Technoserve

Position: Business Advisor – Agronomy

Job Time: Full-Time

Job Type: Contract

Place of Work: Location: Sidama Region/Bona Woreda-For five months with possible extension, SNNPR, Ethiopia

Posted date: 26 minutes ago

Application Deadline: Jul, 30/2021 (7 days left)

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

Program Description:

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Planning and management of FT’s

• Submit BA weekly work plan – details when will attend training
• Review FT weekly work plan with dates
• Collect weekly training plans and data from FT’s
• Clearly communicate goals and roles and responsibilities to all staff
• Provide feedback, coaching, and development activities related to performance management, following HR guidelines.
• Notify SBA of any performance issues as soon as observed.
• Develop a team spirit among all reports.
• Submit Farmer Trainer of the month nominations for own reports.

Conduct monthly Agronomy training for FTs

• Model that months agronomy training to FTs at local training demo
• Supervise teach-backs and give feedback
• Ensure all training materials reach FT’s

Observe FT’s delivering training at demo plot

• Observe full training to farmers
• Complete the training observation form and give feedback and coaching to FT
• Check attendance form, cross-check with the number of farmers seen as present. Ensure reported data is accurate.
• Check demo plot status, complete form and give feedback to FT

Visit farmers

• Pick farmers at random
• Discuss training, farmer adoption, and challenges
• Complete Best Practice checklist

Visit Demo plots

• Meet with FF and discuss any challenge
• Check demo plot status, complete form, and give feedback to FT.

Attendance M & E

• Collect, check for completion, and submit a complete set of FT’s attendance sheets to SBA within 1 week of training completion.
• Discuss any attendance issues with FT’s and SBA and develop an action plan.
• Compile weekly attendance update and submit to SBA

Prepare & check FTs expenses

• Collect official voucher receipts for transport and accommodation
• Submit these documents to the SBA in a timely fashion

Stakeholder Management

• Create a good working relationship with stakeholders. 
• Holding meetings with the Agricultural Development and administration offices of the appropriate Wereda’s once every quarter.
• Meet with Kebele leaders and Cooperative to give progress reports every quarter.
• Support FTs to mobilize farmers at the Kebele level. 

Required Skills & Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Agronomy or Agricultural Science, Plant Science, Crop sciences, and Horticulture, etc/Masters preferred. May accept experience in lieu of a four-year degree.
• At least two to four years professional experience – ideally private sector – in one or more of the following areas: coffee processing or agronomy, business or cooperative management, SME development, agriculture
• Strong planning skills and experience working to strict time-guidelines
• Willingness to spend significant time in rural areas
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills
• In addition to local language, excellent English oral & written presentation skills (knowledge of the second local language is an advantage in some locations)
• Computer literacy, Business Acumen
• Motor bicycle riding license and Ability and willingness to ride a motorized bicycle is a must.   
• Knowledge of the area and the local language is advantageous

Preferred Skill:

• Oromiffa Language Speaker

How to apply

Application Instruction:

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 July 30, 2021. Applications will be reviewed and considered as received/on a rolling basis. Please note that we are not accepting CVs that are not send through the indicated link. 

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