Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing…when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.  

Job Summary: 

TechnoServe seeks a Senior Value Chain Manager for the HAPPY Activity in Ghana, which will focus mainly on poultry, soybean, tomato, and rice value chains. 

The Senior Value Chain Manager will support in strengthening the technical and business capacity of processors, off-takers and other agri-SMEs on HAPPY. S/He will provide support in developing targeted value chain and market strategies to stimulate demand and facilitate the functioning of markets while collaborating with partners and the private sector.

Program Overview: 

Harnessing Agriculture Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) aims to drive shared prosperity in Ghana by creating, sustaining, or improving dignified jobs and increasing agricultural productivity across the poultry, rice, soy, and tomato value chains. HAPPY will bridge the productivity gaps in these four value chains by building resilient youth-led and women-led food systems. The program will harness the power of young women and men to enhance the sourcing and business models of off-takers, pursue innovative entrepreneurial ventures, support the adoption of improved practices and inputs, and influence the enabling environment by making their voices heard. The result will be a more prosperous and inclusive agricultural sector that propels growth across the country.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

• Provide technical oversight and technical assistance to a portfolio of activities across HAPPY.
• Assess and analyze the poultry, rice, soy, and tomato value chains to identify opportunities for improvement, cost efficiencies, and productivity enhancements.
• Develop and implement targeted value chain and market strategies to stimulate demand and optimize market performance in collaboration with project partners.
• Provide technical support and capacity-building assistance to processors, off-takers, and agri-SMEs to enhance their operations, product quality, and efficiency.
• Oversee the delivery of the Core Business Technical Assistance (CBTA) to agribusiness clients of varying sizes and Inclusive Business Plans (IBP) for processors and other agri-SMEs that integrate smallholder farmers, especially youth and women, into the value chains of poultry, rice, soy, and tomato.
• Oversee SBA training programs on business management, financial literacy, and market analysis to strengthen the capacities of agriSMEs.
• Identify and promote innovative and regenerative business models that enhance the sourcing and business practices of off-takers.
• Foster partnerships with key stakeholders to create inclusive business opportunities that align with the HAPPY objectives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with partners, private sector entities, and stakeholders to facilitate cooperation and knowledge exchange.
• Provide mentorship and capacity-building initiatives to enhance the business acumen of agripreneurs.
• Work with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager (MEL) to establish a robust monitoring and evaluation system to track the progress and impact of value chain and market strategies.
• Oversee the design of sector-wide training for agriMSMEs under the HAPPY project.
• Oversee the coordination with training facilitators, partners, and participants to ensure smooth execution and maximum impact of training programs.
• Prepare regular reports and presentations for internal and external stakeholders.

Basic Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree with 10 years of experience or a Master’s degree in agriculture, business, or a related field or another relevant discipline with at least 7 years experience
• Proven experience in value chain development, market strategy, and project management.
• Strong knowledge of the poultry, rice, soy, and tomato value chains in Ghana.
• Demonstrated success in leadership roles developing and managing development organizations, programs or initiatives requiring a combination of strong analytical, writing, social and management skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in private sector development in Ghana
• Experience working or collaborating with agriculture private sector companies
• Strong project management skills.
• Experience in production, processing and market access of agriculture value chain will be beneficial

Required Languages: Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills, including fluency in English (equivalent to R4/S4)

Travel: Up to 30% travel to field offices and project sites

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to work both persuasively and diplomatically in a team-based environment with a high degree of complexity and ambiguity. 
• Must be able to work across teams to influence behavior and build capacity. 
• Experience in adult learning techniques, excellent in-person and virtual facilitation skills
• Detail orientation, including strong organizational, analytical, and quantitative skills
• Ability to anticipate demand, manage multiple tasks/projects, and meet tight deadlines
• Excellent computer skills in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other administrative applications
• Strong private sector market orientation, entrepreneurial and innovative thinker

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe’s vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at recruitment@tns.org or call +1 202 785 4515.