Job Opportunity
Title: Business Advisor
Reports to: Country Manager
Location: Yei-South Sudan
Travel: Up to 80%domestic travels within the area where TechnoServe operates.
I. TechnoServe Background:
TechnoServe works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. We are a nonprofit organization that develops business solutions to poverty by linking people to information, capital and markets. With more than four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.
II.Program Description:
As part of a 10 year vision, TechnoServe in partnership with Nespresso aims to re-build a coffee industry in South Sudan. The opportunity for coffee to have a positive impact in South Sudan is significant as coffee can be South Sudan’s first major agricultural export. Coffee has the potential to facilitate a “grassroots” form of wealth generation and economic development. Coffee would provide much needed income and security for thousands of farmers and their families living in coffee communities and has the potential to play an important role in helping to diversify the economic base in the country. We believe in the future of South Sudan and looking beyond the current situation. We believe in contributing to driving change in the country and delivering positive impact. For more information visit http://www.technoserve.org/blog/tag/South+Sudan
III. Position Description:
The Business Advisor shall provide technical support in the implementation of strategies that will enable coffee cooperatives/ wet mills in the program to improve quality and coffee washing stations to run profitably and farmers to increase their income.
Responsibilities and duties include, but are not limited to:
Provide technical support to the clients so as to sustainable improve their wet mill operations and coffee quality, to be achieved through:
• Formation of new cooperatives or businesses, and strengthening of existing ones
• Establishment coffee processing station (wet mills) and set-up mobile purchasing points
• Staff and leadership training including direct supervision of a team of harvest assistants
• Creating awareness to cooperative leaders, staff and farmers of the AAA standards for sustainable coffee production.
• Delivering a standard set of sustainability and quality training to cooperatives leaders and staff and perform audits on adopted practices.
• Supporting the cooperatives to implement actions and measures to achieve compliance with sustainability standards.
• Ensure that good management and good governance practices prevail in all new and existing cooperatives assisted by TechnoServe, especially in financial transparency.
• Support monitoring and evaluation activities such as collecting of various data streams such as cherry harvest progression, wet mill revenues and expenses; market and price information.
• Support the development, adaptation and review of various technical materials such as lesson plans, audit questionnaires, data collection tools, fact sheets, business profiles etc.
• Support the Program’s continuous interaction with relevant stakeholders such as local (county) government officers and coffee service providers (marketing agents, millers, inputs suppliers).
• Any other duties assigned by the Country Manager
IV.Required Skills and Experience:
• Bachelor’s degree in fields of Business, Economics, Supply chain management, Agricultural economics, Finance, Engineering, Cooperative development or Environmental. Training and qualifications in the area of quality/certification standards will be an advantage.
• At least three to five years’ professional work experience, with a strong preference for working experience in the private / not-for-profit sector.No prior coffee specific experience required.
• Conducting producer audits at business and farm level according to quality standards applicable to smallholder growers.
• Designing and implementing solutions for producers to achieve compliance with applicable quality/sustainability standards.
• Well-developed computer skills and technology friendly.
• Strong planning skills and experience working to deliver quality work outputs within strict time lines.
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills.
• Entrepreneurial.
• High integrity and moral standards
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English; ability to communicate in Baari/Kakwa is a definite advantage.
• Willingness to spend time working and travelling in project sites located in rural areas.
• Ability to drive a motorcycle preferred.
V. Application Instructions:
Qualified and interested applicants should submit a single Word-formatted document consisting of cover letter, resume and salary history to jsaki@tns.org copying aabraham@tns.org. The final deadline for application is November 27, 2015.Women are strongly encouraged to apply. Please identify the position for which you are applying in the subject line. Only applicants meeting minimum qualificationswill be considered or contacted. No phone calls please.
TechnoServe Job Advert Business Advisor Position.pdf (1.0 MB)