Deputy Team Leader – Technical Assistance Harare

Reporting Unit/Supervisor: Team Leader

Location: Harare, Zimbabwe

Travel: Domestic travel frequent

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:

DFID Zimbabwe is anticipated to fund a new Market Linkages program which aims to address market and government failures in identified priority agricultural sectors.

This is expected to be a multi-year program, with multiple components, aimed at increasing livelihoods and food security through private sector development. The program is expected to begin Q4 2013; subject to change as per DFID’s calendar and is dependent upon TechnoServe and its lead partner successfully securing this contract.

III. Position Description:

The Deputy Team Leader (Technical Assistance) responsibilities include:

Technical Focus

• Extend market linkages between smallholder producers and private sector actors, ensuring business development success in support of agribusinesses supplied by smallholders as well as identifying local, regional and international market opportunities for smallholder producers and the private sector.
• Analyze current market linkage constraints to the mentioned sectors and develop strategies to address these;
• Enable linkages between smallholder producers and private sector challenge fund participants, ensuring internal and external trade promoting opportunities for export enhancement;
• Develop trade, investment and enterprise development strategies for the focus sectors;
• Enhance the competitiveness of the focus sectors in Zimbabwe

Program Design & Operations

• Play a key leadership role in the technical strategy development for the program, particularly during any inception phase; including supporting the inception report, which will be developed through a team effort;
• Manage and mentor technical lead staff (full time sector specialists)
  • Ensure DFID procedures and formats as well as M4P methodologies are followed
  • Coordinate and harmonize work between sectors
  • Contribute to quarterly or monthly reporting both to TechnoServe, lead partner and DFID
  • Support Sector Leads’ negotiations with the private sector

Learning

• Contribute to the documentation and sharing of knowledge within DFID, relevant complementary programs in Zimbabwe and other stakeholders
• Support M&E and independent evaluations of the program that promotes flexible reform and future project development

Leadership

• As part of the Senior Management Team, contribute to the selection of strategies, initial pilot intervention and partnerships that most effectively contribute to the objectives of this project;
• Together with the Team Leader, inspire, support and supervise partners to contribute effectively and deliver high quality results, directly managing some partnerships
• Second and support the Team Leader as liaison with the stakeholders as needed, including GOE counterparts, sector associations, private sector firms and the financial sector

IV. Required Skills & Experience:

• Advanced degree in Economics, Business or Agriculture.
• 5+yrs of direct private sector experience or work on private sector-oriented development programs.
• Substantial experience in agriculture, either directly in agriculture or on agricultural development projects.
• 10+yrs overall work experience, including staff and project management experience
• Experience with Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) methodology; actual implementation experience preferred
• Completion of the M4P training course conducted by the Springfield Centre, UK is preferred but not essential
• Ability to effectively communicate and negotiate with sector actors, including private sector
• Demonstrated capacity to effectively implement programs for DFID with fluency in DFID program management systems and formats
• Experience addressing gender inequality and promoting women entrepreneurship /employment desired
• Knowledge of small & medium enterprises desired

V. Application Instructions

Qualified and interested applicants should submit a Word-formatted single document consisting of cover letter, resume and salary history to lpotter@tns.org. Please identify the position for which you are applying in the subject line.

Only applicants meeting minimum qualifications will be considered or contacted. No phone calls please.

TECHNOSERVE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

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