Program Manager - East Africa Dairy Development, Tanzania

Location: Southern Tanzania

I. TechnoServe Background:

TechnoServe works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. We are a nonprofit organization that develops business solutions to poverty by linking people to information, capital and markets. Our work is rooted in the idea that given the opportunity, hardworking men and women in even the poorest places can generate income, jobs and wealth for their families and communities. With more than four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

II. Program Description:

Building on the success and learning from East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) Phase I, EADD II is an ambitious five-year program designed to help 136,000 smallholder farm families to achieve sustainably improved livelihoods - in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania by 2018. The vision of success for EADD is to transform the lives of resource-poor farming families with improved market access to a wealth-creating, robust dairy value chain that benefits all industry stakeholders

III. Position Description:

The Program Manager will be TechoServe's team leader in the EADD project, direct the implementation of all dairy related interventions and support the team to respond to client business needs. The job is at least 80% field based and entails designing of business concepts and proposals specific to clients and industry needs. TechnoServe expects that this position will work closely with other team members to enhance clients' benefits and leverage related interventions within TechnoServe. The position will also involve close collaboration with our development partners in the successful implementation of joint activities.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Responsible for all deliverables under the EADD Project; this includes specific outputs and outcomes as provided for in the project proposal.
• Working in close collaboration with TechnoServe's Regional Dairy Manager, contribute towards the overall effective delivery of outputs and outcomes under the Regional TechnoServe portfolio in the project.
• Collaborate closely with the Regional Manager in the implementation of dairy business activities to include timely execution of the annual plan and delivery on all targets of the country contract, development and tracking of project budget requirements.
• Work with the team to establish business development needs for existing and new client businesses, identify priority areas of involvement and develop implementation strategies.
• Oversee the delivery of business development and advisory services to client businesses in TechnoServe's dairy portfolio (including dairy stakeholders) and develop interventions that address specific needs of client businesses to position them for growth.
• Develop effective and strong working relationships with partners, identify areas of collaboration, be involved in the project planning and make regular presentations to high-level audiences, business owners, donors and policy-makers.
• Manage a team of Senior Business Advisors.

IV. Required Skills & Experience:

• Degree in Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness Management or related studies. Master's degree an added advantage.
• Minimum of five years field and technical experience with agribusiness development, farmer organizations or entrepreneurship is required;
• Strong project management and financial analysis skills;
• Dairy related experience is preferred;
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills a must;
• Track record of building strong client and stakeholder relationships;
• Ability to generate innovative solutions in work situations;
• Proven ability and experience working with and managing teams will be an added advantage;
• Willingness to travel regionally and to remote rural locations.
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili required.

 

V. Application Instructions:

Please submit your application (by email only) to ke-recruit@tns.org with the position title placed in the subject line. Please include (1) cover letter describing your interest, (2) curriculum vitae, (3) salary history, and (4) telephone contacts of three professional referees. Please include all requirements in one document (pdf). Applications will be treated confidentially. Deadline for applications is 6th December 2013. Note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.. No phone calls please.

TechnoServe is an equal opportunity employer