Business Development Advisor (Tanzania Milk Processing Project) at HEIFER International, Tanzania

Business Development Advisor (Tanzania Milk Processing Project), Tanzania

Description

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

Tanzania Milk Processing Project (TMPP) is an ambitious project that aims to increase the incomes of smallholder dairy farmers in Tanzania through better access to reliable, high-value markets while ensuring processors have access to increased supply of high-quality milk.

FUNCTION
The Business Development Officer (BDO) will work closely with the Dairy Quality Assurance Officers and Social Capital Development Coordinator to provide leadership to business development activities to build the capacity of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to be sustainable business entities with functional structures able to improve the incomes of their members by providing services and a reliable market by entering into agreements with off-taker Processors to supply them with high-quality milk.

S/he will collaborate with dairy farmer Producer Organizations (POs), processors, Dairy Interest Groups (DIGs) and dairy boards to enhance value-chain actors’ benefits and leverage service delivery at each level of contact with both farmers and customers. S/he will provide technical assistance to FPOs to enter into bulk purchase agreements with large scale processors and support all the entities to fulfill the mutually agreed agreements.

S/he will also work closely with or through partner processors’ (Milk Com and Shambani Milk) and private sector players input suppliers, financial service providers), government agencies and development partners to design and implement appropriate business development interventions that improve the business performance of the FPOs, DIGs and individual farmers within the cluster.

ESSENTIAL CHARACTER TRAITS:
Proactive, creative thinker, a team player and able to structure and manage complex tasks.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DELIVERABLES
Ensure FPOs and MCCs increase the collection and supply of high-quality milk to partner processors (50%).

• Ensure that Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO )in Morogoro and Coastal regions in Tanzania operate as profitable entities through increased milk volumes from the current 4,500 to 20,000 LPD and 3,000 to 8,000 LPD by December 2020 to Milk Com and Shambani Milk.
• Ensure partner processors have adequate milk for processing by mobilization of milk suppliers from the current 1500 to 3000 by December 2020, and provision of business development services to increase the value proposition of the partner processors and FPOs to farmers in order to improve farmer loyalty.
• Ensure that the FPOs in Morogoro and Coastal regions, together with partner processors have an efficient and functional milk supply chain and increase milk collection efficiency through the establishment of additional collection centers/points and increase the number of transporters to collect 25,000 LPD.
• Partnerships developed with key stakeholders in the dairy industry including contracts with at least 3 input suppliers, 2 financial service providers, 3 government agencies and 2 development partners among others to ensure farmers have access to the necessary inputs and services to increase production and productivity.
• Ensure at least 150 Dairy Interest Groups (DIGs) and at least 3 FPOs have access to inputs, services and markets that are important to increase milk production, productivity and incomes.
• Ensure 3 FPOs have functional systems and structures including the requisite policies and standard operating procedures
• Support the strengthening of farmer apex body to provide services to the farmers in Morogoro and Coastal regions.

Capacity Building of POs and DIGs on Leadership and governance. (30% )

• Ensure 3 FPOs in the area have a viable business focus, with strong leadership, management, and succession systems, in an environment of transparency and ownership.
• Ensure at least 3 FPOs have developed strategic and operational plans and, understand holistically the dairy value chain landscape and the key drivers of growth. The focus to be on taking a quantum leap in milk collection and marketing, and productivity-enhancing services so that the FPOs are a catalyst in the dairy development of the cluster.
• Improved governance, financial and management skills of PO board and management through the design and delivery of business-related training programs.
• At least 5 FPOs roll out Business and Saving & Credit training modules for DIGs and dairy farmers.

Employ Social Capital Development (SCD) as a foundation for strong and sustainable hubs (10%)

• Increased membership and milk supply at the hub level by mobilizing farmers into at least 150 DIGs by December 2020 using the SCD approach.
• Improved leadership and governance at 300 DIGs and at least 3 FPOs to ensure increase milk collection and business performance at the DIG and FPO levels.
• Ensure increased women participation as shareholders, leaders and suppliers at DIG and FPO level (by at least 30%)

Planning, reporting, and documentation (10%)

• Business performance and progress reports developed and shared by the 8th of each month to the country office for onward submission to the Regional office and review with the PO boards.
• Participation in cluster level team meetings and national level business meetings, to help plan and deliver on the project objectives.
• Participate in learning forums at cluster level created, and best practices documented and shared.

May perform other job-related responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelors’ Degree or equivalent in the fields of Agriculture Economics, Business Administration, Rural Development, Enterprise Development, Animal/ Veterinary Science or other related field,
• Two (2) years field and technical experience with commercial sector, agribusiness development in a mix of economic growth/trade, value chain competitiveness, investment promotion, or agriculture development.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Experience working with farmer group programs.

Preferred Requirements:

• Significant experience in building public/private partnerships, preferably in the dairy sector.
• Strong consumer marketing, financial analysis, and management skills.
• Experience in supporting and monitoring field-based programs in the country.
• Excellent command of Report writing, analysis and presentation skills using Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Track record of building strong client and stakeholder relationships.
• Ability to generate innovative solutions in work situations.

Most Critical Proficiencies:

• A clear understanding of partnership development and knowledge working with the private sector especially in the dairy value chain.
• Innovative, analytical, and solutions-oriented.
• Knowledge of enterprise development and linkages to poverty alleviation.
• Strong interpersonal management skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills a must;
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Proficient knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, electronic mail (Microsoft Office preferred) and the Internet.
• Demonstrated proficiency in English and other local languages, both oral and written.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands:

• Preparing and presenting documents in a well-designed and attractive format with superior attention to detail.
• Ability to understand, appreciate and implement Heifer’s Value-Based Holistic Community Development.
• Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions.
• Willingness and ability to assign and review the work of direct reports and to use participatory management skills with junior and senior staff.
• May require constant sitting; working at a computer and focusing for extended periods of time and performing office environment activities while on the road and/or in remote conditions.
• Working with sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
• Ability to manage and execute multiple tasks with little supervision while meeting sometimes inflexible deadlines.

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