INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

For Social Marketing & Agri-Business Development Expert

Country Office: Ethiopia

Work Base: Waghimra base with frequent travels to intervention areas

Availability: As Soon As Possible

Salary Scale: EMS07

Salary and other benefits: Gross salary of minimum ETB 31,007.00 to maximum ETB 37,985 – (depending upon past work experience and educational background) and with other organization benefits 

Insurance - (Life, Group Personal Accident, and Medical Insurances are covered upon the organization policies).

Seniority Allowance – paid to depend on the years of service.

Contract Duration: Six months with a high possibility of extension

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger-USA is part of the Action Against Hunger International network, which provides humanitarian relief in over 40 countries worldwide in the sectors of nutrition, health, water/sanitation, and food security. Action Against Hunger-USA, an independent NGO, currently manages operations in 8 countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Cambodia, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Haiti, and Somalia. Action Against Hunger-USA has over $75 million in programs and approximately 2000 staff based in in the various country offices, Head Quarter in New York City, and Operational Centre in Nairobi. Additional growth is anticipated.

Action Against Hunger secured the fund from European Union through ICCO cooperation Ethiopia to implement an innovation project entitled “Terracing, Agroforestry, and Farm Optimization in Waghimra – TAF Project’’. This two-year innovation project builds on the activities of previous RESET phases and complements them by supporting interventions at a higher systemic level in order to address the structural underlying causes of vulnerability. The primary goal of this project is to improve sustainable livelihoods and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities in Waghimra through the promotion of innovative Terracing, Agroforestry, and Farm Optimization. The proposed project is expected to move resilience out of the ‘’business as usual’’ approach through influence existing systems. New and appropriate methodologies, approaches, technologies, and practices will be adopted and introduced in partnership with Bahir Dar University, public and private stakeholders, which empower women and youth, including addressing the underlying social, cultural, and economic causes of inequality in their respective societies.

General Assignments / Scope of the Role:

The Social Marketing and Agri business Development specialist is responsible to develop and implement a social marketing intervention for agriculture, adapted to the specific context and constraints of Waghimra. 

He/she will support the achievement of the innovation project agricultural production, and marketing objectives, principally through leading the project’s capacity building strategy with farm innovative agents and farmers in these areas; developing strategies and activities that lead to increased and improved linkages between farmer groups, business service providers such as micro-finance institutions, multipurpose cooperatives, private agro input suppliers and government; and managing the monitoring and evaluating the social marketing strategy 

The Social Marketing and Business Development Expert role’s purpose, engagement and delivery is:

Purpose 

The Social Marketing and Agri-Business Development expert will design and refine, implement, monitor, and evaluate the social marketing aspect of the RESET Plus Innovation project. He/she will organize the recruitment and capacity building, and the evaluation of Farm Innovative agents. He/she will promote private sector investment into the agriculture sector and promote/support the introduction of innovation in business development among Farm Innovative Agents, smallholder farmers, Multipurpose Cooperatives and Private Farm Input suppliers. He/she will document the process, challenges, good practices, and learnings related to the Social Marketing Intervention, and propose modifications for improvement.

Engagement: 

Internally, the social marketing and Agri-Business Development Expert will work closely with the program manager and agronomist. She/he will select, and closely work with the Farm Innovative Agents 

Externally, s/he build a relationship and work with Bahir Dar University, local government officials, Multipurpose Cooperatives, and Farm input suppliers in the program implementation area.

Delivery hieroglyphics

The Social Marketing and Agri-Business Development Expert will promote innovative farm practice using social marketing approach applied to agriculture and create a sustainable business model in Waghimra by Linking producer groups/agriculture suppliers and farmers supported by multipurpose cooperative through Farm Innovative Agents

Essential Job duties

• Collaborate with the Academic partner involved in research, and conduct additional research (interview, FGD, etc) as necessary, using human-centered design approach, to inform and refine the design of the social marketing strategy
• Develop a social marketing strategy in line with the project objectives and tailored to local needs and constraints, to support and link key agents of the market and promote the technical innovation package to create a sustainable business model
• Coordinate implementation of the social marketing strategy in Waghimra and stimulate the creation of a highly motivated and capable private extension force called Farm Innovative Agents (FIA), which involve preparing and conducting a rigorous recruitment process to select the FIAs.
• Mapping of potential actors of the agricultural market targeted by the project, such as, local suppliers for agricultural inputs and other material (e.g. irrigation, etc), micro finance institutions, multipurpose cooperative, governmental institutions related to the activity, existing farmers groups, VSLA, women’s Self Help Groups, etc. 
• Identification of agro suppliers willing to work with Farm Innovative Agents on a sales commission basis
• Provide intensive training, regular on the job coaching and constructive supervision, for farm innovative Agents on Social marketing, entrepreneurship communication and sales techniques. When needed, tailored training sessions in order to close the gender gaps.
• Develops an evaluation process for FIAs performance, with action plans and realistic objectives to evaluate their performances and the marketing strategy implemented.
• Coaching of women’s Self Help Groups (SHG) and youth group to be involved in farm input supply
• Identify private agro input suppliers and link the farmers with market and facilitate delivery contracts with private agro input suppliers to make accessible farm inputs
• Closely work with multipurpose cooperatives to facilitate asset loans and guarantee funds for smallholder farmers.
• Facilitate catalytic fund injection in multipurpose cooperatives to sustain loans and risk coverage for uptake of farm innovation by farmers
• In close coordination with the Program Managers and Farm Innovative Agents, He/she will facilitate farmers access to farm inputs for smallholder farmers; 
• Build partnerships and working relationship with Government offices, NGOs, Research institutions, Multipurpose Cooperatives, farm input suppliers, and Farm Innovative Agents to expand business initiatives 
• Ensuring that Farm Innovative agents, project beneficiaries, self-help groups, Youth, cooperatives, and associations have the knowledge and skills to develop and run successful business.
• Prepare functional Memorandum of Understanding to work with selected Farm Innovative agents, farm input suppliers and financial institutions in support of smallholder farmer groups’.
• Document the process and the learning from the social marketing component. 
• Ensure timely tasks delivery with attention to the quality 

Supervisory Responsibilities

Direct Management: N/A

Gender Equality Commitments  

• Foster an environment that supports values of women and men, and equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion. race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status. 
• Value and respect all cultures. 

Fiscal Responsibility-N/A

Physical Demands 

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

The duties of the job require regular job attendance at least five days per week. Must be available to work outside normal office hours or on the weekends as required. Must be able to travel as required for standard domestic business purposes. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high-security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as infectious diseases. 

Job Requirements

Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• Bachelor degree in Agricultural economics, economics, Agribusiness or related field
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in development, agribusiness, social marketing, and/or innovations for innovation resilient building project
• Experience in Human-Centered Design (HCD) and/or other qualitative and participatory learning tools and formative research Experience in capacity strengthening on technical aspects of agribusiness/social marketing

Required Skills & Competencies

• Demonstrated skills in agriculture and social enterprises
• Strong communication skills
• Self-motivated and able to work with limited supervision
• Ability to work and travel within the Implementation area
• Understanding of Business/business oriented mindset
• Creativity and problem-solving skills

How to Apply

If you are interested, please send your application composed of none returnable CV, Covering Letter with “ Social Marketing & Agri-Business Development Expert” written in the subject line, and three references, applicants to the following addresses:

Through click here OR Directly In Person to Action Against Hunger Addis Ababa office after Washington DC square to Mayor Muriel Bowser Street, Wollega – Gimbi, Gambella, Waghimra – Sekota, Harergue -Harar, Borena – Yabello, Mekele and Somali Gode offices,

Deadline: Sunday, 14 February 2021 before 5:00 pm

NB: Only shortlisted applicants will be, communicated and the selection process includes a technical test and an interview.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply for this position