Project Manager – Agribusiness Career Placement – Agricultural Business Initiative (aBi)

Organisation: Agricultural Business Initiative (aBi)
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
Reports to: Head of Portfolio Development
Job Ref No: PM001
About US:
The
Agricultural Business Initiative (aBi), a group of registered companies namely
aBi Trust and aBi Finance Ltd, is a multi-stakeholder entity co-founded in July
2010 by the Governments of Uganda and Denmark through DANIDA and the Ministry
of Finance, Planning and Economic Development respectively, with the objective
to promote “Private sector agribusiness development to enhance wealth creation.”
The development objective of the aBi Trust is building a self-sustaining
export-led economy in which the benefits are shared by all Ugandans, and its
immediate objective is to strengthen the competitiveness of Uganda’s
agricultural and agro-processing sector. It does this through Value Chain
Development (VCD) of six value chains (Coffee, Cereals, Pulses, Horticulture,
Dairy and Oil Seeds) and Financial Services Development (FSD). 
aBi
Finance Ltd is the investment arm of aBi that aims to enable the Trust to meet
its programme activities in a sustainable manner by offering financing for
agribusiness development through Lines of Credit, Agribusiness Loan Guarantees
and the Construction Guarantees Fund.
Job Summary: The Project Manager – Agribusiness will serve as aBi’s
prime representative within Agribusiness sector; the role is responsible for
relationship management and for ensuring that projects deliver against the
goals and targets laid out in the results management framework.
Key Duties and Responsibilities: 
1. As requested by the
Head of Portfolio Development to work participatively with implementing
partners in order to develop a comprehensive portfolio of influential projects
  • Take the initiative to develop strong
    relationships with implementing partners; acting as the point person for
    aBi’s activities with Agribusiness partners.
  • Offer support to partners in the development
    of ideas for projects and completing the relevant paperwork.
  • In accordance with aBi’s Funding Manual,
    manage the entirety of the funding process for each project; includes
    convening the due diligence team with relevant technical experts and
    Evaluations, Performance & Results team members included.
  • Work closely with BDS Providers to ensure
    that applicants and grantees are fully empowered to implement their
    projects.
  • Plan the detail of aBi’s capacity building
    interventions.
  • Budget expenditure and ensure cost effective
    utilisation of resources.
2. Develop and implement
strategies and plans that will build the capacity of Agribusinesses to have a
sustainable impact on the profitability of the sector:
  • The incumbent will develop and implement
    strategies and plans that will build the capacity of Agribusinesses to
    have a sustainable impact on the profitability of the sector.
  • Proactively propose strategies and plans that
    will enable aBi to have a positive impact on Agribusiness; implement plans
    once they are approved by the Head of Portfolio Development.
3. Manage the
implementation of projects, ensuring that the desired results, and final
impact, are achieved on time and to standard:
  • Proactively build relationships with each
    implementing partner (IP), ensuring their satisfaction with each stage of
    the project.
  • Work closely with M&E to ensure a
    comprehensive results management framework is in place and implemented for
    each project.
  • Work with implementing partners to assist
    them in implementing their projects according to the project plan; drawing
    in relevant aBi staff and consultants to provide assistance if required.
  • Ensure that grants are provided in a timely
    fashion and that the implementing partner is meeting accountability
    requirements.
  • Ensuring that the technical capacity building
    components of the project are being delivered on time and to standard.
4. Participate in rolling
out the partner-facing aspects of the communications plan:
  • Act as a spokesperson for aBi in the
    convening role by participating in, or initiating forums.
  • Take personal responsibility for influencing,
    advocacy and communication according to personal interest and priorities;
    so that aBi is recognised as a respected partner.
  • Ensure that the Project teams deliver any components
    of the communications strategy and plan that are allocated to them.
  • Actively participate in the development of
    communications materials as requested by the Communications Manager.
5. Lead the matrix
managed Project teams, in a manner that empowers them to deliver aBi’s goals
and objectives:
  • Work in liaison with the Head of Portfolio
    Development to constitute a team of competent staff and consultants to
    deliver against the work plan and goals for each project.
  • Ensure that each team member is provided with
    clarity concerning the goals of each project and expectations for their
    personal role in achieving results, standards and behaviour.
  • Plan and organise the work of the team so as
    to accomplish project goals and targets in the most cost effective manner
    possible.
  • Support and build the capacity of team
    members to enable them to give of their best e.g. by encouraging and
    praising good performance, coaching, training, assisting staff to prevent
    or resolve problems, providing resources, tools and equipment.
  • Regularly monitor and review performance and,
    in particular, hold team members accountable for achieving results and
    meeting standards; taking decisive action in the case of poor performance.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience: 
  • The applicant for the Project Manager –
    Agribusiness career opportunity should hold a Masters in Agriculture
    Economics, or Development Economics or Social Science
  • The applicant must also hold a Bachelors
    Agriculture Economics/ Development Economics/ Social Science
  • Possession of a Post Graduate Diploma –
    Project Management added advantage
  • A minimum of seven years of post-graduate experience
    in Business Development Organisations.
  • Working knowledge and understanding of
    agribusiness management.
  • Demonstrable skills and abilities in grant
    systems development and implementation.
  • Proven experience in proposal writing.
  • Proven experience in developing sustainable
    strategic relationships including networking.
  • Ability to work to deadlines.
  • Manage and engage teams for delivery of
    results.
  • Strong Communication Skills (Oral and
    Written).
How to Apply: 
All
suitably qualified and interested candidates should apply online by clicking on
link below and following the instructions.
Deadline: 8th July 2016 by 12:00pm  

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