SNV has recently started implementing a three years project named GYEM “Gender and Youth Empowerment in Horticulture Markets” in partnership with unions of which Meki Batu union located in Meki of Oromia region and Timret union located in Butajira of SNNP region. The project has targeted 20,000 beneficiaries with an emphasis on women vegetable producers. One of the major outcome of the project is to capacitate the union marketing performance so that members can earn more in a sustainable way. One of the union Meki Batu is with huge potential for export and has infrastructure like cold store, pack house, cold truck and has few experience of exporting vegetables to Europe, Middle East and nearby countries. However, the amount of vegetables marketed by the union remained insignificant (12%) compared to the vegetable produced by its members. Also the contribution of vegetable marketing to the union’s turnover is insignificant. However, the purpose of the union is to boost vegetable production and marketing.
Thus GYEM project has a plan to recruit marketing manager for Mekibatu union who can support the union in its vegetable marketing in terms of identify and link the union with potential local and export market. As well as capacitate the union ability in terms of working with reliable buyers.
II Job Description:
ü Develop a state of affairs of the marketing efforts done so far and the achieved results
ü Conduct marketing research for export and local vegetable and fruits markets
ü Find and link the union and its members products with reliable buyers
ü Develop a solid marketing strategy, based on the business plan and elaborate on the key elements:
o Conduct promotional activities to promote the unions products
o Develop effective communication system with buyers
o Price setting strategy (depending on STP: segmenting, targeting and positioning)
o Place/distribution channels
ü Build, follow up and keep the relationship with buyers
ü Build the awareness, knowledge and understanding of member farmers on the benefit of having sustainable market and work with reliable buyers
ü Facilitate the participation of the union in different biddings and their contractual agreement
ü Close contracts with buyers, meeting the needs for both demand and supply
ü Ensure the delivery of products as per the contract agreement
ü Develop effective communication system with buyers
ü Monitor and control for retail shops of MBCU
ü Follow up and insure the compliance of the union on different international market certifications
ü Do planning, follow up and execution of different marketing activities
ü Foster the relationship with different stakeholders like EHPEA, Private investors, NGOs and Government organisations
ü Represent the union in different events like Bazaar and Trade Fairs at international, national and regional level
ü Manage and coordinate the overall marketing activities of the union
ü Supervise and provide enough guidelines for marketing team and quality controllers
ü Coordinate and plan with union production department on the actual production of different commodities and their seasonality and adjust the production calendar as per the market demand
ü Facilitate different kinds of capacity building programs that add value on the efficient marketing of vegetables, by working with different organizations and donors
ü Work closely with GYEM project team mainly related to vegetable output marketing of the union
ü Ensure proper documentation of each shipment.
III Deliverables for 2017
ü Documents describing the state of affairs regarding vegetable marketing of the union
ü Assist the union and demonstrate export market of vegetables to different countries like Europe, Middle east
ü Insure the Global Gap certification of the union for 2017
ü Follow up with the buyers contacted at Fruit Logistica
ü Find and link the union and its members products with corporate buyers like universities, hotels, other institutions
IV. Competency and qualification requirements
1. Experience and sound understanding of vegetable markets local and international level
2. Qualification M.A or Bachelor in Business or marketing management with minimum 5 years working experience
3. Educational background on Business administration, Agribusiness, Marketing and Experience is sales and marketing
4. Good understanding of farmer organizations and cooperative sector in Ethiopia or other countries or competitors
5. Strong intercultural and communication skills
6. Fluency in English and understanding of oromiffa language is an advantage.