Website International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
JOB OPPORTUNITY
Research Associate, Business Development Specialist
The Business Development Specialist will be responsible for agricultural input and output market development, conducting value chain mapping and assessments, developing upgrading strategies and facilitating access to services of MSMEs, conducting training activities for MSMEs and documenting results.
Major duties and responsibilities:
- Develop strategies for agribusiness MSMEs to manage risks and sustain short- and long-term shocks by applying a market systems resilience framework.
- Conduct value chain assessments of maize, rice, pulses and NSAF mandated vegetables input and output markets to develop upgrading strategies with stakeholders.
- Introduce various supply chain management (SCM), contractual and coordination tactics in maize markets to improve efficiency and benefits of farmers and market actors.
- Lead the work on strengthening MSMEs for improved post-harvest operations such as product aggregation, storage, quality assurance and distribution for end use markets.
- Provide leadership in identifying potential opportunities within various support services (marketing, finance, research, advocacy) for maize business by conducting workshops, interviews, and meetings with NSAF team, service providers and MSMEs.
- Assess the financial needs of agribusiness MSMEs and support the promotion of digital finance and access to credit for MSMEs by exploring value chain finance opportunities.
- Pilot interventions with selected agribusiness MSMEs in various supply chain management, support services, access to finance, insurance and input business management tactics.
- Conduct agribusiness capacity development and business literacy programs for agriculture cooperatives, MSMEs and local level (Municipalities and Rural Municipalities).
- Prepare technical and project reports of the project.
- Conduct any other assignments as requested by the supervisor.
Required Qualifications and Skills:
- MSc or MBA degree in Agriculture Economics, Business management or related fields.
- At least five years of working experience in the agribusiness sector facilitating commercial agriculture production and market development.
- Demonstrated analytical skills on market system mapping, preparing business plans, and conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis using data from production and market system actors.
- Wide knowledge on concepts and practices in agribusiness for facilitating commercial upgrading strategies.
- Good skills in data management and analysis in analytical software such as SPSS , R and Microsoft Excel.
- Excellent work ethics and demonstrated potential to work independently with minimal supervision and to work in inter-disciplinary teams.
- Ability to undertake multiple tasks and work under strict deadlines.
- Good command in written and spoken English language.
- Valid motorcycle driving license will be preferred.
Candidates must go through the Wufoo link below and submit the application with detailed information no later than February 28th, 2023.
https://cimmytrecruitment.wufoo.com/forms/n22246-business-development-specialist/
Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.
Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.