Associate Business Advisor (m/f)

I. TechnoServe’s Background

• TechnoServe works with entrepreneurial people in developing countries to build farms, businesses and industries to become competitive. We are a non-profit organization that develops entrepreneurial solutions to poverty by connecting people to information, capital and markets. Our work is based on the idea that by giving opportunity to working men and women, even in the poorest places, they 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/private sector to transform lives.

II. Program Description

• TechnoServe has been providing technical assistance to Mozambican industries, agribusinesses and entrepreneurs with high growth potential for over 20 years, since our office first opened in 1998. We have helped create a competitive and sustainable commercial agrarian sector that has generated opportunities for small producers and rural suppliers, in addition to new employment opportunities for the rural poor. While we have worked in several value chains in Mozambique, TechnoServe is particularly known for creating a lasting impact in the cashew sector. TechnoServe initially worked to create a cashew processing sector in Northern Mozambique, and later also helped farmers gain access to better inputs, good agricultural practices, and more competitive markets. TechnoServe has received funding from the German Cooperation for Sustainable Economic Development (GIZ) to implement a program to work closely with the Mozambique Almond Institute (IAM) to transition the cashew sector to be more sustainable, with an entrepreneurial view on providing the necessary chemical inputs for producers
• The program is expected to span two phases, with Phase I (lasting 12 months) focused on jointly developing an appropriate subsidy withdrawal strategy with relevant partners, and Phase II being the subsequent strategy implementation phase (likely over 2 years)
• Phase I will consist of three Components:
• 1) Confirmation of political will and stakeholder/partner engagemen
• 2) Design of the strategy for subsidy withdrawal
• 3) Design of the strategy implementation plan

III. Scope of Work

• The role of the Business Councilor is to provide support in conducting training of spraying service providers, agrodealers/input retailers in business skills related to the agrochemical distribution model for the cashew sector through training and follow-up sessions. To do this, the Business Councilor should work closely with local communities, cashew nut farmers, sprayers, and other relevant stakeholders, as well as with GTZ staff. The Business Councilor is responsible for data collection, registration of producers and providing any other monitoring or evaluation support to the project. This position will be based in Zambezia province

IV. Main Duties and Responsibilities

 This person will work under the supervision of the Project Manager to support the coordination of field level activities through regular check-ins with cashew sector stakeholders, public and private sector partners (extension agents, agrodealers, traders, sprayers) as well as cashew nut producers. He/she will specifically: 

• Interact with Cashew nut farmers to understand their interests and the current constraints they face (through group discussions and interviews)
• Support the mapping of the current subsidy scheme to the Cashew sector by organizing meetings with relevant stakeholders and sector and partners by conducting interviews and group discussions in the communities covered by the project
• Assist in the coordination and implementation of field activities related to pilot phase of the Cashew sector subsidy withdrawal project
• Assist in engaging with producers and the private sector (spraying service providers, farmers, farmers’ associations, etc.)
• Coordinate field level activities, in particular related to farmer registration. Support in the preparation and implementation of training of trainers (ToT), and be actively involved in the preparation and implementation of the pilots including preparing and conducting ToT sessions
• Understand, respect and promote TechnoServe’s values, vision and strategy in the implementation of assigned tasks

Requisites

V. Required Skills and Experience

• University degree in business management, administration, economics, agricultural sciences or other relevant field
• Minimum 2 years of experience working in agricultural extension
• Previous experience in cashew value chain
• Speaking and writing professionally in Portuguese and any relevant local language (Macua, Lomue, Chuabo)
• Oral and written communication skills, leadership and ability to organize partnerships between public (IAM / FNDS) and private sector (input distribution companies, service providers and aggregators) and producer groups and cooperation and development agencies (FAO / Nitadae, among others).
• Basic computer skills, i.e. MS Office
• Excellent communication and report writing skills.
• Have skills and mastery of methodologies for transmitting knowledge to producer groups at all levels (small, medium and large)
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Valid motorcycle driver’s license
• Ability and willingness to travel and stay frequently in the field

Notes

• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted
• Qualified and interested applicants should submit a single document in MS Word format consisting of a cover letter and resume. Please identify the position for which you are applying in the subject line