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 hard working 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. Our work is rooted in the idea that given the opportunity, hardworking men and women in even the poorest places can generate income, jobs and wealth for their families and communities. In East Africa, we operate in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Across the region, we implement a range of large-scale value chain interventions, agribusiness Project s and entrepreneurship/economic empowerment projects. With more than four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

About the Project

TechnoServe and GreenPath propose an ambitious, three-year project to catalyze the growth of Ethiopia’s export sector through efficient, inclusive, and regenerative market systems with Ethiopian small-scale farmers. Through sustainable, smallholder-sourced high-value exports, Ethiopian small-scale farmers will access higher income generating opportunities and lucrative, premium export markets, contributing to more resilient and improved farming livelihoods, particularly for women and youth. We envision a climate-resilient and inclusive horticulture export sector that strengthens partnerships between small-scale farmers and export enterprises, allows small-scale farmers to produce high-value export crops with access to climate-smart irrigation technology, and responds to end-market consumer demand for regeneratively grown products. Although small-scale farmers have the potential to supply growing global consumer demand for sustainable products, Ethiopia’s business climate excludes small-scale producers from meaningfully participating in export value chains even when this is central to the mission of an export enterprise due to limited incentives for commercial exporters to overcome the various framework impediments to smallholder sourcing. These include limited enterprise knowledge on successfully identifying and engaging small-scale farmers, limited small-scale farmer access to affordable irrigation, unregistered high-value export seeds only allowed for production on commercial farms, promotion of environmentally damaging conventional horticulture practices to smallholders, expensive and costly certifications that discourage smallholder expansion.  

Position Description

The Market Analyst expert will lead the overall market of NORAD project, including markets and value chain assessments and analyses, supporting business plan development and implementation. The Market analyst will manage identification, design and implementation of irrigation technology funds; establish and manage relationships with irrigation technology companies. Analyze entrepreneurial and irrigation production options; analyze out-growers’ export crop profitability (Gross margin) and seed market. Provide export crops’ strategic advises to respective stakeholders’. The Market analyst will coach and train smallholder irrigation out-grower farmer groups, local extension, Business Advisors, farmer trainers and Development Agents to enhance their ability to analyze different entrepreneurial and agronomic options and support effective out-grower groups and export crop production by applying crop selection tool. Promote TechnoServe market to affiliate institutions including private sectors. S/he will facilitate linkages to exporters/buyers; financial institutions and other key market actors as well as ensure ongoing learning, knowledge exchange and capacity building. Manage relationships with companies and local gov’t, sector offices.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Market Analyst duties and responsibilities are described below:

Technical Assistance in Market analysis and Marketing

• Provided technical support to out-grower farmers’ to produce high-value, exportable crops & access to seeds improved
• Assess the export crop supply chain opportunities by identifying and engaging potential exporter
• Assess technical and financial viability of export Irrigation crop market opportunities through data collection and analysis
• Evaluate current irrigation out-grower farmers horticultural production and marketing systems and identify opportunities for developing new and/or enhancing existing export crop production businesses
• Engage without-grower farmers and their organizations to make choices on major crops to be cultivated and technologies applied based on an informed analysis of their options, which depend on export market demand, technical capability, assess to technologies and finance, as well as other relevant factors;
• Support the development of business plans at Irrigation out-grower farmers scheme level, including strategies for strengthening out-grower farmers
• Support farmer groups with technical issues related to business plan implementation as they emerge
• Support Financial analysis of farming/Cropping system;
• Identify and promote smallholder regenerative agriculture in Ethiopia, best practices and success story to be share for the large audience  
• Promote learning by sharing key learning issues related to NORAD project and advance gender equity
• Prepare and share NORAD project horticultural crop export business on relevant workshops/briefings on lessons learned
• Participate in TechnoServe learning networks
• Network with other relevant actors to promote knowledge exchange

Training and Coaching

• Train and coach local extension experts, BA, Development Agents (DAs), and Out-grower farmers
• Engaging in participatory planning and applying tools for financial viability analysis;
• Regularly visit out-grower farmers, BA, FTs, and DAs to coach them and monitor performance; market oriented irrigated crop production, Business plan Development, and other training identified through Training Need Assessment

Facilitate linkages with other key market actors and manage relationships

• Support identification and prioritization of market system actors and facilitate linkages between out-grower farmers, farmer organizations, private sectors and these different actors, including financial institutions
• Ensure continued facilitation of transparent and mutually beneficial business relationships, including with intermediate processors, exporters, input and service providers, and financial institutions as a model for viable market access alliances;

Field Work

• Field-testing of export crop selection, market data collection and other materials to ensure accuracy, fidelity of translations and regional and cultural relevance.
• Field supervision and quality coaching to ensure compliance and fidelity of NORAD project business model and implementation activities against operating procedures and market work plans.

Job Requirements

• Master's or Bachelor's degree in Business, Economics, Business Administration/ Cooperative management, Agricultural Extension, Rural Development, related studies required;
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience on agricultural product marketing, development research, market strategy development, business plan development,
• Demonstrated strong problem-solving skills
• Very strong attention to details and commitment to high quality, error-free end products  
• Ability to develop well written, cohesive analyses and reports quickly and efficiently
• Demonstrated experience in both qualitative and quantitative market research’s
• Strong analytical and financial analysis skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and project reporting skills a must; Fluency in Amharic, English and one SNNPR region language
• Strong planning skills and experience working to strict time-guidelines
• Willingness to be based and/or frequently travel to Butajira

Attributes:

• Strong and very detailed oriented when planning and preparing documents
• Problem solver, structured thinker with high attention to detail
• Innovative mindset; learning attitude
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills; effective negotiation skills
• Flexibility and ability to adjust to rapidly changing circumstances
• Committed to quality and achieving impact; motivated; high level of integrity and honesty

How to Apply

Qualified and interested applicants should Click here to apply for this position and submit a cover letter resume as a single document (either Word or PDF) by November 13,2021. Applications will be reviewed and considered as received/on a rolling basis. Please identify the position for which you are applying in the subject line. Only applicants meeting minimum qualifications will be contacted. Please note that we are not accepting CVs that are not sent through the indicated link. CLICK HERE

TECHNOSERVE ENCOURAGES DIVERSITY IN ALL LEVELS AND ACROSS ALL FACETS OF OUR ORGANIZATION. WITH THIS COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, WE ARE PROUD TO BE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND DO NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF GENDER, RACE, COLOR, ETHNICITY, RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, AGES, DISABILITY, AND ALL OTHER PROTECTED CLASSES. 

The position does have a duration of 18 months, with the possibility of an extension  

TechnoServe has the right to cancel this advertisement. Women are highly encouraged to apply