Seed Business Development Specialist

Job Description

THE ORGANIZATION

The Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

The Alliance works with local, national, and multinational partners across Sub Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and Asia, and with public and private sectors. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services.

About the position

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT is seeking a Seed Business Development Specialist (SBDS) to be based in Kigali, Rwanda. SBDS, in consultation with project team and other CIAT staff, S/he provides leadership and guidance to the projects.

Key Responsibilities 

• Collaborate with relevant public and private sector institutions, contribute to deploying and scaling up climate-resilient legumes in Rwanda and Sub-Sahara Africa (focusing PABRA countries).
• In partnership with seed producers and seed traders, companies and NARS, the SBDS will carry out R4D for testing innovative market strategies such as the use of affordable packs, assess their commercial viability including cost–benefit analysis and explore how the mainstream most viable pack size for each partner.
• Provide advice related to business development services to bean seed producers to enhance bean seed production and delivery in a sound business manner.
• In partnership with seed producers/traders to design and deploy appropriate seed marketing strategies and tools to reach small holders particularly women
• Train bean seed producers/suppliers in specific areas such as seed business management including production, post-harvest, marketing, financial management, and strategy development.
• Provide technical support to seed companies, NGOs, and NARS in designing and implementing seed road maps for scaling and promoting legume crops.
• Support the monitoring and evaluation team to design and conduct a sound Monitoring and Evaluation (M+E) framework to capture relevant seed data and document case studies
• Assess and explore appropriate institutional linkages to sustain best seed systems practices and create synergetic actions for scaling up these best practices across Rwanda and beyond.
• Document the work through high-quality reports (technical, financial and any other document) that demonstrate project impacts.

Requirements

• Strong background in seed business, agribusiness and agri-economics at MSc / MA levels or higher.
• 5 or more years of experience in international agriculture development research, preferably working on seed systems and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) as well as the private sector.
• Previous or current work on seed-related activities in Rwanda, Burundi or Congo is an added advantage
• Excellent writing skills demonstrated in report writing
• Data management is an asset.

Core Competencies

• Ability to work both persuasively and diplomatically in a team-based environment with a high degree of complexity.
• Exceptional drive and entrepreneurship, a pronounced ability to motivate others
• Negotiation and conflict resolution skills
• Organizational and business planning
• Critical, strategic thinking & creativity
• Problem analysis and problem-solving

Terms of employment 

This is a nationally recruited position based in Kigali, Rwanda. The initial contract will be for one year subject to a probation period of three months and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources.

This position is graded at BG 08 level, with entry basic salary of 1,740,781.00 Rwanda Francs in a scale of BG01 to BG14 (BG14 being the highest level according to the Alliance job classification framework policy). We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits including but not limited to insurance, retirement plan, staff training and development, paid time off and flexible working arrangements.

The Alliance Bioversity-CIAT is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability statuses, sexual orientations, marital status, and gender identities. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applicants are invited to visit https://alliancebioversityciat.org/careers to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include reference number RFP 104001: Seed Business Development Specialist as the position applied for. Cover letter and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s last name, first name for ease of sorting. The Alliance collects and process personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.  Applications closing date:Wednesday 27th November 2024 

Please note that email applications will not be considered.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

We invite you to learn more about us at:

http://alliancebioversityciat.org