Business Advisor at TechnoServe Kenya

Job Summary:

The Business Advisor will be responsible for recruitment, training and engagement with program participants. S/he will achieve this by working closely with the Business Counselors in Nairobi and Kisumu. The Business Advisor will also develop local partnerships and relationships with diverse stakeholders and partners and with organizations working with persons living with disability. The Business will also supervise, coach and support the Business Counselors in implementing their work.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

•  Implement the program and ensure achievement of deliverables, including specific outputs and outcomes laid out in the program proposal.
•  Provide support and leadership in conducting baseline, midline and end line as well as needs assessment surveys.
•  Ensure the Program work plan is updated and followed accordingly.
•  Through critical review of project activities in the field, work with the program team to eliminate risks that may hinder effective implementation of the Project.
•  Ensure effective and efficient documentation of all projects activities and maintaining vital stakeholder’s information and records.
•  Establish and maintain strong relationships with relevant stakeholders including government ministries, private sector companies, financial institutions, business associations and organizations working with persons with disability
•  Ensure the program provides the necessary support to the women retailers with disability.
•  Support the development of the micro retailer’s business groups through membership recruitment, vetting, registration and to ensure legal and statutory compliance.
•  Work closely with the MEL team to ensure proper and timely reports of the program;
•  Collect, collate, validate and submit the specified project data and reports within stipulated time lines.
•  Any other duties as delegated by the Program Manager

Basic/Preferred Qualifications :

•  Bachelor’s degree in Business Related field such as Marketing, Business Administration, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Human Resources and MIS.
•  2 years’ experience of consulting/working with Micro enterprises
•  Conversant with recent trends in the retail industry in the country
•  Experience working with persons with disability desirable
•  Experience working with communities living on less than $2 a day and willing to travel frequently in the informal settlements
•  Strong and demonstrable report writing skills
•  Track record of building strong client and stakeholder relationships with; government ministries, private sector companies, financial institutions, business associations.
•  Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills a must
•  Proficiency in MS Office especially Excel and PowerPoint
•  Ability to generate innovative solutions in work situations and work with minimum supervision

Core Competencies 

include:

• Integrity and honesty: Is widely trusted; seen as a direct, truthful individual; presents truthful information in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidence; admits mistakes; does not misrepresent himself or herself for personal gain.
• Teamwork/ Relationships: Works cooperatively and flexibly with other members of the team with a full understanding of the role to be played as a team member and/or leader, to achieve a common goal. Ability to build and maintain effective relationships and networks.
• Learning attitude: Proactively takes advantage of opportunities to learn. Actively identifies new areas for learning; applies and shares new knowledge and skill appropriately.
• Diversity/Inclusiveness: Demonstrates an understanding and appreciation for diversity and supports diversity efforts. Interacts effectively with and inclusively with people of all races, cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds, religions, ages, and genders.
• Communication: Expresses ideas effectively in individual and group situations. Listens effectively; shares information, ideas and arguments; adjusts terminology, language and communication mode to the needs of the audience; ensures accurate understanding; acts in a way that facilitates open exchange of ideas and information; uses appropriate non-verbal communication.
• Decision making/Problem Solving: Is able to analyse situations, diagnose problems, identify the key issues, establish and evaluate alternative courses of action and produce a logical, practical and acceptable solution. Is able to make effective decisions on a day-to-day basis, taking ownership of decisions, demonstrating sound judgement in escalating issues where necessary.
• Results Oriented/ High Quality Deliverables: Stays focused on the efforts necessary to achieve quality results consistent with programmatic or departmental goals. Demonstrates the ability to achieve effective results; works persistently to overcome obstacles to goal achievement. Accomplishes tasks by considering all areas involved, no matter how small; showing concern for all aspects of the job; accurately checking processes and tasks.
• Planning & Time Management: Establishes a course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a specific goal. Effectively plans, schedules, prioritizes and controls activities; identifies, integrates and orchestrates resources (people, material, information, budget, and/or time) to accomplish goals. Prioritizes work according to the program or department’s goals, not just own job responsibilities; manages own time effectively.
• Business Acumen: The ability to use information, ask the right questions and take decisions that make an impact on the overall business performance.