agribusiness manager – job description - African Agricultural ...

AGRIBUSINESS MANAGER – JOB DESCRIPTIONThe African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) is an international not-for-profitorganisation designed to facilitate and promote public/private partnerships for the accessand delivery of royalty-free proprietary technologies from public and private sectororganisations in and outside Africa that will meet the needs of resource-poor smallholderfarmers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Through its catalytic and facilitative role, AATF acts asthe neutral intermediary and responsible party between owners and/or holders ofagricultural proprietary technologies and those that need them to promote food security andenhance livelihoods for smallholder farmers in SSA. AATF was incorporated in the UK inJanuary 2003 and in Kenya in April 2003. It was registered as a charity under the laws ofEngland and Wales in January 2005 and granted host country status by the Government ofKenya in June 2006. The foundation depends on the ongoing support and collaboration ofdifferent partners – public and private sector technology providers, African stakeholders,African governments, African private sector agribusiness and the international donorcommunity – to meet its objectives.THE POSITIONThe sustainability of the high nutritious crops and their food products is dependant on arobust business development portfolio which can create a sustainable market outlet. Thisfunction will ensure that the product development is aligned to the consumer needs andconsequently the market needs. In addition to food security, AATF will insure that poorsmall scale farmers in the target area of her projects have access to and control over incomegeneratingactivities that operate on commercially sustainable terms.The Agribusiness Manager will support the achievement of the project’s agriculturalproduction, agro-industry and marketing objectives, principally through leading theproject’s capacity building strategy with project staff and beneficiaries in these areas;overseeing efforts that lead to increased and improved linkages between small farmers, civilsociety organisations, government and the private sector; and managing the monitoring andevaluation component. The Agribusiness Manager will support the Project Manager in hiscoordination and representation role, particularly as concerns relations with the privatesector and government extension personnel.ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES• Improve/develop the capacity of project staff/farmers’ associations to identifysustainable agro-based economic opportunities and understand and implement ademand-driven, commercialisation approach to rural development based on accessto markets• Identify and assist in coordinating relevant workshops in agricultural marketingissues for project staff and project beneficiaries.1

• Develop or facilitate training modules for project staff related to the key decisionmakingtools for market analysis and program intervention design, including:- Value chain analysis- Participatory needs assessment- Participatory action planning- Sub-sector analysis• Provide technical capacity to programme beneficiaries to improve theirunderstanding of business-related concepts in seeds companies development suchas: factors of production; costs of production; quality control/market standards;opportunity cost; gross margin and profit analysis; return on investment;credit/budgeting; and risk• Assist with the preparation of training materials, guide and manuals• Provide support and guidance to the project manager to develop, review, overseeand review project strategy and activities related to the implementation of the projectaccording to the project proposal• Assist the project manager to develop appropriate criteria and a suitable deliverymechanism for the facilitation of adequate investment and training in farm and nonfarmenterprises• Provide technical assistance for the design of the project’s monitoring and evaluationstrategy• Develop M&E system to measure profitability and relevant business indicators oftargeted seeds companies. Subsequently oversee project’s M&E system, ensuring theprovision of quality data on a timely basis for internal project management andexternal reporting purposes• Assist the Project Manager to establish linkages with private sector service providersand buyers for accessing new farm and non-farm enterprise opportunities and in thenegotiation of market contracts and MOUs with selected private sector partners.Assist in the facilitation of linkages with local agencies for accessing new non-farmenterprises opportunities in conservation areas• Design a strategy to strengthen linkages between civil society organisations,government representatives and the private sector. Maintain working relations withrelevant government line ministries and private sector/research institutions tocoordinate the adoption of new products and/or approaches in agriculturedevelopment and marketing• Provide technical support in the establishment of a marketing database to keepfarmers, consumers and buyers informed of the prevailing market prices of variousagro-industrial products and commodities.QUALIFICATIONS• Master’s degree in agricultural economics, marketing or business administration, orrelated field• 5-7 years international experience in agro-business development, preferably in farmplanning and economic analysis• Demonstrated capacity to work with private sector players (financial institutions,exporters, buyers, traders, transporters, input suppliers or processors)• Familiarity with commonly used tools for market analysis and program design suchas sub-sector analysis, gross margin analysis and business planning• Experience with community-based programming• Experience in small to medium scale agro-enterprise management2

• Experience with externally funded development programmes would be desirable,preferably with experience in market-oriented projects• Experience in dealing with local interlocutors (local NGOs, government ministries),preferably in an African context• Fluency in English.3