About the job

Program Description:

TechnoServe has been implementing HortiMAP to support market actors to work towards creating a vibrant, sustainable Ugandan horticulture sector since 2020 with financing from the EKN. The project was restricted to 23 districts in the Central, Eastern and South-western region excluding the North which has equally great Horticultural potential. Over 80% of the HortiMAP financing was strategically redirected to support more of productive activities leaving a gap on the market systems development end of the Value Chain.

TechnoServe will implement the NU-Hortimap funded by aBi Investments Ltd to scale the successes gained under Hortimap in Northern Uganda. This program over the 18 Months, will support market actors to work towards creating a vibrant, sustainable Ugandan horticulture sector.

The program combines catalytic funding through a Market Development Facility and Technical Assistance fund to leverage private sector and local resources and expertise to strengthen SMEs and local supply chains, while delivering world-class entrepreneurship training to farmers and retailers to realize their potential. These interventions are expected to: a) Train & support 7000 farmers on entrepreneurship, regenerative good agricultural practices (GAP), post-harvest handling (PHH) & reduced loss, financing & use of technologies, nutrition

b) Provide tailored business advisory support and catalytic finance to producer organizations (POs) and farmer-facing micro, small c) Provide technical assistance to 2 public sector actors to disseminate information on market standards, inspect horticulture farms, and develop a domestic digital traceability system and d) Support 4 market-facing MSMEs with tailored business development advisory, investor readiness support, and access to catalytic finance.

Position Description:

This position is part of the Horticultural Value Chain Development Team which ensures delivery of high quality, customized trainings to MDF clients, specifically farmers, producer organizations, retailers, vendors and other SMEs

The Business Counselor will work closely with the Senior Business Advisor, Input suppliers, District Local Government departments, local stakeholders, and partners, as well as respective country management. S/he will be responsible for delivering customized Entrepreneurship and micro-retailor trainings to Fresh Fruits and Vegetable (FFV) Vendors, micro-retailers and other selected SMEs, in addition, the Business counselor may provide support to Associate Agronomy Advisor in the delivery of Entrepreneurship training to Producer Organizations and Entrepreneurial farmers

Title: Business Counselor

Program: NU-HortiMAP

Reports to: Senior Business Advisor

Location: Northern Uganda

Grade: 3

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

• Continuous mapping, selection, profiling and recruitment of FFV market Vendors, micro-retailers and market serving SMEs in targeted markets within their geographical locations
• Use TechnoServe’s tested assessment tools to benchmark Clients’ (Vendors, micro-retailers and Market serving SMEs) capacity and help identify areas for improvement.
• Use the result of the bench mark to tailor support to individual Client (Vendors, micro-retailers and Market serving SMEs) based on identified gaps
• Work with Senior Business advisor to link Clients (market vendors, micro-retailers and SMEs) to business development service (BDS) providers to build capacity in core areas such governance, member services, and inclusive leadership of women and youth.
• Deliver direct training and coaching to Market Vendors and micro retailers in micro-retailing and vendor modules such as Shop/Stall Management, customer relationsFinancial Management, Supply Chain Management etc; and other modules related to food quality, standards, safety and nutrition.
• Support Partners in delivering training to Market Vendors and micro retailers in micro-retailing and vendor modules such as Shop/stall Management, Customer relations, Financial Management and Supply Chain Management, and other modules related to food quality, standards, safety and nutrition.
• Facilitate backward linkage among the core value chain actors, from Market end to Production and supply
• Promote and scale up identified and proven technologies among the value chain actors in areas of; reducing Post-harvest losses, proper storage etc.
• Collect baseline figures and measure impact in order to monitor progress (M&E)
• Planning of activities to ensure that the objectives of the program are met within the set times and resources and that impact is maximized
• Periodic reporting of the situation on the ground to provide both data and anecdotal evidence of impact
• With support of the Program Manager and Senior Business Advisor, identify Business Development Service providers such as Micro-Finance Institutions and link them with the clients- Vendors and micro-retailers
• Building strong partnerships and professional working relations with key stakeholders in the districts of operation, such as District Local government, lower local government, Market leaderships and other projects in the area, etc.

Required Qualification, skills and Experience:

• A diploma in Business related discipline such as Business studies, Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Agribusiness. A degree is an added advantage
• Minimum of 2 years’ field experience with, Entrepreneurship development, Vendors and micro-retailor business support and engagement, youth and women entrepreneurship support.
• Knowledge of the Fresh Fruits and Vegetable (FFV) sector, products and markets
• Strong private sector experience, facilitation skills and Participatory Approaches and client relationship building
• Relevant skills of Monitoring and Evaluation tools and practices including use of online digital platform for delivering trainings, data capturing and reporting
• Good computer skills (Excel and MS word)
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills
• Proficiency in the local language(s) or one of the local languages spoken in the Northern Uganda
• Ability to ride a motorcycle with a valid riding permit, or willingness to learn and acquire a permit within one-month’s period.

Success Factors:

Competency is a combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) directly related to successful performance on the job.

Core Competencies include:

• Integrity and honesty: Is widely trusted; seen as a direct, truthful individual; presents truthful information appropriately and helpfully; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; does not misrepresent themselves for personal gain.
• Team Work/ Relationships: Works cooperatively and flexibly with other team members with a complete understanding of the role to be played as a team member and leader to achieve a common goal. Ability to build and maintain effective relationships and networks.
• Learning attitude: Proactively takes advantage of opportunities to learn. Actively identifies new areas for learning; applies and shares new knowledge and skill appropriately.
• Diversity/Inclusiveness: Demonstrates an understanding and appreciation for diversity and supports diversity efforts. Interacts inclusively with people of all races, cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds, religions, ages, and genders.
• Communication: Expresses ideas effectively in individual and group situations. Listens effectively; shares information, ideas, and arguments; adjusts terminology, language, and communication modes to the needs of the audience; ensures accurate understanding; acts in a way that facilitates an open exchange of ideas and information; use appropriate non-verbal communication.
• Decision making/Problem Solving: Can analyze situations, diagnose problems, identify the key issues, establish and evaluate alternative courses of action and produce a logical, practical, and acceptable solution. Can make effective decisions daily, take ownership of decisions, and demonstrate sound judgment in escalating issues where necessary.
• Results-Oriented/High-Quality Deliverables: Stays focused on the efforts necessary to achieve quality results consistent with programmatic or departmental goals. Demonstrates the ability to achieve effective results; works persistently to overcome obstacles to goal achievement. Accomplishes tasks by considering all areas involved, no matter how small; showing concern for all aspects of the job; accurately checking processes and tasks.
• Planning & Time Management: Establishes a course of action for self and others to accomplish a specific goal. Effectively plans, schedules, prioritizes, and controls activities; identifies, integrates, and orchestrates resources (people, material, information, budget, and time) to accomplish goals. Prioritizes work according to the program or department’s goals, not just own job responsibilities; manages own time effectively.
• Business Acumen: The ability to use information, ask the right questions, and make decisions that impact the overall business performance.

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 to build and plan efficient project workflows and improve 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, sees change as an opportunity.

TechnoServe encourages diversity in all levels and across all facets of our organization. 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, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

• Career Pathways:

The positions that may be a next career opportunity for employees in this job title include Business Advisor.