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Job Title:  Senior Partnership Intervention Specialist

Organisation: TechnoServe

Duty Station:  Kampala, Uganda

About US:

TechnoServe Inc/Uganda, a subcontractor to DAI, is implementing the Feed the Future Uganda Inclusive Agricultural Markets Activity (FtF IAM).  This market systems development Activity works with producer organizations, business development service providers, agro-industry/agribusiness firms, Government of Uganda institutions and agencies, and other market actors to create efficiencies in cross-market functions that enable systemic changes to sustainably increase incomes and improve the livelihoods of households through agriculture-led inclusive economic growth. The Activity will work throughout the Feed the Future Uganda Zone of Influence (ZOI), which covers 38 districts across four regions of Uganda.

Job Summary:  TechnoServe is recruiting for a Senior Partnership Intervention Specialist who will support the implementation of TechnoServe’s efforts under FtF IAM and contribute to the overall delivery of program activities within the four regions in the Feed the Future Uganda Zone of Influence (ZOI).

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Facilitating partnerships and systems change within targeted geographies
• Support implementation of FtF IAM’s inclusive market systems development approach with an emphasis on cross-market functions, tailoring assistance to partners, conducting due diligence, and monitoring implementation
• In coordination with the wider Activity team, lead the successful delivery of the overall activity, providing support to activities in and outside of TechnoServe’s primary focus areas of PO/BDS/food processing, including input supply, finance, and trade/investment;
• Facilitate capacity development of POs, agribusinesses, financial institutions, marketing associations, local government and other relevant market actors in targeted geographies through the provision of BDS targeting technical, managerial, business, and advocacy capacity;
• Apply proven models from TechnoServe, IAM and other implementing partners to new intermediaries, such as village agent networks, trader’s associations, input supply companies, financial institutions, ICT firms, etc.;
• Evaluate, refine and adapt existing (and new) program models such (e.g. local farmer-advocacy platforms), to enable scale and effectiveness, developing business cases and providing support to other program PIMs where needed to ensure replication;
• Contribute local data and insights to help develop and regularly update program strategies to strengthen support across full set of program interventions;
• Identify food processors in ZOI and coordinate with TechnoServe’s Intervention Area Manager to engage support from Partners in Food Solutions’ Uganda representative to evaluate needs and support scoping of projects appropriate for PFS volunteer support that address partner needs.
• Working with partners in targeted geography, facilitate innovation and pilots that promote inclusive business models (e.g. establish/strengthen smallholder sourcing networks and improve efficiency in distribution to increase access for marginalized populations, etc.) and enhance linkages among market actors.
• Contributing to program delivery, stakeholder engagement and learning
• Develop a pipeline of potential partners and propose partnerships and Identify opportunities to leverage FtF IAM’s Market Development Facility (MDF) and Market Resilience Facility (MRF) to build capacity of and to de-risk key market actors including BDS, POs, input supply companies, financial institutions and food processors, among others, supporting business case development and developing deal notes as appropriate
• Contribute to FtF IAM deliverables, including: annual work plans, monitoring, evaluation, and learning plans, quarterly/annual progress reports, strategies and action plans, and external communications, ensuring timely, high-quality delivery and compliance with donor reporting requirements.
• Actively participate in and contribute to FtF IAM monitoring, evaluation and learning activities, reviewing and analyzing performance of models/pilots and partnerships to identify successes, challenges, and learning.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, economics, business, or related field, excellent academic record
• At least 5 years of experience in agricultural value chain, rural development and/or rural finance. OR Master’s Degree plus 3 years’ experiences. Private sector experience preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding, skills and experience in market systems development programs and facilitative approaches
• Detail-oriented, with strong project and team management, organizational, analytical and quantitative skills
• Significant interpersonal and communication skills, especially in multicultural and multi-ethnic contexts, adept at building relationships with multiple stakeholders
• Experience working with MSMEs, producers, producer organizations, traders, wholesalers, retailers and consumers
• Experience facilitating linkages and relationships between private sector and government
• Adept at developing and sustaining high-level relationships
• Strategic thinker
• Strong team player and consensus builder
• Highly computer literate
• Excellent oral and written English communication skills
• Preferred Skills and Experience:
• Master’s degree
• Financial and business modeling
• Fluent in at least one local Ugandan dialect
• Understanding of USAID’s mode of work and rules and regulations.

Success Factors:

Competency is a combination of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) directly related to successful performance on the job.

Core Competencies include:

• Integrity and honesty: Is widely trusted; seen as a direct, truthful individual; presents truthful information in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; does not misrepresent himself or herself for personal gain.
• Team Work/ Relationships: Works co-operatively and flexibly with other members of the team with a full understanding of the role to be played as a team member and/or leader, to achieve a common goal. Ability to build and maintain effective relationships and networks.
• Learning attitude: Proactively takes advantage of opportunities to learn. Actively identifies new areas for learning; applies and shares new knowledge and skill appropriately.
• Diversity/Inclusiveness: Demonstrates an understanding and appreciation for diversity and supports diversity efforts. Interacts effectively with and inclusively with people of all races, cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds, religions, ages, and genders.
• Communication: Expresses ideas effectively in individual and group situations. Listens effectively; shares information, ideas and arguments; adjusts terminology, language and communication modes to the needs of the audience; ensures accurate understanding; acts in a way that facilitates open exchange of ideas and information; uses appropriate non-verbal communication.
• Decision making/Problem Solving: Is able to analyze situations, diagnose problems, identify the key issues, establish and evaluate alternative courses of action and produce a logical, practical and acceptable solution. Is able to make effective decisions on a day-to-day basis, taking ownership of decisions, demonstrating sound judgement in escalating issues where necessary.
• Results Oriented/ High Quality Deliverables: Stays focused on the efforts necessary to achieve quality results consistent with programmatic or departmental goals. Demonstrates the ability to achieve effective results; works persistently to overcome obstacles to goal achievement. Accomplishes tasks by considering all areas involved, no matter how small; showing concern for all aspects of the job; accurately checking processes and tasks.
• Planning & Time Management: Establishes a course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a specific goal. Effectively plans, schedules, prioritizes and controls activities; identifies, integrates and orchestrates resources (people, material, information, budget, and/or time) to accomplish goals. Prioritizes work according to the program or department’s goals, not just own job responsibilities; manages own time effectively.
• Business Acumen: The ability to use information, ask the right questions and take decisions that make an impact on the overall business performance.

Job Specific/Technical Competencies include:

• Partnership/Donor Management: program staff should understand and apply techniques to develop, maintain and manage business relationships with clients, donors and internal or external partners in order to implement and manage projects and/or identify new business.
• Financial & Resource Management: an important competency program staff must possess to enable them budget properly based on facts and change course when necessary, knowledge of finance to develop and manage budgets.
• Innovative Mindset: program staff should know how to ask questions and seeks out information from multiple sources, learn from mistakes, and see change as an opportunity.
• Analysis, Research, Report Writing: Experience in business planning and analysis, modeling for feasibility and execution. Able to analyze and express oneself clearly in business writing.

Managerial Competencies include:

• Emotional Intelligence: Empathetic, understands attitudes, interests, needs of others; predict others behavior. Self-aware and keeps own emotions from interfering with work. Understanding both the strengths and limitations of others.
• Trust to Delegate: Appropriately allocates decision‐making authority and/or task responsibility to others; maximizes the organization’s and individual’s effectiveness.
• Strategic Thinking: Formulates objectives and priorities, and implements plans consistent with the long-term interests of the organization in a global environment. Capitalizes on opportunities and manages risks.
• Staff Development: Planning and supporting the development of individuals’ skills and abilities so that they can fulfill current or future job responsibilities more effectively.
• Coaching/Feedback: Recognizes and acknowledges strengths in others. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others develop knowledge and skill areas to accomplish tasks or solve problems.

Career Pathways:

• The position that might be next in career opportunities for employees in this job title include Intervention Area Manager

How to Apply:

All candidates who wish to join Technoserve in this capacity should apply online at the link below.

Click Here

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