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| ForAfrika |
Business Skills Development and Youth Employment Officer jobs
Location: Jobs in Uganda 2023 - 2024
Work Hours: Full-time, 08 hours per day
Salary:
UGX
No. of vacancies: 03
Deadline: 10 November 2023
Hiring Organization: ForAfrika
Job Details:
Job Title: AMS Business Skills Development and Youth Employment Officer
- Department: Programs
- Reports to: Project Manager
- Location: Obongi, Koboko, and Terego Districts
- Number of Positions: 3
- Job Description Last Updated/By: 2nd November 2023
About ForAfrika:
Founded four decades ago, ForAfrika (formerly Joint Aid Management) is the largest African humanitarian and development organization with a mission to provide the resources that unlock the abundance of Africa so that every African community can thrive. We are Africans, daily finding local solutions to the unique challenges of Africa, in Africa. ForAfrika is driven by a deep love for the land and for our people. We are here before others come, and we remain after they leave. We are driven by our five core values: Deep love for Africa, Dependability, Initiative, Compassion, and Discipline.
Our programmes are integrated to address the holistic needs of communities and the long-term challenges. This is necessary to accelerate sustainable solutions and build more inclusive, cohesive, and productive societies. Underpinning this integrated approach is a deeper analysis and shared understanding of the root causes of fragility and the need to build greater flexibility in programming to be able to respond to rapid and frequent fluctuations in the operating environment. We believe that sustainable work is locally led, coordinating with a diverse stakeholder group- especially with government ministries to build stronger networks, interpersonal, intercommunal, and inter-religious cooperation, and peaceful coexistence.
Project Summary:
"The Agriculture and Market Support (AMS) has an overall goal of strengthened and resilient livelihoods of smallholder farmers, especially women. The programme aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farming households by leveraging market demand as the trigger for collective action (working through groups, associations, and enterprises), interest in information and improved technology, adoption of good practices, and diversification of on- farm and off-farm activities to create jobs opportunities and improve incomes. AMS broad focus is contributing towards strengthening resilience of local food systems and making them more inclusive for youth, in particular young women. A thriving and sustainable agri-food system is expected to (i) Increase market level activities for women and youths by creation of less risky market entry points created for households (ii) Increase production and income of SHF through risk shared marketing streams (selling through cooperatives), negotiations for better market prices, and enhanced access to markets and (iii) A competitive agricultural market system where SHFS are equipped with skills to enhance production and engage meaningfully in demand driven market environment. AMS interventions feed into ForAfrika Strategic Objective 2 (SO 2) - of enhancing the food, nutrition and income security and building resilience against non-variant shocks, for communities to become self-reliant.
ARE YOU UP TO THE CHALLENGE?
We are seeking a qualified individual for the position of Business Development and Youth Employment Officer. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of business development strategies, market dynamics, and relationship building, with the goal of creating sustainable market linkages for key actors/ participants.
General Position Summary:
Under the direct supervision of the AMS Project manager, the Business Development and Youth Employment Officer will play a pivotal role in expanding AMS program's market presence, linkage of the participants under the programs with key players under the strategic value chains and forging strategic partnerships.
The incumbent will be responsible for the following duties.
Market Support:
Conduct thorough market research to identify emerging trends, customer needs, and potential market opportunities. Supervise local market assessments and ensure follow-up on community action plans. Offer technical guidance to project staff, partners, and the community throughout project implementation. Analyze market data and competitor information to develop insights and inform business development strategies. Provide regular reports and recommendations to senior management regarding market developments and potential growth areas.
Business Development Support:
Provide essential technical support, including the creation of terms of reference, activity completion reports, and action plans that operationalize business development initiatives within the projects. Lead capacity gap analyses and facilitate the strengthening of implementing partners' capacities. Conduct stakeholder meetings, training sessions, market information dissemination, and aid in the development of business plans for youth. Develop and execute comprehensive business development support and capacity building plans that align with the project's objectives. Identify and target mSMEs and value chain actors to expand the organization's market reach.
Leverage market insights to develop innovative approaches for entering new markets or segments. Collaborate with project teams to ensure the efficient implementation of market strengthening activities in alignment with work plans, targets, budgets, and reporting requirements.
Partnership and Relationship Building:
Ensure that market systems strengthening and economic empowerment initiatives are designed and implemented in a gender-responsive manner. Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including clients, suppliers, distributors, and industry associations. Collaborate with internal teams to identify partnership opportunities and negotiate favorable terms and agreements. Attend industry events, conferences, and networking forums to establish the organization's presence and create potential business connections.
Reporting:
Monitor project progress of Finance Inclusion & Marketing related activities through field visits and meetings with partners and beneficiaries, and review of staff reports and provide constructive feedback to partners and project staff. Maintain accurate records of business development activities, partnerships, and market linkages. Generate regular reports on key performance indicators (KPIs), market trends, and business development outcomes. Utilize data-driven insights to make informed decisions and refine business development strategies.
Qualifications and Skills:
- Bachelor's degree in Development studies, Business studies, Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, or a related field. Master's Degree is a plus.
- Proven experience in business development, market research, or related roles.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret market data and trends.
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills, both written and verbal.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, CRM systems, and market research tools.
- Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines.
- Creative thinker with a proactive and innovative approach to business development. Experience in relevant industries or sectors is advantageous.
- Must possess a Valid Riding Permit.
Success Factors:
The successful Business Development and Youth Employment Officer will have strong consultative skills, and a high degree of comfort in discussing agricultural-related issues, often in complex scenarios. This person will develop trust easily with field teams, other ForAfrika leadership and external partners. This person should be an excellent written and verbal communicator able to represent ForAfrika at public events. This person should be extremely well organized and capable of tracking multiple competing priorities. The successful person will be skilled at reducing complexities to clear and understandable non-technical terms with a focus on practical next steps. The most successful ForAfrika staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments.
Application procedure
How to Apply:
Please submit a Cover letter and CV to: recruitment.uganda@forafrika.org by no later than 10th November 2023.
Only successful candidates will be contacted.
Female applicants are especially encouraged to apply.
Date Posted: 2023-11-06
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