Supply Chain Specialist

I. About TechnoServe:

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in 29 countries, we work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. By linking people to information, capital and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities. Founded over 50 years ago, TechnoServe has been named the #1 nonprofit for fighting poverty by the Impact Matters charity ratings agency.

II. About the project:

TechnoServe seeks a results-oriented professional to lead the business advisory unit of a large-scale program in Yirgacheffe, one of the world’s most celebrated coffee origins. Regrow Yirga is a five-year, $15M+ project funded by the U.S Department of Agriculture, JDE, and Peet’s Coffee. The program will help farmers boost productivity and expand trade and has a focus on improving farmers´ capacity to renew their trees. Specifically, the Regrow Yirga program seeks to: train 42,000 farmers in good agricultural practices, provide quality advisory support to 45 coffee processing stations, and improve the enabling environment through strengthening private and public coffee service providers in Ethiopia. Lastly, the project will launch an innovative Farmer Stumping Fund which will facilitate direct incentive (tools or cash) transfers to farmers to encourage tree renewal which has the potential to be scaled up to over 1 million coffee farmers nationwide.

III. About the role:

Reporting to the Business Program Manager, the Supply chain specialist's principal objective is to support the development of business strategies and advise processing stations and exporters on coffee processing quality parameters and profitability metrics. Unlike the (Senior) Business Advisors who are assigned to specific clients this role cuts across all clients so advisory by the specialist is supplementary and in support of the client work already being performed by the Advisors on the team. Responsibilities under this role include:

Quality assurance systems support wet mills

·         Analyze the quality assurances systems currently in place at client wet mills.

·         Develop a performance management and quality assurance system together with the client and tailored to their business needs. Come up with a set of tools and forms to aid all actors (farmer, collection agent, akrabi, industry manager, quality manager, owner) better adhering to specified quality parameters (eg. cherry ripeness, pulping hours, fermentation monitoring, drying monitoring).

·         Clearly identify and document client aspirations and challenges; Compile and present findings and recommendations

·         Translate business needs into technical specifications; plot a mutually agreed intended impact and route to reach it.

·         Plan activities to ensure that the shared objectives are met within the set times and resources and that impact is maximized.

·         Ensure regular and responsive communication to monitor progress, identify problems at an early stage, and respond to them.

Provide analysis on cost and market data in support of the Business Program Manager and the Business team

·         Locate, review, and validate data both on company and market levels.

·         Provide continuous support in business development strategies to increase the client’s revenue

·         Coordinate with the client and program management to research, identify, analyze, and execute new business initiatives.

·         Support the implementation and client adoption of digital tools introduced by the project or private service providers (e.g bookkeeping and/or traceability system, cherry app, performance dashboard).  

·         Provide feedback on operational costs and provide cost performance benchmarking

·         Educating stakeholders on the role of business intelligence

·         Conduct on-site performance audits for sharing with owners

·         Provide advice on the set-up of strategically locating purchasing points and encourage directly to site deliveries

·         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.  

·         Provide guidance when issues, challenges, or problematic situations arise.

Stakeholder Management and program representation

·         Create a good working relationship with stakeholders and hold meetings with the Coffee and Tea Authority, the Agricultural Office, and the Trade Office at zonal level

·         Support the expansion of the wet mill program into different woredas

·         Support efforts in making the wet mill program more gender-inclusive and conflict-sensitive using local customs etc.

·         Be a program ambassador in the operational area

·         Effectively use metrics and data visualization to report progress and support data-driven decision-making at the team or organization level

• Provide support to the project operations as required

 V. Required Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree with 5-7 years; Master’s Degree with 4-5 years (Master’s degree preferred) in business and administration, economics, rural development, engineering, or other related discipline.

• Knowledge in one of the following areas: agricultural processing, industrial quality assurance systems and processes, SME development, exporting, project or business management, finance, or engineering. No prior coffee experience required.
•   Excellent communication skills, written and oral, in both English and Amharic (knowledge of Afan Oromo, Sidamigna or Gedigna is an added advantage).

• Excellent numerical analysis skills, business modelling, report writing and presentation
• Customer/client orientation and problem-solving skills
• Strong planning skills and ability to work independently within agreed work plans and timelines
• Willingness to be located in the field spend time travelling to project sites located rural areas.
• Is passionate about creating a positive impact and believes in the power of the private sector; experience working in the private sector highly preferable

IV. Success factors:

• 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.
•   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.

• 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.
• 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.
•   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.
• Planning & Resource Planning: The ability to estimate, justify, and manage appropriate funding levels to support goal accomplishment. Effectively plans, schedules, prioritizes and controls activities; identifies, integrates and orchestrates resources (people, material, information, budget, and/or time) to accomplish goals aimed at improving overall organizational performancece