The Vegetable Value Chain Senior Specialist provides technical support in developing the vegetable value chain, coordinates the implementation of EMERTA project vegetable activities and manages the vegetable-related team. The Senior Specialist will simultaneously design vegetable value chain activities and promote vegetable-related business growth. He/she will build strong relationships with many players in vegetables and will use these relationships to facilitate inclusion in the vegetable sector, and ultimately, improved business opportunities for those in vegetable. The Vegetable Value Chain Senior Specialist will provide key support to the Project Implementation Manager.
MEDA seeks an outgoing, skilled candidate to lead its vegetable sector activities. The position is collaborative in nature; the incumbent will work closely with other EMERTA staff: Finance Service Specialists, Marketing Specialist, and partners to conduct ongoing constraints analysis and identify stakeholders able to take advantage of innovations, and thus effect vegetable value chain improvements. Innovations include structural relationships between vegetable value chain participants, enhancing medium and small scale infrastructure and technologies, and introducing or strengthening new services. The project has a specific focus on women and will support women in expanding their involvement in various roles in the vegetable value chain. With his/her sectoral team, the Senior Specialist will ensure that linkages are made between vegetable producers (particularly women and those involved in VSLA’s) and traders. The Senior Specialist will research and design activities using best practices, utilizing private sector approaches, to provide technical support to value chain clients. MEDA seeks a communicative and dynamic person to fill this role to be based in Bahir Dar, Amhara Region.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
· Ensure that activities are implemented according to a well-defined set of program protocols and tools.
· Serve as expert in vegetable value chain constraints analysis, assessing threats, strengths, opportunities to the vegetable value chain, and in particular to participating vegetable value chain clients. Develop within the vegetable value chain clients, new partnerships capable of supporting on-going constraints analysis.
· Assist with monitoring and evaluation to ensure timely donor reporting on vegetable components of project activities.
· Provide leadership, expert advice and build core capacities of the vegetable business development specialist and key partners in developing innovative business services, new business partnerships, and market oriented information systems.
· Responsible for supporting or developing new consulting services to support participating financial and non-financial institutions in all aspects of vegetable value chain opportunities toward increasing understanding of the vegetable value chain and markets.
· Assist with development of manuals, portfolio reviews and acquisitions, and serve on task forces or committees as required in the promotion of opportunities in the vegetable sector.
· Work with public institutions and research institutions, entrepreneurs, cooperatives, business community to build sector-wide, mutual benefits on the vegetable value chain, including reduction of transaction costs, reduced waste, risk reduction, increase in market and employment opportunities.
· Provide key input into the use of tools to strengthen incentives to sector growth: innovation grants, loan guarantees, capacity building.
· Manage the vegetable team at field to include mentoring, coaching and supporting staff for personal and professional growth and conduct performance evaluations.
· Manage and supervise the use of project budget and expenditure, ensuring that project resources are used effectively and efficiently.
· Perform other duties as assigned by immediate supervisor.
Essential:
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Investment Finance or Marketing, or other relevant discipline.
Six (6) years of experience demonstrating success in business consulting, investment finance, marketing or private sector entrepreneurship.
Excellent oral and written communication in English and Amharic, including report writing
Deep understanding of Ethiopia’s economic and business environment
Computer skills: Microsoft Office Applications, specifically Excel and Word and Access
Desired:
Agricultural Markets experience and/or Value Chain development
Development of Business Services, finance and financial services
Private sector development orientation
Experience in environmental management, particularly regarding agriculture/vegetable production.
Knowledge of production and marketing (Agriculture), including quality control, market standards, and/or product development
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