Within the consortium, TechnoServe will lead in market analysis, business planning, farmer business capacity building, agripreneur and youth training, input supply, and business relationship management.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

Principal Responsibilities:

• Develop strategy for and oversee team focused on business viability, providing strategic advisory support as needed
• Provide business advisory and professionalization support to VANEX
• Ensure an inclusive approach following TechnoServe principles, including equitable benefits for women and men from the program
• Oversee the training and support of fee-for-service agents providing farmer training
• Recruitment and support to Microenterprise Specialist, ME Counsellors delivering micro-entrepreneurship training to 720 micro-entrepreneurs
• Recruitment and support to Business Sustainability and Upgrading Specialists delivering sector-wide trainings and custom advisory to processors and capacity building of Producer Organizations (POs)
• Conduct local, regional, and international market analysis for potential agroforestry system crops to support the strategies for POs
• Support a TechnoServe Fellow to complete an Industry Strategic Plan for the Vanilla sector

Capacity Building of Agricultural Extension Services

• Adapt the existing curriculum to targeted groups
• Develop and execute Training of Trainers for processor-supervised extension agents and support the establishment of a viable fee-for-service business model
• Coach and support extension agents to train commercial farmers

Develop Agro-dealers and input suppliers

• Lead team to deliver training to include input suppliers, soil testing services, nurseries, and other youth employment opportunity activities

Capacity building of post-harvest handling and processing

• In coordination with Business Sustainability and Upgrading Specialists, lead:
• managerial capacity building of producer organizations, including business plans
• Improved member relations and services of producer organizations
• Managerial capacity building of processors
• improve processor capacity in curing and storing

Facilitate Market linkages and Agricultural Finance

• provide sector-wide training in market analysis, profitability analysis, value proposition design and testing, business planning, financial record preparation, and general support in how to prepare a supply chain upgrading plan
• Provide pre-investment support and advice to processors and other supply chain businesses
• Identify and deliver technical and financial training and BDS support that is required to complement any commercial finance for the partners’ co-investment
• Lead relationship development with commercial finance providers to leverage additional finance
• Provide business advisory and professionalization support to VANEX

Program Coordination and Implementation:

• Prepare narrative reports to prime and contribute to CRS and TechnoServe M&E reporting
• Coordinate with members of the VINES consortium and maintain good working relationships
• Maintain strong working relationships with partners and relevant stakeholders in the agribusiness investment space
• Actively participate in regular team meetings to track implementation progress and share relevant program and administrative data
• Ensure the delivery of technical training packages is of high quality, is appropriate to the local context, and is effectively reaching participants
• Share best practices and lessons learned with team members
• Any other duties assigned by your supervisor 

Basic Qualifications: 

• Degree qualifications in business-related studies are required
• Track record of building strong client and stakeholder relationships
• Strong project management and some financial analysis skills
• Minimum of 7 years’ field and technical experience with agribusiness development, agribusiness experience in Uganda, OR a Master’s Degree plus 5 years’ experience.
• Experience working with food aggregation and processing, supply chain development, out-grower networks, and knowledge of the Market Systems Development approach preferred
• Excellent interpersonal and oral, and written communication skills are a must
• Ability to develop well-written, cohesive analyses and reports
• Ability to generate innovative solutions in work situations
• Proven ability and experience working with teams will be an added advantage
• Fluency in English required

Supervisory Responsibilities: The Business Sustainability & Upgrading  Manager will oversee a team of 7