Business Development Officer-HHK-Distributors at Heifer International

Description

The Business Development Officer under the overall guidance of the Project Manager, will provide overall leadership in designing and implementing appropriate interventions within the project with the objective of improving the business capacity of 6,000 Poultry producers in Nakuru, Nairobi and Uasin Gishu Counties.

This will be achieved through capacity building of distributors and supporting their marketing, extension and promotion work to increase their reach and improve the quality of input services and advisory services they provide to poultry producers. The interventions to be led by the Business Development Officer seek to increase the overall level of competitiveness of the poultry production business at farm and producer organization level.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Business Development

1. Undertake the identification and capacity assessment of feed distributors in target counties.
2. Support distributors to establish partnerships with cooperatives and other retail actors to strengthen their outreach to 6,000 farmers.
3. Capacity Building of distributors and their extension staff in extension approaches, social capital, marketing, and promotions.
4. Develop and implement an annual calendar of joint promotions, field days and events to market and support uptake of feeds and other products in the target areas.
5. Analysis and conducting of feasibility to assess and develop new business, investment and financing options

Capacity Development 

1. Design, develop and deliver business management training packages/modules, in liaison with partners and other relevant project staff
2. Identify and carry out a comprehensive capacity assessment of the distributors, dairy cooperatives and poultry farmers and thereafter develop and deliver a capacity building programme
3. Develop capacity building and operationalization of the business and marketing plans for the distributors, cooperatives and poultry farmers through joint planning, monitoring.
4. Support distributors, cooperatives, and poultry producers to put in place and implement efficient financial management systems and build their capacity in all aspects of financial management

Collaboration 

1. With the project manager, develop the business of the Poultry producers with backward and forward linkages into the total value chain
2. Incorporate within the framework of the project, potential ‘win-win’ business opportunities which can attract different value chain actors to engage in transactional relationships with the farmer producer organizations and develop a platform for the achieving these partnerships.
3. Work in close coordination with the relevant project staff on quality assurance and control for all livestock-based product for processing, packaging, marketing, and distribution

Minimum Requirements

1. Degree in Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Business management, Rural Development, Animal production with post graduate diploma or experience in Business management or a related field is required
2. Experience implementing activities in large, complex projects in challenging environments.
3. 5 years field and technical experience working on agribusiness development projects.
4. Significant experience in building public/private partnerships, preferably in the Livestock sector.

Most Critical Proficiencies:

1. Strong business skills, leadership, strategic and innovation skills.
2. Strong communication skills in both English, Swahili, and other local languages of the cluster area.
3. String business skills development, strategic planning and planning for farmer business organizations.
4. Demonstrated knowledge of the latest developments in advancing good/best practices in value chain development that reaches women, youth, the poor, and underprivileged.
5. Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions and design catalytic activities within the value chain (e.g. the concept of quality-based pricing).
6. Demonstrated ability to design and implement strategies aimed at providing institutional capacity building to key partner institutions with a view to build a more efficient, competitive and sustainable livestock industry. This requirement is in line with the need to have in-built ‘exit strategies’ within the project as a measure of ensuring that there are self-sustaining businesses by project end.
7. Knowledge of and experience in setting up cottage industries for processing locally branded poultry products (eggs and meat) for onward supply to niche and markets as well as implementing supply promotion/stimulation strategies in the context of the sub-sectors.
8. Experience in facilitating establishment of strategic alliances and joint ventures with local and foreign processors.
9. Knowledge and experience in strategic business planning and business analysis.
10. Demonstrate ability to undertake market assessments and use the information generated to support the producer organizations to leverage these opportunities to remain competitive.
11. Knowledge of equity financing (e.g. venture capital and/or private equity investing).
12. Strong computer literacy, preferably with Microsoft Office Suite.