Technical Coordinator (TC)

 IMMEDIATE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Technical Coordinator (TC), Market-Oriented Agriculture: Internal/External

Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) that has been working in agricultural extension in Ethiopia since 1993. SAA's strategies have evolved to meet the changing needs of the country's development. Accordingly, SAA is currently implementing a five-year strategy (2021-25) that focuses on an agricultural path that is sustainable, resilient, and regenerative; nutrition-sensitive; and market-oriented.

As part of the implementation of its new strategy, SAA seeks a capable Agribusiness/Marketing Specialist for enhancing the Market-Oriented Agriculture (MOA). He/She will serve as a Technical Coordinator (TC) who is in charge of Market-Oriented Extension, Production, and Agribusiness activities across the regenerative agriculture and nutrition-sensitive themes.

Duties and responsibilities

• Under the supervision of the Country Director (CD), TC-MoA’s specific duties and responsibilities include:
• Leads agribusiness and marketing team of experts in the implementation, coordination, supervision, and monitoring of all market and agribusiness activities along the target agricultural value chain.
• Leads capacity building training for farmers to develop their expertise in market-oriented production, farm management and marketing, and farm business development
• Leads capacity-building training for extension agents, agri-business enterprises, and other value-chain actors in market-oriented extension, agricultural business management, and marketing.
• Leads the facilitation of input-output markets access for farmers and agri-businesses
• Leads the establishment and operation of agricultural businesses such as seed growers, agro-input dealers, agro-processors, agricultural service providers, cooperative unions and commodity associations, FBOs, saving associations, and so on.
• Assist in the development of criteria, approach and procedures as well as supporting documents for the establishment of Farmer Based Organizations (FBOs) through fair and transparent competitive process to ensure the inclusion of marginalized and poor members of the community (without leaving anyone behind).
• Leads the development and strengthening of market information systems among key stakeholders in the agricultural value chains of interest, market opportunity identification and market linkage for farmers and agri-businesses
• Create strategic alliances to support alternative, value-added, or specialty businesses
• Create financial packages and make financial services more accessible for farmers and agri-business enterprises by partnering with Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs)
• Capacity building for extension agents in relation to entrepreneurship development
• Keep an up-to-date and well-organized database of all activities related to his tasks
• Participate in resource mobilization for MOA development
• Incorporate and promote e-extension and e-commerce in all his/her activities
• Prepare and submit monthly, quarterly, annual, and other ad hoc reports to Technical Coordinator of Monitoring and Evaluation, Deputy Country Director (DCD), and CD.
• Perform any other tasks assigned to him/her by his/her supervisor

Minimum Qualification:

• BSC or MSc degree in agricultural marketing, agri-business, or agricultural economics from an accredited institution, or any other related field
• A minimum of 14 years (BSc) or 12 years (MSc) relevant work experience is required

Competence

• Knowledge of program development, implementation, and evaluation is required.
• Extensive experience developing and delivering agribusiness and marketing programs for farmers and agribusinesses.
• English level: Proficient (especially in writing skills)
• Excellent oral, analytical, writing, presentation, and reporting abilities
• A solid understanding of econometrics and statistical analysis tools is required.
• Excellent project coordination and management abilities
• Demonstrated computer literacy in Microsoft Office Suite (advanced knowledge of MS word, MS excel, MS PowerPoint)
• Digital literacy: ICT, e-extension, E-commerce