Business and Marketing Linkages Advisor, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Job Details

Description

I. TechnoServe Background
TechnoServe works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. We are a nonprofit organization that develops business solutions to poverty by linking people to information, capital and markets. Our work is rooted in the idea that given the opportunity, hardworking men and women in even the poorest places can generate income, jobs and wealth for their families and communities. With nearly five decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

II. Program Description
TechnoServe is implementing the USAID funded Alliance for Inclusive and Nutritious Food Processing (AINFP) regional program in collaboration with Partners in Food Solutions (PFS). The program leverages the power of the private sector to create better nutritional outcomes for base-of-the-pyramid consumers and more profitable market opportunities for local farmers. This is achieved by supporting local food processing companies in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Ethiopia through remote technical assistance and training from world leading food processing companies under PFS to increase the availability of safe, affordable
and nutritious food.

III. Position Description
Reporting to the Program Manager, Business and Market Linkages Adviser will support client relationship management, business advisory, and technical assistance particularly in the area of farmer and market linkages.

IV. Key Roles and Responsibility

 Leads on the business and market linkages elements of a donor-funded program; a critical member of a small implementation team, coordinating with other team members to ensure smooth implementation and achievement of objectives
 Supporting local SMEs in the agro-processing sector to develop inclusive business models
 Facilitate relationships between aggregators or farmer-allied intermediaries and selected agro-processors to develop linkages for increased sourcing from smallholder farmers; increasing quality, consistency and efficiency in the supply chain
 Identify business opportunities to increase sales to low income and vulnerable consumers
 Develop compelling business cases for agro-processors to integrate smallholder farmers in their supply chain and/or increase sales to low income markets
 Coordination with technical and A2F advisers to support agro-processors adapt production systems and processes to take advantage of the new supply and market opportunities
 Managing strategically to identify and solve problems, seek alliances and identify new opportunities to multiply impact.

V. Required Skills and Experiences

 Bachelor Degree in Business or a technical area relevant to agri-business/food processing.
 A Master’s degree in related field is an added advantage.
 A Minimum 5 to 7 years’ experience in project management in agribusiness sector in Tanzania
 Vast knowledge and Experience working with both private and public sector or business advisory preferred.
 Proven track record of developing complex client business plans
 Excellent problem solving and analytical skills
 Strong negotiation and communication skills, both written and verbal
 Clear and systematic thinking that demonstrates good judgment, problem solving, and creativity
 Team work/relationship – works cooperatively and flexibly with other members of the team with the full understanding of the role to be played as a team member or leader
 Ability to balance multiple priorities and meet demanding deadlines
 Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
 Excellent oral and written communication skills in both English and Swahili and attention to detail
 Strong computer and formatting skills in MS Word, MS Publisher and MS PowerPoint
 Strong interpersonal, cross-cultural and team-building skills
 Ability to develop well written, cohesive reports that are responsive to the donors’ needs
 Analytical mind and commitment to quality; rigorous approach with a high level of attention to detail.
 Highly level of integrity – present truthful information in an appropriate and helpful matter and keeps confidences
 Willingness to spend 50% of time travelling for monitoring field activities delivery

VI. Success Factors

Competency is a combination of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) directly related to successful performance on the job.

Core Competencies include:
 Integrity and honesty: Is widely trusted; seen as a direct, truthful individual; presents truthful information in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; does not misrepresent himself or herself for personal gain.
 Team Work/ Relationships: Works co-operatively and flexibly with other members of the team with a full understanding of the role to be played as a team member and/or leader, to achieve a common goal. Ability to build and maintain effective relationships and networks.
 Learning attitude: Proactively takes advantage of opportunities to learn. Actively identifies new areas for learning; applies and shares new knowledge and skill appropriately.
 Diversity/Inclusiveness: Demonstrates an understanding and appreciation for diversity and supports diversity efforts. Interacts effectively with and inclusively with people of all races, cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds, religions, ages, and genders.
 Communication: Expresses ideas effectively in individual and group situations. Listens effectively; shares information, ideas and arguments; adjusts terminology, language and communication modes to the needs of the audience; ensures accurate understanding; acts in a way that facilitates open exchange of ideas and information; uses appropriate non-verbal communication.
 Decision making/Problem Solving: Is able to analyze situations, diagnose problems, identify the key issues, establish and evaluate alternative courses of action and produce a logical, practical and acceptable solution. Is able to make effective decisions on a dayto-day basis, taking ownership of decisions, demonstrating sound judgement in escalating issues where necessary.
 Results Oriented/ High Quality Deliverables: Stays focused on the efforts necessary to achieve quality results consistent with programmatic or departmental goals. Demonstrates the ability to achieve effective results; works persistently to overcome obstacles to goal achievement. Accomplishes tasks by considering all areas involved, no matter how small; showing concern for all aspects of the job; accurately checking processes and tasks.
 Planning & Time Management: Establishes a course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a specific goal. Effectively plans, schedules, prioritizes and controls activities; identifies, integrates and orchestrates resources (people, material, information, budget, and/or time) to accomplish goals. Prioritizes work according to the program or department’s goals, not just own job responsibilities; manages own time effectively.
 Business Acumen: The ability to use information, ask the right questions and take decisions that make an impact on the overall business performance.

Job Specific/Technical Competencies include:
 Computer Literacy- Demonstrates knowledge and ability to use specific computer programs or applications for own functional area. Having the ability to improve performance by integrating new and existing technology into the workplace.
 Donor/Partnership Management: Identifies opportunities and builds strategic relationships with other organizations to help achieve business goals.
 Analysis, Research, Report Writing: Experience in business planning and analysis, modeling for feasibility and execution. Able to analyze and express oneself clearly in business writing.
 Innovative Mindset: Curious inquiries, asks questions and seeks out information from multiple sources, learns from mistakes, sees change as an opportunity.
 Internal Client Focus: Client Focus is based on the ability to understand the organization’s needs and concerns in the short to long-term and to provide sound recommendations and/or solutions.

VII.Career Pathways:
The positions that may be a next career opportunity for employees in this job title include
Program Manager or Portfolio Manager