Business Sustainability and Upgrading Manager (BSUM)

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 business and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing...when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off. 

Title: Business Sustainability and Upgrading Manager (BSUM)

Program: VINES (CRS002N-01)

Reports to: VINES Chief of Party (additional: TechnoServe Country Director)

Location:  Kampala

Travel: Remote rural locations

Grade:  9

Job Summary: 

As the Manager and lead of TechnoServe’s contribution to the VINES consortium, the Business Sustainability and Upgrading Manager (BSUM) will oversee a team of 7 and be responsible for achieving activities and results under TechnoServe’s scope of work.

Program Overview:

TechnoServe, CRS, and Frontier Co-op are implementing VINES, a five-year, $13 million, USDA Food for Progress program aimed at making Uganda the world’s next leading supplier of high-quality vanilla. This project has received a 2.5-year Extension to 2028. Led by CRS, VINES will leverage the expertise of CRS and its world class consortium of partners, associated experts and leading international buyers to provide technical assistance to enhance the production of safe, clean, pure vanilla, develop market links with US trade networks, and strengthen an enabling public policy network to reduce vanilla theft to transform the lives of 16,200 farmers, 356 self-employed service and input providers, 480 processors' employees; and generating 15,820 new on-farm seasonal and permanent processing jobs to reach 32,856 vanilla stakeholders.

In turn, this will provide international buyers with a new origin that will stabilize the extreme price volatility for this unique spice.

Within the consortium, TechnoServe will lead in market analysis, business planning, farmer business capacity building, agripreneur and youth training, input supply, and business relationship management.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

Principal Responsibilities:

• Develop strategy for and oversee team focused on business viability, providing strategic advisory support as needed
• Provide business advisory and professionalization support to VANEX
• Ensure an inclusive approach following TechnoServe principles, including equitable benefits for women and men from the program
• Oversee the training and support of fee-for-service agents providing farmer training
• Recruitment and support to Microenterprise Specialist, ME Counsellors delivering micro-entrepreneurship training to 720 micro-entrepreneurs
• Recruitment and support to Business Sustainability and Upgrading Specialists delivering sector-wide trainings and custom advisory to processors and capacity building of Producer Organizations (POs)
• Conduct local, regional, and international market analysis for potential agroforestry system crops to support the strategies for POs
• Support a TechnoServe Fellow to complete an Industry Strategic Plan for the Vanilla sector

Capacity Building of Agricultural Extension Services

• Adapt the existing curriculum to targeted groups
• Develop and execute Training of Trainers for processor-supervised extension agents and support the establishment of a viable fee-for-service business model
• Coach and support extension agents to train commercial farmers

 

Develop Agro-dealers and input suppliers

• Lead team to deliver training to include input suppliers, soil testing services, nurseries, and other youth employment opportunity activities

Capacity building of post-harvest handling and processing

• In coordination with Business Sustainability and Upgrading Specialists, lead:
• managerial capacity building of producer organizations, including business plans
• Improved member relations and services of producer organizations
• Managerial capacity building of processors
• improve processor capacity in curing and storing

Facilitate Market linkages and Agricultural Finance

• provide sector-wide training in market analysis, profitability analysis, value proposition design and testing, business planning, financial record preparation, and general support in how to prepare a supply chain upgrading plan
• Provide pre-investment support and advice to processors and other supply chain businesses
• Identify and deliver technical and financial training and BDS support that is required to complement any commercial finance for the partners' co-investment
• Lead relationship development with commercial finance providers to leverage additional finance
• Provide business advisory and professionalization support to VANEX

Program Coordination and Implementation:

• Prepare narrative reports to prime and contribute to CRS and TechnoServe M&E reporting
• Coordinate with members of the VINES consortium and maintain good working relationships
• Maintain strong working relationships with partners and relevant stakeholders in the agribusiness investment space
• Actively participate in regular team meetings to track implementation progress and share relevant program and administrative data
• Ensure the delivery of technical training packages is of high quality, is appropriate to the local context, and is effectively reaching participants
• Share best practices and lessons learned with team members
• Any other duties assigned by your supervisor 

Basic Qualifications: 

• Degree qualifications in business-related studies are required
• Track record of building strong client and stakeholder relationships
• Strong project management and some financial analysis skills
• Minimum of 7 years’ field and technical experience with agribusiness development, agribusiness experience in Uganda, OR a Master’s Degree plus 5 years’ experience.
• Experience working with food aggregation and processing, supply chain development, out-grower networks, and knowledge of the Market Systems Development approach preferred
• Excellent interpersonal and oral, and written communication skills are a must
• Ability to develop well-written, cohesive analyses and reports
• Ability to generate innovative solutions in work situations
• Proven ability and experience working with teams will be an added advantage
• Fluency in English required

Supervisory Responsibilities: The Business Sustainability & Upgrading  Manager will oversee a team of 7 

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.

Qualifications Skills Required Collaboration Advanced Business Strategy Advanced Experience Required • Minimum of 7 years’ field and technical experience with agribusiness development, agribusiness experience in Uganda OR Master’s Degree plus 5 years’ experience. • Experience working with food aggregation and processing, supply chain development, out-grower networks, and knowledge of the Market Systems Development approach preferred