design team and process of the USAID-funded $20 million 5-year Feed the Future Food Security, Nutrition, and Resilience (FSNR) activity which is being implemented in Bong, Nimba, Lofa, Grand Bassa, Margibi and Montserrado, to increase food production, improve households nutritional status, reduce household poverty level, and enhance the resilience of people and their communities
- Co-led the design process of USAID-funded $20 million 5-year Agribusiness Incubator and Development project being implemented throughout Liberia
- Successfully closed-out the USAID-funded $20 million 5-year Liberia Agribusiness Development Activity (LADA)
- Successfully closed-out USAID-funded $1.9 million 1-year Agricultural Sustainability Activity (ASA)
- Facilitated discussions between colleagues within the Mission and those in Washington which resulted in conduct of pilot Market-based Food Environment Assessment in selected markets in Bong, Nimba and Margibi counties
- Co-led the design process for USAID-funded US$200,000 1-year Food Security Monitoring project with the World Food Program
- Supported Policy Link to conduct a Liberia Rapid Agriculture and Food Security Policy Landscape Assessment
- Secure full funding (US$40 million) for two new activities to be designed soon: Research, Innovation, Extension and Development activity and Market Systems Development activity
- Secured funding for Market Monitoring Activity being implemented by WFP
Director
CARITAS & Development Office Monrovia
11.2007 - 08.2020
- Provided overall leadership and management of CDOM project/ programme portfolio
- Provided financial oversight, strategic planning, MEAL, human resource management, and representation in the field
- Formulated and planned, in consultation with key stakeholders, a clear vision of the programs’ goals, objectives and strategies which were clearly communicated to team members, beneficiaries, international partners, governmental counterparts, and donors
- Explored, evaluated, and presented new project funding opportunities nationally and internationally
- Recruited, managed, and motivated an efficient team with an emphasis on excellence and achievement, encouraging a team culture of learning, creativity, and innovation, incorporating staff development strategies and performance management systems into the team-building process
- Built and maintained operational structure that ensured proper segregation of duties between finance, administration and logistics and fully supported field programs
- Ensured overall compliance to national and international standards and universal best practice
- Represented CDOM to donors, national government, and other stakeholders
- Effectively managed a financial portfolio of over 3.2 million Euros with a positive cost-benefit ratio
- Ensured uninterrupted international and local financial and technical support to Caritas & Development Office Monrovia programme/ projects
- Introduced Sustainable Agriculture to smallholder farmers in Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa and Rivercess as an agricultural approach to increase in food production, ensure food security, reduce poverty, and conserve the environment
- Positioned Caritas & Development Office Monrovia as a relevant partner for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Liberia
- Stimulated increased youth participation in agriculture in Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Gbarpolu Counties
- Over 1,208 smallholder farmers transitioned to the practice of Sustainable Agriculture on their farms in Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Gbarpolu Counties
- Ensured that smallholder farmers own small-scale rubber, oil palm or cocoa plantations for the long-term sustainability of their families
- Introduced Assets-Based Community-Driven Development approach in rural communities
Administrative & Programme Officer
CARITAS & Development Office Monrovia
01.2004 - 10.2007
- Oversaw the development of concept notes and project proposals and identified potential funding sources nationally and internationally
- Planned, designed, and provided direct supervision of the implementation of projects/programs activities
- Ensured that project/program reporting deadlines were met and that activities produced the desired quality results
- Coordinated with Human Resources to ensure that the appropriate staff was hired and trained in a timely manner for project implementation
- Ensured that detailed implementation plans and/or operational strategy were updated to respond to changing realities
- Ensured cross-learning among different field locations by providing an enabling environment for learning and sharing of best practices and lessons learned
- Led and assisted in resolving issues that arose during project implementation and ensured timely reports to the Director
- Oversaw the preparation and submission of project implementation reports
- CDOM organizational profile improved and support from international donors increased for agriculture and food security and WASH projects
- Smallholder farmers in communities in Bomi, Grand Cape Mount and Gbarpolu counties moved back to their original communities and rehabilitated their farms
Monitoring & Evaluation Officer
CARITAS & Development Office Monrovia
03.2003 - 12.2003
- Updated CDOM monitoring and evaluation templates and improved data collection
- Monitored and reported on the implementation of the project/ programs, including progress and constraints encountered
- Led the internal tracking of performance indicators and results and submitted reports to management
- Provided backstopping support in conducting surveys and assessment and helped in the analysis and reporting
- Identified and shared lessons learned from project implementation for improvement in project designs
- Worked with an external consultant on Process-Oriented Consultancy for projects/programs supported by donors
- Established improved monitoring systems for program and finance at the office level
- High quality data collected and used by the CDOM team to inform programming and management decisions
- Monitoring mechanism established in communities to track the quality of technical support provided by the field staff
Presiding Officer
Independent Elections Commission
01.1997 - 12.1997
- Conducted voters’ registration and verification at the polling center
- Presided over the casting of ballots, counting of ballots (valid and invalid), and reporting of results at the assigned polling center
- The electoral process at my assigned polling center was held without any major negative incident
Education
Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) Level 1 -
FAI
Washington DC11.2021
MSc - Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD)
University College Dublin
Dublin, Ireland01.2014
Post Graduate Diploma - Development Leadership
St. Francis Xavier University-Coady International Institute
Nova Scotia, Canada01.2009
Specialized Certificate - Livelihoods and Markets
St. Francis Xavier University-Coady International Institute
Nova Scotia, Canada01.2009
Specialized Certificate - Mobilizing Assets for Community-Driven Development
St. Francis Xavier University-Coady International Institute
Nova Scotia, Canada01.2009
BSc - Economics
University of Liberia
Monrovia, Liberia01.2001
Skills
- Grant Management
- Donor Reporting
- Sustainable Development
- Networking
- Strategic Planning
- Project Management
- Data Gathering & Analysis
- Reporting & Documentation
- Presentations
- Regulatory compliance
- Budget & Finance Control
- MS Office Suite
- Effective communication
- Team building
- Staff management
- Financial management
- Team management
- Regulatory compliance
- Budget control
- Analytical thinking
- Financial reporting
- Project coordination
- Task delegation
- Leadership development
- Visionary leadership
- Employee development
Affiliations
- Grand President, St. Paul River Bank Grand Commandery, Knights of St. John International
- Chairman Emeritus, Calvary Baptist Church School Development Organization-Liberia Chapter
Awards
- Meritorious Honor Award, For outstanding teamwork in preparation of the Mission’s response to the U.S. Government and Liberian Food Security objectives, 07/01/23
- Meritorious Honor Award, For outstanding performance in the management of the closeout of the Liberia Agribusiness Development Activity (LADA), 06/01/21
Personal Information
Nationality: Liberian
Training And Career Development
- FAC 096: Equity in Procurement, FAI, 01/01/25
- Category Management and You, FAI, 02/01/24
- Gender 101, USAID University, 04/01/24
- Introduction to the Program Cycle (IPC), FAI, 10/01/23
- Annual Cybersecurity Awareness, USAID University, 07/01/23
- Annual Privacy, USAID, 07/01/23
- Combating Trafficking in Persons, FAI, 07/01/23
- Intentional Leadership Program, FAI, 06/01/23
- Counter Threat Awareness, USAID University, 04/01/23
- Annual Counterintelligence and Insider Threat Awareness, USAID, 01/01/23
- Strengthening Nutrition Outcomes Through Agriculture: An Introduction to Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Programming, USAID, 11/01/22
- Environmental Procedures & Compliance, USAID/West Africa, 10/01/20
- Inclusive Development, USAID University, 07/01/22
- Food Systems Policy 1, USAID University, 10/01/21
- Emergency Preparedness and Response, Caritas Africa, Nairobi-Kenya, 05/01/17
- Modern Organic Production and Marketing, ECOWAS, Accra-Ghana, 09/01/16
- Achieving Social and Economic Development through Ecological and Organic Agricultural Alternatives, NOAN, Lagos-Nigeria, 10/01/15
- Project Design and Management, CORDAID Liberia, Monrovia-Liberia, 09/01/07
- Peace Building in Mano River Basin, Caritas Internationalis, Kenema- Sierra Leone, 03/01/06
- Good Governance, Caritas Africa, Banjul- Gambia, 04/01/05
- Advocacy in Peace and Conflict Resolution, Economic Justice, HIV/AIDS, and Human Trafficking, Caritas Internationalis, 10/01/04
Languages
English
First Language
English
Upper Intermediate (B2)
B2
Certification
- Most Direct Race: Fastest narrative approval by the DMD as part of the 2023 USAID/Liberia PPR Olympics, March 2024.
- Best Racing Form: Exemplary PPR Narratives as part of the 2023 USAID/Liberia PPR Olympics, March 2024.
- Best Marathon: Most Endurance to Deliver the Longest Narrative as part of the 2023 USAID/Liberia PPR Olympics, March 2024.
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Acting Economic Growth Director
USAID
02.2025 - Current
USG Feed the Future Coordinator-Liberia
USAID
11.2022 - Current
Agriculture Development Specialist/ Agriculture & Food Security Team Lead
USAID
09.2020 - Current
Director
CARITAS & Development Office Monrovia
11.2007 - 08.2020
Administrative & Programme Officer
CARITAS & Development Office Monrovia
01.2004 - 10.2007
Monitoring & Evaluation Officer
CARITAS & Development Office Monrovia
03.2003 - 12.2003
Presiding Officer
Independent Elections Commission
01.1997 - 12.1997
Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) Level 1 -
FAI
MSc - Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD)
University College Dublin
Post Graduate Diploma - Development Leadership
St. Francis Xavier University-Coady International Institute
Specialized Certificate - Livelihoods and Markets
St. Francis Xavier University-Coady International Institute
Specialized Certificate - Mobilizing Assets for Community-Driven Development
St. Francis Xavier University-Coady International Institute
BSc - Economics
University of Liberia
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