Access to Markets Associate

Title: Access to Markets Associate
Program: BlueBiz Program
Reports to: Market Systems and Partnerships Manager
Location: Based in Mombasa – with travel to Kilifi, Tana River, Kwale and Lamu
Grade: 5
TechnoServe Background:

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of businesses and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

Program Description :

TechnoServe is implementing the BlueBiz Program which equips young people in Kenya’s Blue Economy with skills in enterprise development, financial literacy, and soft skills. The program addresses barriers young men and women face in starting and growing enterprises in Mombasa, Tana River, Lamu, Kwale and Kilifi counties.

BlueBiz Program works through a network of 15 local organizations (CBOs and NGOs), 6 of which are currently active in delivering technical assistance to Cohort IV. Through these partners, the program targets to support 15,000 young entrepreneurs, including 11,100 in Cohorts I–III (now alumni) and 4,900 in the ongoing Cohort IV. The young people are engaged across key blue economy value chains: fisheries, waste management, coconut, ecotourism, aquaculture, cassava, and seaweed.

Role Summary and Position Description:

BlueBiz is seeking to fill the position of Access to Markets Associate. The role holder will support young entrepreneurs to connect to high-value markets resulting in real and consistent income. Ultimately, increased income will allow young people to secure dignified and fulfilling work, defined as earning at least minimum wage and achieving at least one of the following markers: Reliable income, Respect at the workplace and Reputable work.This role transcends beyond facilitation to active market brokerage, buyer engagement, and deal conversion, ensuring young entrepreneurs are not just market-ready, are market active and revenue generating.

The associate plans and executes across two priority areas:
1. Cohort IV (ongoing implementation): Ensuring all current participants secure structured market access and close sales. A measure of success will be verified sales revenue from facilitated engagements.
2. Cohort I–III (alumni): Unlocking dormant potential by reconnecting businesses to markets and scaling revenue. A measure of success is revised market-access models and this, increased sales.

Duties & Responsibilities

1. Links to markets and & sales Conversion: Provide technical advisory services to drive end-to-end market access and sales outcomes for youth-led enterprises by working with local organizations to:
a. Develop, maintain, and continuously update a reliable production database capturing quantities, product types, seasonal availability, and production capacity.
b. Map where participants (young people) positions within value chains and identify high-value market opportunities with the greatest income potential. Align participant production with market demand (quantity, quality, timing).
c. Use production and market data to inform buyer targeting, aggregation planning, and supply-demand alignment.
d. Identify, engage, and secure commercial agreements with off-takers and buyers across priority value chains as appropriate. The goal is to ensure at least 70% of participants are linked to at least one viable market channel and meet buyer requirements.
e. Build and manage a live pipeline of buyers, segmented by value chain and absorption capacity.
f. Support aggregation models to meet buyer requirements on volume, consistency, and quality.
g. Facilitate direct transactions between youth enterprises and buyers (beyond introductions).
h. Support deal structuring, including pricing, delivery schedules, and quality specifications.
●Build partnerships with off-takers, aggregators/Distributors, platforms (digital and physical marketplaces). Prioritize partnerships that result in confirmed purchase commitments and scalable demand pipelines.
● Work closely with the Partnerships Manager to support entrepreneurs in structuring and formalizing their commercial relationships with buyers, including the development of collaboration or purchase agreements directly between the parties.
i. Troubleshoot last-mile barriers to closing sales (e.g. logistics, cold storage, coordination, quality issues).
j. Track and drive key performance outcomes, including sales revenue growth, volumes sold, repeat orders, and contract stability.

2. Local Organization Support
a. Activity Planning & Execution: Support local organizations to design and implement structured market access activities within their work plans, including information sessions on market requirements, buyer engagement forums, market exposure visits, and participation in trade/
b. Work with local organizations to ensure technical and business training is directly linked to market demand : This includes guiding training content and delivery so that it translates into production that meets buyer requirements on quality, quantity, standards, and timing. The aim is to ensure that capacity building is not standalone, but results in market-ready products and services that can successfully compete and secure consistent sales.

3. Product Quality & Market Readiness
a. Ensure youth enterprises meet buyer specifications and regulatory standards. This includes supporting enterprises to attain certification as and when required.
b. Work with local organizations to address quality gaps impacting sales and strengthen consistency and reliability.
c. Support introduction of market-driven product improvements

4. Data Tracking & Performance Management
a. Work with the project indicator monitoring function to track performance against key outcomes e.g.:
● % of participants accessing structured markets
● Increase in sales revenue and volumes
● Number of active buyers engaged
● Revenue consistency (repeat transactions)
b. Maintain a real-time market linkage tracker/dashboard as needed.

5. Cross-Pillar Collaboration for Market Outcomes: Work closely with other key pillars leads (Enterprise Development Advisors) on the program to ensure the access to markets component is complementary to interventions that enable young entrepreneurs to start, grow, and sustain viable businesses.
a. Access to Finance: work with the Access to Finance pillar to ensure that financing (including BBCF and alternative financing mechanisms) is directly linked to market opportunities. This includes aligning financing to invest in productivity and quality improvements, and scale production in response to secured or potential buyers.
b. Enhanced Leadership & Agency: Collaborate with the Enhanced Leadership pillar to strengthen the agency of young entrepreneurs, ensuring they can make informed business decisions, negotiate effectively with buyers, and advocate for enabling policies and regulations that support their participation in markets.
c. Communications: Work with the Communications pillar to identify and showcase successful enterprises, market linkages, and income growth stories. Ensure that evidence of impact is documented and shared to attract partners, inspire participants, and strengthen the program’s visibility and credibility.
d. Digital & Technology Integration: Partner with the Digital inclusion pillar to promote the use of technology and digital tools (e.g. AI) to improve market penetration, efficiency, and access to information. This includes supporting linkages to e-commerce platforms, digital marketplaces, and tools that enhance marketing, customer acquisition, and sales tracking.

Required Skills & Experience

●Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Agribusiness, Economics, or related field or 2+ years experience in sales, market linkages, or business development
● Proven ability to close deals and manage B2B relationships
● Strong understanding of value chains and market systems
● Experience working with SMEs, youth enterprises, or producer groups

Preferred Qualification

● Experience in blue economy sectors
● Strong negotiation and commercial acumen
● Ability to translate strategy into tangible revenue outcomes
● Data-driven and results-oriented

Success Metrics (Reframed)
2 - 4 Months:
●5 active buyer agreements secured (at least 30% of participants supplying to a formal buyer - companies, small/medium aggregators or cooperatives, institutions)
● Active sales tracker

4 - 8 Months:
●10 additional active buyer agreements secured (ensure at least one buyer agreement per value chain and at least 60% of participants supplying to a formal buyer - companies, small/medium aggregators or cooperatives, institutions)
● 25% increase in participant revenue
● Established repeat buyer relationships
● Program alumni generating consistent and diversified income streams

Supervises: Market Access Intern
Works closely with: Enterprise Development Advisors, local partners, private sector buyers, aggregators, and service providers

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, 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.If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact Human Resources at [email protected] or call +1 202 785 4515.