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. With more than four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives. 

Program Description:

• TechnoServe collaborates with Partners in Food Solutions (PFS), a non-profit organization that aggregates and links the corporate volunteer expertise of leading food companies - General Mills, Cargill, Buhler, DSM, Hershey, Ardent Mills and Smucker’s - with promising food industry entrepreneurs in Africa.
• Under the USAID-funded Alliance for Inclusive and Nutritious Food Project, TechnoServe works alongside PFS to engage local food companies, identify their growth challenges, and link them with volunteer experts from PFS corporate partners. The project will build the efficiency and inclusiveness of food processors, improving production and profitability, increasing linkages with smallholder farmers, and growing distribution channels to better reach Base of the Pyramid (BoP) markets. The project is anticipated to run until March 2024.

Position Description:

• The Market Linkages Specialist will facilitate upstream and downstream relationships for processors of nutritious foods, toward creating a more inclusive sector. Specifically, s/he will be the driving force behind assisting selected project-supported food processors in three key areas:
• Identification and building of linkage opportunities between assisted processors and smallholder farmer suppliers of raw material. Expected outcomes will include: increased effectiveness and efficiency of processor’s supply chains; increased consistency and quality of raw material sourced in accordance with the processor’s requirements; establishment of more direct and longer term trading relationships between smallholder farmer suppliers and selected processors.
• Support to processors to develop sales and distribution channels for nutritious food products to low income and vulnerable population markets. Expected outcomes will include: improved availability of safe, nutritious food products for low-income consumers; increased sales of nutritious food products by targeted AINFP-supported enterprises; increased job-creation including in the informal retail sector; lower transaction costs and reduced price of nutritious products for poorer consumers.
• Support to processors to develop sales and distribution channels for processed food to high end markets including Ethiopian Airlines. Expected outcomes will include: identification of opportunities for linkage to high-end markets; increased sales volumes of nutritious food products by targeted AINFP-supported enterprises to these markets.

Specific Responsibilities Include:

Smallholder Supply Chains:

• In collaboration with the SBMM, develop strategy to achieve AINFP targets for linking smallholder farmers (SHF) and food processors
• Nurture and maintain the necessary network in the food processing sector and among the farming community as well as development projects that support agricultural production
• Develop and keep up-to-date profile of demands / off-takers among food processors in the country
• Develop and keep up-to-date profile of potential SHF suppliers such as individual farmers, groups, primary cooperatives, farmers’ unions etc  
• Identify and undertake thorough and periodic analyses of demand and supply gap between smallholder farmers and food processors
• Make a compelling business case to processors to integrate smallholder farmers into their supply chain.
• Provide technical assistance to processors to put together realistic sourcing strategy and plans and build business relations with suppliers
• Organize one to one and group platforms for market linkages to facilitate negotiations between suppliers and off takers.  
• Facilitate purchase agreements between processors and smallholder farmer groups / cooperatives. Encourage processors to invest resources in smallholder farm production to support quality and reliable supply.
• Ensure smallholder farmer groups / cooperatives understand processor product requirements.
• Implement techniques and strategies to ensure participation of women owned and/or led businesses as well as women SHF benefit from the market linkages work

 Low Income / Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) Markets

•  Under the leadership of SBMM, develop a strategy for enhancing linkages between food processors and BOP market towards increasing reach of nutritious products to BOP market
• Explore innovative approaches such as digital opportunities to BOP market expansion
• Through both secondary and primary information gathering, develop an understanding of and document low-income market channels, behavior and preferences etc
• Develop and keep roster of key BOP market players and build network
• Identify food processors with products that are relevant to the BOP market, keep roster and build relationship
• Identify strategies to deepen penetration of BoP markets with nutritious foods, including new product development, packaging, pricing and promotion, and development of new distribution channels.
• Make business cases to demonstrate to processors potential of BOP market opportunities
• Identification and mobilization of innovative distribution channels, building on existing structures where feasible, e.g. informal retailers, community-based distributors, consumer associations etc.
• Coordinate with SBMM and the entire team to facilitate processor access to appropriate technical assistance and business finance.
• Build relationship and seal deals between food processors and BOP market distributors through facilitating B2B meetings or other forms of market linkage platforms
• Support food processors and BOP market distributors in contracting and contract negotiations as required by clients
• Follow up and record implementation of contracts and assist to navigate challenges if any

High End Market

• Under leadership of the SBMM, co-create with AINFP team a strategy to enhance linkages between food processors and the high end market
• Identify and keep profile of potential high end market buyers that can source local processors’ food
• Identify and keep profile of potential food processors that seek and are able to supply to high end market
• Undertake thorough and regular analyses of high end market buyers, channel, behaviors and preferences
• Support the AINFP team to plan and provide technical assistance to food processors to meet market demands of high-end buyers
• Support the SBMM in planning and organizing platforms to initiate discussions, and business negotiations between high end buyers and food processors
• Assist in contracts development between buyers and processors
• Follow up implementation of contracts and navigate in case of challenges   

Sector Wide Training

• In collaboration with the Capacity Development Lead/Training Officer, provide technical input on needs identification and organizing and facilitating SWT related to market linkages

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning

• Support the SBMM in complying with data collection and reporting requirements as related to business and market linkages portfolio of the program

Gender Integration

• Understand all gender integration requirements (donor as well as internal to TechnoServe).
• Review gender targets and progress and make suggestions for course correction to SBMM

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree with 5-7 years; Master’s Degree with 3-5 years in Economics, Business Management, Marketing, or related area, or equivalent experience in food market systems. Master’s degree preferred.
• At least 3-5 years’ professional experience in food market systems, including experience working in the private sector.
• Successful experience linking smallholder farmers with buyers, particularly processors.
• Proven experience working with BOP and High End Markets
• Demonstrated understanding of gender issues in agriculture or market systems.
• Experience with agricultural commodities/product pricing and contract structures preferred.
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills.
• Excellent oral and written presentation skills and good computer skills in business software (Excel, MS Project and PowerPoint).
• Excellent verbal and written English language skills.

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 day-to-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:

• Financial & Resource Management: The ability to estimate, justify, and manage appropriate funding levels to support goal accomplishment. Managing Resources is about understanding human, financial, and operational resource issues to make decisions aimed at building and planning efficient project workflows, and at improving overall organizational performance.
• Donor/Partnership Management: Identifying opportunities and taking action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, or 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. 

How to Apply

Qualified and interested applicants should Click here to apply for this position and submit a cover letter resume as a single document (either Word or PDF) by April 2, 2021. Applications will be reviewed and considered as received/on a rolling basis. Please identify the position for which you are applying in the subject line. Only applicants meeting minimum qualifications will be contacted. Please note that we are not accepting CVs that are not sent through the indicated link.

The position initially has a duration until March 31, 2024, with the possibility of an extension

TECHNOSERVE ENCOURAGES DIVERSITY IN ALL LEVELS AND ACROSS ALL FACETS OF OUR ORGANIZATION. WITH THIS COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, WE ARE PROUD TO BE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND DO NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF GENDER, RACE, COLOR, ETHNICITY, RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, AGES, DISABILITY, AND ALL OTHER PROTECTED CLASSES. 

TechnoServe has the right to cancel this advertisement. Women are highly encouraged to apply