Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

EADD- II is an ambitious five-year program designed to transform the lives of 136,000 dairy farming families through a competitive and inclusive dairy value chain in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

FUNCTION

The Senior Business Development Advisor (SBDA) will work closely with the Country Program Manager (CPM), Business Development Manager (BDM) and cluster teams, to provide leadership to business development at the cluster level in order to increase the overall level of competitiveness of the dairy sub-sector at the cluster. The job entails over 60% field based activities working closely with dairy farmer Producer organizations (POs) processors, dairy interest groups and dairy boards to enhance value-chain actors’ benefits; and leverage service delivery at each level of contact with both farmers and customers. He/She will also involve close collaboration with farmers’ groups, input suppliers, large processors and development partners on the ground in order to design and implement appropriate business development interventions within the cluster. 

ESSENTIAL CHARACTER TRAITS

For successful execution of the job duties, the BDM should be proactive, a critical and creative thinker, a team player and able to structure and manage complex tasks.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DELIVERABLES

Provide longer-term business development focus for the project cluster, finding sustainable ways to plan and operationalize them for the benefits of the Producer organizations (POs). 10%

DELIVERABLE

• Development of strategic plans for the cluster POs, understanding holistically the dairy farming landscape and the key drivers of growth. The focus to be on taking a quantum leap in milk marketing, and production enhancing services so that the POs are a catalyst in the dairy development of the cluster.
• Identification of potential priority areas of investment and develop business strategies/plans that will address the dairy value chain for the cluster and its POs
• Develop demand generator models which drive growth and income of the dairy farmers

Provide technical lead to the Business development at the project cluster. (35%)

DELIVERABLE

• Establishment of viable business focused POs in the cluster, which have strong leadership, management, and succession systems, in an environment of transparency and ownership.
• Design and delivery of business related training programs to POs to improved governance, financial skills and management.
• Development of farm business models for individual farmers, to be delivered through the POs structures.
• Development of models for business models for training to Dairy Interest Groups, 
• Development of formal and informal milk handler’s processes; 
• Development of small to large scale milk processors opportunities, where needed
• Work with production team to support plans for input suppliers to work as entrepreneurs, helping them adopt new productivity-enhancing technologies.
• Development of interventions that address specific needs of client businesses to position them for growth 
• Contracts with key processors are in place in a cluster or in the country with help of BDM
• Encourage POs to become members of regional /national Apex bodies to harness the power of collective body
• Develop, establish and maintain strong working relationships with key industry actors especially in the cluster and with the larger country team, nationally 
• Development effective and strong working relationships with business partners, regional government and other stakeholders at the cluster level
• Identify areas of collaboration with various stakeholders in the project
• Support development of Memorandum of Understanding established with selected processors and financial institutions in support of farmer groups’ business.
• Capacity building among the Dairy Interest
• Groups (DIGs) on business acumen 
• The module of Business and Saving & Credit training for DIGs and dairy farmers, to be rolled out by POs and Community Agrovets Entrepreneurs.
• Deliver technical advice through design and delivery of business related training programs to project client base
• Framework for BDS market diagnostic reviewed against Baseline, evaluating the need for services and level of services currently available at the cluster.
• Develop and track annual cluster business budgets with inputs from the BDM.
   

G. Produce consolidated business plans and progress reports on the status for business activities in the project for internal and external reporting (40%)

DELIVERABLE

• Ensure timely execution of the annual operational plans & budgets (OPB) and monthly work plans; and delivery on all targets of the business plans
• Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual business performance reports in a timely manner
• In close collaboration with BDM, ensure a basic training manual for processing and chilling plant management developed and utilized at the cluster.
• Standard template for POs, business plans rolled out for simplified monthly reporting and utilized consistently.
• Develop market information system that provides prices (both formal and informal), quality, quantity and timely information to farmers and other key stakeholders
• Conduct Benchmarking and ensure that best practices gathered are shared into the project across the project region.
• Develop case studies of successes and/or failures and lessons learned, and partner with evaporators and others to develop review studies for external dissemination
• Be a team player both at cluster, and country; understanding, respecting and promoting the business values, vision and strategy in the implementation of business development strategies
• Regular active participation in cluster level team meeting and national level business meeting, to help plan, and deliver on the project objectives.
• Demonstrable willingness to travel and disseminate knowledge to other team members, and management, as needed
   

May perform other job-related responsibilities as assigned. (5%)

Required Experience

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelors’ Degree or equivalent in the fields of Agriculture Economics, Business
• Administration, Rural Development, Enterprise
• Development or other related fields.
• Three (3) years field and technical experience with the commercial sector, agribusiness development in a mix of economic growth/trade, value chain competitiveness, investment promotion, or agriculture development.
• Significant experience in building public/private partnerships, preferably in the dairy sector
• Strong leadership skills.
• Experience working with farmer group programs.
   

Preferred Requirements

• Experience in the commercial sector with skills to develop and evaluate investment opportunities and promote such opportunities to financial institutions.
• Strong consumer marketing, financial analysis, and management skills.
• Experience in supporting and monitoring field-based programs in the country.
• Proven experience in building the capacity of partner institutions to document and disseminate industry information, manage knowledge, measure progress and plan and advocate within the industry.
• Excellent command of Report writing, analysis and presentation skills using Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Track record of building strong client and stakeholder relationships;
• Ability to generate innovative solutions in work situations;
• Valid and clean driving license (with the ability to use manual-gear vehicles). 

Most Critical Proficiencies

• A clear understanding of the dairy value chain.
• Knowledge of enterprise development and linkages to poverty alleviation.
• Strong interpersonal/people management skills and excellent oral and written communication skills a must;
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Proficient knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, electronic mail (Microsoft Office preferred) and the Internet.
• Demonstrated proficiency in English and other local languages, both oral and written.
• Innovative, analytical, and solutions-oriented.
   

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands

• Preparing and presenting documents in a well-designed and attractive format with superior attention to detail.
• Ability to understand, appreciate and implement Heifer’s Value Based Holistic Community Development.
• Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions.
• Quantitative and qualitative approaches to evaluation and ability to communicate MLE concepts clearly with leadership, partners, and staff at all levels.
• Willingness and ability to assign and review the work of direct reports and to use participatory management skills with junior and senior staff.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively throughout East Africa, especially EADD project countries/sites.
• May require constant sitting; working at a computer and focusing for extended periods of time and performing office environment activities while on the road and/or in remote conditions.
• Working with sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
• Ability to manage and execute multiple tasks with little supervision while meeting sometimes inflexible deadlines.