Job Title: Market Engagement Officer
Organization: Farm Africa
Funding Source: UK AID
Duty Station: Soroti, Uganda
Reports to: Project
Coordinator
Coordinator
About Us:
Farm Africa is an international NGO that seeks to increase the incomes
and improve food security of smallholder farmers, pastoralists, agro-pastoralists,
and forest dwellers in East Africa. We have recently launched a new UK AID
funded FoodTrade programme linking smallholder farmers producing maize, beans
and rice to export markets.
and improve food security of smallholder farmers, pastoralists, agro-pastoralists,
and forest dwellers in East Africa. We have recently launched a new UK AID
funded FoodTrade programme linking smallholder farmers producing maize, beans
and rice to export markets.
Job Summary: The Market
Engagement Officer will be responsible for increasing access to markets for the
25,000 farmers engaged in Farm Africa’s FoodTrade project in Teso sub-region.
The role will include helping warehouses and cooperatives to form links with
buyers, particularly in Kenya as well as establishing market information
systems at warehouses and village level aggregation centres. In addition, the
post holder will be responsible for capacity building of warehouse managers,
aggregation centre managers and partner organisations, as well as providing
them with the guidance and support they need to achieve East Africa Grain
Council certification for international trade.
Engagement Officer will be responsible for increasing access to markets for the
25,000 farmers engaged in Farm Africa’s FoodTrade project in Teso sub-region.
The role will include helping warehouses and cooperatives to form links with
buyers, particularly in Kenya as well as establishing market information
systems at warehouses and village level aggregation centres. In addition, the
post holder will be responsible for capacity building of warehouse managers,
aggregation centre managers and partner organisations, as well as providing
them with the guidance and support they need to achieve East Africa Grain
Council certification for international trade.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Facilitate sale of maize, paddy rice and beans to buyers in EA regional
markets by:
markets by:
·
Working
with Farm Africa’s Head of Market Engagement to identify suitable buyers of
maize, rice and beans
Working
with Farm Africa’s Head of Market Engagement to identify suitable buyers of
maize, rice and beans
·
Supporting
the seven warehouse cooperatives participating the in the project to
build links and relationships with buyers across EAC and negotiate supply terms
Supporting
the seven warehouse cooperatives participating the in the project to
build links and relationships with buyers across EAC and negotiate supply terms
Establish market information systems at the 30 village aggregation
centres and seven warehouses involved in the FoodTade project by:
centres and seven warehouses involved in the FoodTade project by:
·
Working
with the East Africa Grain Council (EAGC) to familiarise warehouse and
aggregation centre managers with the G-SOKO system and to explain the
benefits of participation
Working
with the East Africa Grain Council (EAGC) to familiarise warehouse and
aggregation centre managers with the G-SOKO system and to explain the
benefits of participation
·
Equip
aggregation centres and warehouses with the required computer equipment to
participate in the EAGC’s G-SOKO electronic market information system, and work
with EAGC to deliver appropriate training in its use
Equip
aggregation centres and warehouses with the required computer equipment to
participate in the EAGC’s G-SOKO electronic market information system, and work
with EAGC to deliver appropriate training in its use
Capacity building of warehouse and aggregation centre managers
including:
including:
·
In charge
of planning and delivering trainings for two members of each warehouse and
aggregation centre management team on areas such as warehouse receipt
system, basic financial management, governance, entrepreneurship and
cooperative principles and practice
In charge
of planning and delivering trainings for two members of each warehouse and
aggregation centre management team on areas such as warehouse receipt
system, basic financial management, governance, entrepreneurship and
cooperative principles and practice
·
Planning
and delivering trainings to warehouse and aggregation centre managers on data
entry and record keeping in line with the G-Soko system
Planning
and delivering trainings to warehouse and aggregation centre managers on data
entry and record keeping in line with the G-Soko system
Provide support and guidance to partner organisations including:
·
Supporting
partners to manage farmers forming and managing village aggregation
centres that will become the satellite collection points for the seven
warehouses
Supporting
partners to manage farmers forming and managing village aggregation
centres that will become the satellite collection points for the seven
warehouses
·
Working
closely with the seven cooperative warehouses selected for the project to
assist them with the EAGC registration process, certification forming
market linkages as a result.
Working
closely with the seven cooperative warehouses selected for the project to
assist them with the EAGC registration process, certification forming
market linkages as a result.
·
Working
with local partners to identify women’s and youth groups who could be supported
for enterprise development in a follow-on project
Working
with local partners to identify women’s and youth groups who could be supported
for enterprise development in a follow-on project
Contribute to documenting and sharing lessons learnt from the project
by:
by:
·
Actively
contributing to identifying indicators and delivering monitoring and evaluation
activities in line with Farm Africa’s monitoring and evaluation systems
and processes
Actively
contributing to identifying indicators and delivering monitoring and evaluation
activities in line with Farm Africa’s monitoring and evaluation systems
and processes
·
Conducting
and participating in stakeholders’ forums/ workshops to discuss matters
affecting the grain trade sector as required by the programme coordinator
Conducting
and participating in stakeholders’ forums/ workshops to discuss matters
affecting the grain trade sector as required by the programme coordinator
·
In charge of collecting, documenting and sharing project success stories, case
studies, best practice and lessons learned in line with the requirements
of Farm Africa’s communication’s team
In charge of collecting, documenting and sharing project success stories, case
studies, best practice and lessons learned in line with the requirements
of Farm Africa’s communication’s team
Play a key role in delivering the wider objectives of Farm Africa’s
FoodTrade project in Uganda including:
FoodTrade project in Uganda including:
·
Assisting
the project coordinator with budgeting and planning
Assisting
the project coordinator with budgeting and planning
·
Assist
with facilitating monitoring and communications visits from the wider
Farm Africa team
Assist
with facilitating monitoring and communications visits from the wider
Farm Africa team
·
Undertaking
any other duties as reasonably requested by the project coordinator
Undertaking
any other duties as reasonably requested by the project coordinator
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
·
The applicant for the Farm Radio Project Market
Engagement Officer should preferably hold a Degree in Agricultural Marketing,
Agricultural economics, Agribusiness, Cooperatives or a related field
The applicant for the Farm Radio Project Market
Engagement Officer should preferably hold a Degree in Agricultural Marketing,
Agricultural economics, Agribusiness, Cooperatives or a related field
·
At least three years’ experience of implementing
agricultural marketing projects for individuals or groups
At least three years’ experience of implementing
agricultural marketing projects for individuals or groups
·
Working for an INGO
Working for an INGO
·
Prior experience of engaging and mobilising
rural communities in development programmes
Prior experience of engaging and mobilising
rural communities in development programmes
·
Previous exposure and experience of using gender
disaggregated approaches for farmer outreach
Previous exposure and experience of using gender
disaggregated approaches for farmer outreach
·
Experience of designing and developing trainings
for rural communities
Experience of designing and developing trainings
for rural communities
·
Prior exposure and experience of evidencing
success for impact assessment and communications purposes
Prior exposure and experience of evidencing
success for impact assessment and communications purposes
·
Knowledge of market information systems
Knowledge of market information systems
·
Previous experience of assisting with monitoring
and evaluation activities and fieldwork
Previous experience of assisting with monitoring
and evaluation activities and fieldwork
·
Up-to-date knowledge of staple food markets in
Uganda and East Africa
Up-to-date knowledge of staple food markets in
Uganda and East Africa
·
Previous exposure and experience of working in a
remote setting
Previous exposure and experience of working in a
remote setting
·
Prior experience of working with multiple
partner organisations in a coordinated manner
Prior experience of working with multiple
partner organisations in a coordinated manner
·
Experience of managing budgets
Experience of managing budgets
·
Previous experience of producing content for
donor reports
Previous experience of producing content for
donor reports
·
Holder of a valid motorcycle permit (must be
willing to obtain one if not already a permit holder)
Holder of a valid motorcycle permit (must be
willing to obtain one if not already a permit holder)
·
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Strong written and verbal communication skills
·
Computer literacy i.e. good working knowledge of
Microsoft Office programmes, in particular Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Computer literacy i.e. good working knowledge of
Microsoft Office programmes, in particular Word, Excel and PowerPoint
·
Flexible and ‘can do’ attitude
Flexible and ‘can do’ attitude
·
Able to work under own initiative
Able to work under own initiative
·
Good team player
Good team player
·
Fluency in Ateso
Fluency in Ateso
Farm Africa’s Values:
·
Being
experts in our field, delivering insightful/impactful evidence-based
solutions
Being
experts in our field, delivering insightful/impactful evidence-based
solutions
·
Pushing
boundaries, being creative with new and old solutions
Pushing
boundaries, being creative with new and old solutions
·
Acting
for the long-term, building relationships and delivering long-lasting change
for farmers
Acting
for the long-term, building relationships and delivering long-lasting change
for farmers
·
Working
flexibly, taking advantage of the most effective solutions, whether from
the communities, private sector or government
Working
flexibly, taking advantage of the most effective solutions, whether from
the communities, private sector or government
·
Sharing
knowledge with others, reaching more farmers than we do alone, ensuring
effective technologies are widely accessed.
Sharing
knowledge with others, reaching more farmers than we do alone, ensuring
effective technologies are widely accessed.
How to Apply:
All applicants must submit an updated CV, salary history and one-page
application letter specifying the post title in the subject line to:
[email protected]
application letter specifying the post title in the subject line to:
[email protected]
Deadline: 5th September
2016 by 12:00PM
2016 by 12:00PM
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