Associate Business Advisor

Job Description

Title: Associate Business Advisor (2)

Program: Growing Resilience and Opportunities for Wealth Through Horticulture (GROWTH)

Reports to: Horticulture Marketing Manager

Location: (1) Elgon & Busoga regions,  (2) Buganda & Kigezi / Rwenzori regions.

Grade: 5

TechnoServe Background:

TechnoServe works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. We are a non-profit organization that develops business solutions to poverty by linking people to information, capital, and markets. With over four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

Program Overview:

TechnoServe is collaborating with consortium partners Agriterra and Wageningen University and Research to execute the five-year Growing Resilience and Opportunities for Wealth Through Horticulture (GROWTH) project, supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN). This initiative fosters a market-oriented, resilient, and inclusive horticultural ecosystem in Uganda, targeting approximately 100,000 smallholder farmers (SHFs). By engaging with communities and Farmer Organizations (FOs) including SACCOs and cooperatives the project boosts productivity and improves access to markets and financial services. GROWTH builds on the foundations of programs like HortiMap, prioritizing systemic change, sustainability, and local ownership within the Ugandan horticulture industry.

Job Summary:

The Associate Business Advisor plays a pivotal role in strengthening marketing frameworks for horticultural off-takers (urban markets, regional markets, and exporters producer groups, vendor networks, and commercial farmers. You will collaborate with Agriterra Junior Cooperative Advisors, PIP/EFFORT Advisors to resolve market challenges and partner with agronomy specialists to empower smallholder farmers, Farmer Organizations, and cooperatives. By strengthening the capabilities of local and international market participants, you directly contribute to the project’s mission.

Key roles and responsibilities:

Capacity Building & Training

• Deliver tailored training on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and "farming as a business" to horticulture farmers and groups.
• Provide customized training to Fresh Fruit and Vegetable (FFV) vendors and micro-retailers on marketplace economics, supply chain management, and shop operations.
• Assess local competency gaps and provide feedback to project leadership to refine marketing training curricula.

Market Linkages & Value Chain Integration

• Build commercial supply chain alliances by connecting smallholder farmers with private sector off-takers, supermarkets, processors, and exporters.
• Coach beneficiaries on commercially viable logistics, cold-chain practices, and storage solutions to reduce post-harvest losses and secure consistent market pricing.

Business Diagnostic & Hands-On Mentorship

• Provide one-on-one business counseling and mentoring to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) design and execute actionable business plans.
• Review the financial records of cooperatives and agricultural SMEs to prepare them for concessional credit or catalytic funds.

Gender and Youth Inclusion

• Map, profile, and recruit women and youth horticulture entrepreneurs into structured marketing training cycles.
• Address socio-economic barriers and reduce drop-out rates among female and young participants to ensure equitable project impact.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)

• Execute baseline, midline, and endline surveys using digital tools to monitor the adoption of good business practices.
• Submit regular progress reports featuring quantitative data,  impact stories, and lessons learnt to the Horticulture Marketing Manager to optimize project execution.

Regulatory Compliance & Food Safety

• Guide producers in meeting sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, food safety benchmarks, and environmental regulations to access international markets.

Professional Ethics

All TechnoServe staff must behave ethically and demonstrate integrity. We have zero tolerance for fraud, corruption, abuse, harassment, or exploitation. Misconduct will lead to disciplinary action or termination.

Accountability to Clients

• Ensure that producer organizations, market vendors associations, and entrepreneur farmers are actively engaged as equal partners in the design, monitoring, and evaluation of their business plans and encourage them to share feedback through the promoted channels.

Accountability

• Reports directly to the Horticulture Marketing Manager.
• Works closely with the Horticulture Marketing Manager, Production Marketing Manager, Junior Cooperative Advisors, PIP/Effort Advisors, and Associate Agronomy Advisors.
• Travel: Travel up to 70 %

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Horticulture, or Economics (with an agribusiness major).
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in agribusiness, horticulture production/marketing, or agri-enterprise development, particularly in rural communities.
• Direct experience working in the private sector to provide business development services or financing to producer organizations is an added advantage.
• Demonstrable experience supporting the growth and development of producer organizations into sustainable business entities.
• Strong knowledge of tools and processes for measuring farmer organization growth.
• Familiarity with the Government of Uganda’s policies on farmer organization development.
• Working knowledge of Uganda’s rural Agribusiness landscape, particularly in horticulture.
• Ability to interact effectively with diverse partners, including the private sector, banks, government, and civil society.
• Proficiency in quantitative skills, including mobile data collection and analysis.
• Proven skills in teamwork, holding community consultations, and organizational development.
• Excellent  written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to ride a motorcycle with a valid riding permit and willingness to travel extensively within project areas.

The deadline for application is 6th of July 2026 and Women are particularly encouraged to apply; Please indicate the position and particular region you are applying for.