2 Agribusiness Development Officer INGO Job Vacancies – Mercy Corps

  Business Administration Jobs in Uganda, Economics Jobs in Uganda, Finance Jobs in Uganda, NGO - Non-Government Organisations Jobs in Uganda, Uncategorized
Organization: Mercy Corps
Duty Station: Uganda
About Mercy Corps:
Mercy Corps is an
International NGO that exists to alleviate poverty and oppression by helping
people build secure, productive and just communities. Mercy Corps has been
fully registered in Uganda as an operational NGO. Currently Mercy Corps has an
office in Kampala and is implementing Food Security programs which comprise of
Water and Sanitation, Livelihood and Agriculture and Conflict Mitigation
Management Program in North and North Eastern Uganda. We implement programs in
the northern districts of Pader, Kitgum, Agago, Lamwo, Kaabong, Abim and Kotido
with funding from USAID, USDA, Walmart Foundation, SDC, DFID as well as other
private donations.
About USAID GHG Program:
Mercy Corps implements a
5-year USAID/Food for Peace-funded program working in the northern half of
Karamoja. The program, called Growth, Health and Governance (GHG), aims to
support the immediate needs of program beneficiaries while promoting long-term
development by spurring systemic improvements in key economic sectors of
northern Karamoja.
About WFP  Program:
Mercy Corps also implements
a 7 month World Food Program funded Safety Net and Resilience Program. Both
programs strive to help the most vulnerable people of Karamoja improve their
health, nutrition, income levels and overall wellbeing. The Agri- Business
Development Officers will participate in the daily implementation of the
development programming through business growth/ development support to key
local agro input and food commodity business partners but will target
retailers, and a host of other actors. It is an opportunity for result oriented
and self-motivated individual looking for a serious challenge.
Job
Summary: The
Agri-Business Development Officer is responsible for assisting in the
implementation and support of facilitation projects targeting local agro input
& commodity trade partners that make beneficial products and services
accessible to households within the geographic focus of the program. These
activities will work almost exclusively through private sector actors, seeking
to crowd in provision rather than displace or replicate private actors with
donor-funded services. Facilitation projects will include, but are not limited
to, developing agent input and aggregator networks, increasing local partners’
access to market information, post-harvest handling and storage equipment,
tillage services, improving access to beneficiaries.
Key Duties and Responsibilities: 
Program:
  • With
    support from the Project Manager, periodically conduct detailed analysis
    of the capacity, and key opportunities/ constraints for each agro input
    & commodity trade partner;
  • Support
    the agro input & commodity trade partners to estimate current local
    market demand, forecast market potential and draw targets to be achieved
    during the season;
  • Carry
    out business management capacity analysis of both existing and prospective
    agro input & commodity trade, recommend and, or design appropriate/
    tailored capacity building plan to address gaps, if any;
  • Support
    the local agro-input & commodity trade partners in preparing their
    business plans, and support them in rolling out such plans
  • With
    support from the Project Manager, carry out focused agro input &
    commodity market assessments, value chain analyses, and the development of
    sector-focused strategies;
  • Recommend
    sector priorities and explore, evaluate and present new opportunities that
    with high potential for impact;
  • Mentor,
    train and facilitate business trainings/ business advisory services to
    local agro input & commodity trade partners;
  • Ensure
    an integrated approach to program implementation in order to maximize
    resource utilization and synergy between the staff and different MC
    programs, if any;
Partnership
Management:
  • Identify,
    assess and develop partnership strategies for potential private sector
    partners. Foster ongoing positive cooperation with these stakeholders;;
  • Build
    and maintain productive working relationships with sub-county and district
    leaders and production and marketing departments, soliciting their
    participation in all activities where appropriate;
  • Make
    on-site field visits regularly to provide technical review and/or design
    suggestions;
  • Work
    closely with team leader(s) and Mercy Corps technical staff in order to
    develop potential projects, implement and closely monitor selected
    economic development projects including detailed work plans and business
    plans.
Monitoring
and Evaluation:
  • Create
    a dynamic program environment that promotes inquiry;
  • Take
    primary responsibility for agro input & commodity trade related data
    gathering;
  • Establish
    procedures and guidelines to monitor and evaluate the progress and impact
    of local agribusiness development support work including setting and
    measuring benchmarks along results chains;
  • Analyze
    project implementation strategies to identify constraints to program
    success and provide timely recommendations;
  • The
    incumbent will provide data in support of team submission of timely
    weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports that will be indicative of program
    progress during implementation.
  • Where
    needed support external evaluations by research partner Feinstein
    International Centre and other organizations;
  • Work
    with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning and Communication team to ensure
    accurate and timely flow of information from the field for entry in the
    database and for preparation of PR materials.
Qualifications, Skills and
Experience: 
  • The
    ideal candidate for the Mercy Corps Agribusiness Development Officer job
    opportunity should hold a University degree in business administration, economics or a
    related field
  • A minimum of three years of professional experience.
  • Ability
    to interact effectively with a wide variety of people
  • Ability
    to evaluate businesses and business plans
  • Skills
    in networking, team-working, and community consultations
  • Excellent
    reporting, communication and representation skills
  • Good
    spoken and written English. Fluency in Ng’akarimojong.
  • Willingness
    to work on the field
How to Apply:
All prospective Ugandans
who wish to join Mercy Corps are encouraged to send their applications via
email including a cover letter clearly stating your salary requirements, CV
(with 3 referees), and copies of academic qualifications/certificates to
ug-mcjobs@mercycorps.org addressed to the Senior HR and Legal Manager, Kampala
Head Office on 4th Floor Embassy Plaza, Plot 1188-1190 Ggaba Road.
Deadline: 11th August, 2016
For more of the latest
jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com
or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline

Related Jobs