Title: Program Specialist

Reports to: Program Manager

Location; Addis Ababa

Travel: To the location of program activities

Duration: until April 2024 (10 months assignment)

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:
TechnoServe collaborates with Partners in Food Solutions (PFS), a non-profit organization that aggregates and links the corporate volunteer expertise of leading food companies - General Mills, Cargill, Buhler, DSM, Hershey, Ardent Mills, and Smucker’s - with promising food industry entrepreneurs in Africa.

Under the USAID-funded Alliance for Inclusive and Nutritious Food Project, TechnoServe works alongside PFS to engage local food companies, identify their growth challenges, and link them with volunteer experts from PFS corporate partners. The project will build the efficiency and inclusiveness of food processors, improving production and profitability, increasing linkages with smallholder farmers, and growing distribution channels to better reach Base of the Pyramid (BoP) markets.

III. Position Description:
The Program Specialist is short term contract position and she/he will provide Smallholder Supply Chains and Low Income / Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) Markets related support including providing program and administrative support to the program team in the preparation of various program documents, such as work plans, budgets, reports, assessments sub-award due diligence documentation, etc. related to the implementation of the AINFP program. Specific Responsibilities Include:

Smallholder Supply Chains and Low Income / Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) Markets related support: -

• Support SBMS by developing and keeping a roster of key SHF suppliers and food industries which will be used to build a network and bases for various document development such as contractual agreements, follow-up and data-gathering tools, consent forms, and knowledge management data-gathering tools from smallholder farmer suppliers, cooperative unions, and the food processing industry.

• Support the SBMS by developing and keeping a roster of key BOP market players and building a network by Identifying food processors with products that are relevant to the BOP market.

• Support the SBMS in Monitoring and controlling contractual agreements, obtaining data, managing knowledge, assessing needs, and organizing nutritious food profiles to reach out to the Low-Income consumers / Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) markets.

• Support PowerPoint development, tool demonstration, follow up the checklist, A2F, and B2B forms.

• Support SBMS to prepare study design, preparing questioners, and Supporting business interns during data collection tool preparation and other support they required.

Program Management Support

• Provide program and administrative support to the program team in the preparation of various program documents, such as work plans, budgets, reports, assessments sub-award due diligence documentation, etc. related to the implementation of the AINFP program.

• Under the guidance of the supervisor, assemble briefing materials and prepare power-point and other presentations for the program unit.

• Identify sources, and gather and compile data and information for the preparation of documents, guidelines, and other material as required.

• Assist the program team in reviewing and preparing documentation on the procurement of goods and services, and support contract tracking.

• Help the team in providing guidance to the country and project offices on routine implementation of the project, and tracking use of financial resources.

• Administrative Support to the Program Unit

• Provide administrative support to the program team in the organization of events, meetings, workshops, etc. 

• Make travel arrangements for the program team and project staff, including preparation of travel requisitions and claims.

• Work closely with PM in correspondence with partners in various activities

• Maintain and organize up-to-date hard and electronic files for easy access and retrieval

• Ensure the safekeeping of confidential materials

Job Requirements

Required Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree with 3 years of experience; Master’s degree with 1 year of experience in
  Economics, Business Management, Marketing, or related area, or equivalent experience in food
  market systems, including experience working in the private sector. A Master’s degree is preferred.

• Proven experience working with BOP and High-End Markets

• Demonstrated understanding of gender issues in agriculture or market systems.

• Experience with agricultural commodities/product pricing and contract structures preferred.

• Strong analytical skills

• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills.

• Excellent oral and written presentation skills and good computer skills in business software (Excel, MS Project, and PowerPoint).

• Excellent verbal and written English language skills.

Job Specific/Technical Competencies include:

• Financial & Resource Management: The ability to estimate, justify, and manage appropriate funding levels to support goal accomplishment. Managing Resources is about understanding human, financial, and operational resource issues to make decisions aimed at building and planning efficient project workflows, and at improving overall organizational performance.

• Donor/Partnership Management: Identifying opportunities and taking action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, or organizations to help achieve business goals.

• Analysis, Research, Report Writing: Experience in business planning and analysis, modeling for feasibility and execution. Able to analyze and express oneself clearly in business writing.

• Innovative Mindset: Curious inquiries, asks questions and seeks out information from multiple sources, learns from mistakes, and sees change as an opportunity.

How to Apply

Qualified and interested applicants should Click here to apply or click on this link CLICK HERE  by June 28, 2023. Applications will be reviewed and considered as received/on a rolling basis. Only applicants meeting minimum qualifications will be contacted. Please note that we are not accepting CVs that are not sent through the indicated link.  

TECHNOSERVE ENCOURAGES DIVERSITY AT 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, AGE, DISABILITY, AND ALL OTHER PROTECTED CLASSES. 

Women are highly encouraged to apply

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