Job Title:      Business Development Officer

Organisation: Action Against Hunger (ACF)

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About US:

Action Against Hunger (ACF) is an International Humanitarian NGO which has been in existence for over thirty years. ACF has been implementing Food Security and Livelihoods, Nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene programs in the Lango, Acholi, West Nile and Karamoja regions of Northern Uganda.

Job Summary:  The Business Development Officer will steer the development of commercial opportunities for farmers in the Cassava, Chia, vegetables, soap and mushroom value chains and train farmers and farmer organizations in agribusiness development and marketing. The job holder will have a strong micro finance back ground to develop and grow savings groups to commercial business. The post requires an individual with solid expert knowledge of marketing, micro finance and out- grower supply chains in a commercial setting.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:  

Technical Support

• Establish the needs of the Cassava, chia, selected vegetables, soap and mushroom IGAs in the project locations and identify key market players who can be linked to the project.
• Work closely with the program manager to identify key business targets, develop and deliver a plan to create opportunities and to achieve those targets including income, production and productivity targets.
• Provide capacity development training and support to the project in Kiryandongo and Adjumani Districts to effectively mobilize and deliver agri-business development services to beneficiaries (social mobilizing, identification of interest groups, business planning, and strengthening market linkages).
• Support the PM and DPM to identify key stakeholders involved in the value chain (agro dealers, agro processors, transporter, middle men, finance services provider, governmental technical services, professional organization. Conduct discussions with all stakeholders and identify area of supports to develop linkages and collaborative way of working.
• Coordinate relevant stakeholders and service providers to deliver trainings to project beneficiaries such as financial literacy trainings, agriculture loans, inputs, quality control and management, etc.
• Review existing information in the projects and provide training on identified markets and viable opportunities in the Cassava, chia, vegetables, soap and mushroom IGAs value chains.
• Ensure there is up-to-date information about market in the Cassava, chia, vegetables, soap and mushroom IGAs value chains and conduct analysis of trends in these value chains: identify critical co-nstraints and promising opportunities in order to improve the functioning of the five value chains, thereby improving access to markets.
• Participate in developing business plans and training programme, and conduct training to the farmer groups and individual farmers on-farm support and IGA
• Conduct market studies and advise on best implementation strategies that would ensure that targeted farmers and farmer groups have profitable agribusiness ventures.
• Develop a sustainable marketing structure, including an umbrella commodity marketing associations to enhance market access

Capacity Building:

• Develop training manuals per thematic area, and Participate in the training of beneficiaries per the project requirements.
• Work with the FSL team and Program Manager to train the groups on business planning and develop bankable business plans for all farmer groups and individual replicators.
• In liaison with the Programme Manager (PM) organize and supervise all project capacity development activities.
• Develop strategic linkages with other value chain actors with a view of creating synergistic partnerships/collaborations that would be beneficial to the farmers’agri-business enterprises
• Recommend relevant improvements in the agri-business enterprises that would enable the groups realize better returns on their investments.

Assessment and reporting:

• Participate in beneficiary profiling, beneficiary registration, and base line-end line assessments in FSL activities.
• Participate in all project review assessments, surveys and studies and ensure these are conducted per protocol.
• Conduct monthly periodic reviews and report to ensure that all business plans are adhered to and the entrepreneurial capacity of the beneficiaries is enhanced
• Document and compile reports on project activities including Monthly & Quarterly donor reports, Action Against Hunger internal reports (Project Activity Reports (APRs), SITREP) and activity reports (meetings, and any other activity).
• Support the establishment of a database for all project activities to regularly monitor and evaluate their activities.
• Oversee reporting on project progress, success stories and lessons learned during project implementation.
• Conduct trend of food security and nutrition analyses of the refugee influx and host community and give recommendations on how Action Against Hunger can better position itself.

Staff Management & Supervision:

• Ensure that staff/persons (Community Based Facilitators, Field Supervisors, demo site leaders) are effectively engaged in their tasks and perform their duties according to Action Against Hunger expectation.
• Ensure that staffs under your supervision develop quarterly activity work plans and adhere to them.
• Identify training needs of Field Supervisors and Community Facilitators and suggest an appropriate training plan.
• Conduct detailed induction and orientation of new staff under your supervision ensuring that all relevant documents and tools of work are shared with new staff
• Set probationary objectives with new staff and follow reviews are done in time for timely support

Coordination & Representation:

• Participate in appropriate multi-district activities related to FSL for example; field days, workshops, seminars, agricultural shows, and field monitoring visits.
• Mobilize communities and community leaders to participate in Action Against Hunger project in community activities and organize regular community meetings to address areas for program improvement.
• Work closely with relevant district departments (Production & Natural resources) and NARO to share relevant information.
• Participate in internal and external meetings per the PM guidance.
• As delegated by the PM, respond to complaints and questions on related to Agribusiness, marketing, micro finance and value chain analysis.
• Actively participate in events organized in the refugee and host community setting.
• Coordinate with other sections of Action Against Hunger and all other stakeholders in the response.
• As delegated by the PM, attend interagency & sectoral coordination meetings at the settlements and District level.
• Attend donor meetings and field visits as required.
• Other duties as assigned by the PM from time to time.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The ideal candidate for the Action Against Hunger (ACF) Business Development Officer job opportunity should hold a Bachelor’s degree (honors) in Agribusiness Management/Agricultural Economics/Commerce/Business Administration/ Micro finance management from a recognized university or any other relevant field.
• Three years of work experience in agribusiness development or agribusiness marketing
• Knowledge and practical experience in value chain development.
• Knowledge and practical experience in public private partnerships.
• Previous work experience with farmer organizations.
• Experience in smallholder farmer agribusiness capacity development
• Knowledge of the agribusiness sector in Uganda

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested candidates should send their handwritten applications which should include ONLY a cover letter, CV (not more than 4 pages) with at least three referees and a daytime telephone contract. For email applications please note that attached documents should not be larger than 2MBs. All documents should be zipped in one folder. Any email larger than 2MBs will not be considered. Please send your email application to: recruitment@ug-actionagainsthunger.org mentioning “BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER – SIDA” in the subject line.

Deadline:  18^th May 2018

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