Vegetable Manager Job Vacancy – Wageningen UR Uganda

Job Title:       Vegetable Manager
Organization: Wageningen UR
Uganda
Duty Station: Kampala,
Uganda
Reports to: Chief of Party
About US:
Centre for Development Innovation (CDI) is the interdisciplinary and
internationally focused unit of Wageningen University & Research Centre.
CDI works on processes of innovation and change through facilitating
innovation, brokering knowledge and supporting capacity development. The
proposed Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) Plus Uganda programme is
coordinated by CDI and implemented by Wageningen UR Uganda, the legal entity in
Uganda. The four-year ISSD Plus project to be funded by the Embassy of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands, Kampala. The programme aims to strengthen the
development of a vibrant, pluralistic and market-oriented seed sector that is
able to address key challenges that hamper the seed sector development such as
seed quality assurance and availability of foundation seed.
Job Summary: The Vegetable
Manager will be responsible for managing the vegetable seed component of the
ISSD plus project. The incumbent will work in close collaboration with the
Netherlands and Uganda based private sector partners and providing the main
coordinating roles. The manager should have a hands-on and flexible attitude
and proactive approach. S/he will supervise and advise the vegetable
agronomists based at the ISSD field stations (ZARDIs) and will monitor project
activities of agronomists based at the (seed) companies who are implementing
the training programme. In addition, s/he must be able to facilitate
production-push and market-pull dynamics of the vegetable value chain. He/she
must be a team player with strong networking, communication and facilitation
skills, who is able to engage with a range of public and private sector
stakeholders.
Key Duties and
Responsibilities: 
·        
Formulate strategy to operationalise the
vegetable seed component and prepare annual implementation plans
·        
Transfer knowledge, set up practical networks of
vegetable producers and initiate and develop farm innovation related to
introducing improved and advanced vegetable varieties.
·        
Work closely with WUR-PPO and SEVIA Tanzania
project to bring methodologies and lessons learned to Uganda and ensure that
these are adapted to the Ugandan context
·        
Supervise the agronomists that are based in the
ISSD field offices and monitor project activities of the company based
agronomists
·        
Liaise with (Dutch) companies active in the
project and monitor the partnership agreements and implementation plans of
implementing partners and make sure that partners timely report on their
activities
·        
Communicate with a range of horticulture public
and private sector stakeholders, at different levels
·        
The incumbent will liaise with other vegetable
sector actors and participate in horticulture (Business) Platform meetings,
High-Level Round Tables between private sector representatives and high-level
policy makers etc.
·        
Develop terms of references for studies and
contribute to business cases and sector reports and monitor awarded consultants
·        
Prepare quarterly and annual narrative and
financial reports for the vegetable seed component
·        
Setting up a transparent structure, procedures,
regulations and evaluation criteria for the vegetable sector innovation Funds
(matching grants)
·        
Monitor the implementation of awarded
co-financing projects, visit project activities and ensure the narrative and
financial reports are on time and in accordance with the DGIS and Wageningen UR
(Uganda) regulations;
·        
Assist private sector (within the limits of the
Funds’ Procedures) in submitting proposals;
·        
Actively promote the success stories and lessons
learned from the vegetable seed component and use these experiences to adjust
the component where necessary.
Qualifications, Skills and
Experience: 
·        
The applicant should hold a Master’s degree in
one of the following: business administration, agricultural
economics/extension, marketing,  and/or
related field
·        
At least ten years’ experience working in
Ugandan horticulture/vegetable private sector
·        
A minimum of five years’ experience in project
management in leadership positions;
·        
A hands-on agronomist with enthusiasm for field
work
·        
Ability to organize a complex new organizational
set-up for public-private partnership
·        
Practical attitude, hands-on and people manager;
a practical background in horticulture/vegetables
·        
Ability to motivate and manage
multi-disciplinary collaboration of international consultants, Dutch and
Ugandan private sector and project staff
·        
Excellent analytical and writing skills for
developing business case studies and contributing to sector reports (using
computer Microsoft office applications such as Word and Excel)
·        
Ability to analyse issues and problems
systematically, gather broad and balanced input, draw sound conclusions and
translate them in monitoring strategies and documentation
·        
Ability to maintain relations with Government
Institutions and Authorities as well as with the local community
·        
Willingness to travel extensively within Uganda
·        
Fluent in English, writing, reporting skills
·        
Experience in the Uganda seed sector is an added
benefit.
How to Apply:
All suitably and qualified and interested candidates should send their
application letters and updated CVs (max. 6 pages) to hr@issduganda.org
NB: DO NOT attach
certificates or academic qualification.
Deadline: 23rd October 2016
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