Business Counselor at TechnoServe Kenya

Program Description:

• Building on our Smart Duka work which has been implemented in Kenya since 2015, our Micro retail work is set to grow in new geographies and with new target beneficiaries. Working with Women with disabilities who are running nano retail businesses, the program will expand to Kisumu and focus on these target beneficiaries in both Nairobi and Kisumu. The program will seek to empower the nano retailers to build successful businesses and improve their livelihoods.

Position Description:

• TechnoServe is seeking to fill the position of a Business Counselor, to support in the implementation of Micro Retail program activities in the informal settlements of Kisumu. Reporting to the Program Manager, the BC will be responsible for timely and effective implementation of project activities and achievement of the project’s goal.

 Key roles and responsibility

• Area mapping, mobilization and recruitment of program beneficiaries using set criteria.
• Deliver training sessions according to the program guidelines
• Provide linkages support to the micro retailers including linkages to financial institutions, to suppliers and other ecosystem players according to the program guidelines.
• Support in all types of monitoring and evaluation activities, surveys and in reporting, weekly, monthly and in developing program success stories and lessons learnt.
• Follow and maintain the program work plan
• Work closely with Business advisors to ensure program deliverables are met through critical review of project activities in the field and eliminate any risks that may hinder effective implementation of the Project
• Understand, respect and promote Techno Serve’s values, vision, and strategy in the
• Implementation of assigned duties
• share weekly and monthly reports on the program progress updates
• Document lessons learnt and impact stories from program inter
• Perform other duties as assigned

Minimum required skills and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business related field or 2 years’ experience of consulting/working with Micro- enterprises
• Conversant with recent trends in the retail industry in the country
• Experience with digital training and delivery mechanisms
• Experience working with Persons with disability and basic sign language is desirable
• Strong and demonstrable report writing skills
• Experience working with communities living on less than $2 a day and willingness to travel frequently in the informal settlements
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills a must
• Proficiency in MS Office especially Excel and PowerPoint
• Training experience will be an added advantage

Success Factors:

• Competency is a combination of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) directly related to successful performance on the job.

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 confidences; admits mistakes; does not misrepresent himself or herself for personal gain.
• Team Work/ Relationships: Works co-operatively 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 modes 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.

Job Specific/Technical Competencies include:

• Financial & Resource Management: The ability to estimate, justify, and manage appropriate funding levels to support goal accomplishment. Managing Resources is about understanding human, financial, and operational resource issues to make decisions aimed at building and planning efficient project workflows, and at improving overall organizational performance.
• Donor/Partnership Management: Identifying opportunities and taking action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, or organizations to help achieve business goals.
• Analysis, Research, Report Writing: Experience in business planning and analysis, modeling for feasibility and execution. Able to analyze and express oneself clearly in business writing
• Innovative Mindset: Curious inquiries, asks questions and seeks out information from multiple sources, learns from mistakes, sees change as an opportunity.