Senior Business Advisor

Job Category: Operations

Requisition Number: SENIO01572

Posting Details

Full-Time

Locations

Showing 1 location

Job Details

Description

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in 29 countries, we work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. By linking people to information, capital, and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities.

Founded over 50 years ago, TechnoServe has been named the #1 nonprofit for fighting poverty by the ImpactMatters charity ratings agency.

Program Description

The Rwanda Ikawa Nziza Cyane (INC) project seeks to equip coffee washing stations (CWS), exporters, and government agencies with new tools, strategies, and policies to drive greater efficiencies and unlock new market opportunities in specialty coffee. Funded by the European Union in conjunction with Rwanda’s MINECOFIN, the Rwanda INC project will run for 4 years. Some of the primary project components include
(1) digital tools for CWS business management and farm extension monitoring;

(2) new mechanisms for
input financing and distribution (e.g., fertilizer, lime, new varieties); and

(3) a strengthened coffee value chain through industry briefs, strategies, and proposed quality standards for uptake by government and
exporters.

Job Summary:

TechnoServe seeks a Senior Business Advisor to support the successful implementation of Rwanda INC’s ambitious impact agenda. The Senior Business Advisor will provide technical and managerial support needed to ensure excellence in program design and delivery with partners throughout the value chain.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

•  Lead strategy and implementation of efforts to support development of an updated national strategy on coffee inputs, managing a Fellow (pro bono consultant) who will carry out related market analyses to inform the recommended strategy and models.
•  Develop and deploy improved input sales and distribution models to enhance farmer access lime, fertilizer, and high-yielding cultivars. Co-design and manage the small grants fund for coffee washing station reward schemes.
• Lead interventions to facilitate increased agricultural lending to Rwanda’s coffee sector, including managing a Fellow (pro bono consultant) who will carry out a case study on collateral requirements.
•  Work with local exporters to improve knowledge and systems around managing risks associated with price fluctuations and coffee financing.
• Provide support and leadership as needed on all elements of the Rwanda INC program, including digital tools for CWS management and extension monitoring.
• Support development, buy-in, and roll-out of minimum quality and sustainability standards for Rwandan coffee. Work with CWS, exporters, training partners, and relevant regulatory bodies to enable a system of audits.
•  Work collaboratively with stakeholders across the coffee value chain – farmers, CWS managers, exporters, government agencies, financial institutions, other NGOs, and allies throughout the
• sector.

Basic Qualifications:

•  Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field – Business, Agriculture, Economics with a minimum of 4 years of related work experience.
•  Strong coffee and agricultural expertise especially in regard to the development of coffee
• production systems.

 Solid private sector strategy and management experience, including in several of the following key skills areas – coffee yield improvements, training, ICT for development.

​Preferred Qualifications:

• Business strategy
• Financial & Resource management
• Program management
• People management
•  Coffee industry knowledge (esp. CWS familiarity)
•  Familiarity w/ ICT a plus

Required Languages

•  Fluency in Kinyarwanda and English is required.

Travel

• Ability to travel to remote rural locations.
• 100% Domestic

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: 

• Entrepreneurial and innovative mindset
• High integrity and honesty
• Flexible and able to maintain effective relationships and networks – including Donor/Partnership Management
• Proactively takes advantage of opportunities to learn
• Demonstrates an understanding and appreciation for diversity and supports diversity efforts
• Expresses ideas effectively in individual and group situations, both verbally and in written communication
• Strong decision making and problem-solving skills
• Results-oriented
• Effective time management and planning
• Strong business acumen – including Analysis, Research, and Report writing

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe’s vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

We recognize that maximizing inclusive economic growth requires the full and unencumbered participation of women. This requires us to not only systematically integrate gender in our project participation but also within all levels of our staffing. For more information, visit www.technoserve.org

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 the Human Resources at [email protected] or call +1 202 785 4515.