ILRI Consultancy - Product Management at International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

Background

Understanding market forces, assessing market demands and putting this knowledge into product development, product placements and management is critical to advance our mission in Africa to help smallholder farmers and consumers with suitable improved rice varieties. This role would be a critical support to a number of initiatives in Africa aiming at developing and deploying HYVs of rice to address nutritional and food security in the region.

The objective of this assignment is to develop the capacity in the region to effectively assess and monitor market forces that are critical in designing our product development and deployment strategies for R4D.

Scope of Work

The consultancy will comprise of the following activities:

• Developing the mechanism and product advancement criteria for various pipelines
• Developing product key characteristics and profiles for priority market segments
• Product positioning, portfolio management and life cycle management recommendations    
• Facilitating mechanisms/tools to capture demand and supply
• Creating critical linkages needed for product advancements
• Monitoring competitive landscape with respect to the products and the market players
• Contributing to the impact assessment of IRRI bred germplasm and varieties (% market share)
• Develop and deliver training programs in product management concepts to IRRI teams and NARES partners on development of product concepts, product profile and product placement
• Providing feedback to the Plant Breeding and seed systems teams on evolving market trends and changing competitive landscape
• Contributing to secure, plan and manage budget for the Product Management group

Final Products

• Evolving market trends and changing competitive landscape
• Product advancement criteria and mechanism
• Product characteristics/ profiles developed for all key markets
• Business Plan (product portfolio, market positioning, phasing in-out, and product promotion)
• Deployment of mechanism to capture demand/supply
• Competitive landscape map
• Conducted a training program for IRRI and NARES teams
• Attracted and contributed to at least one funding opportunity in product management/seed systems space

Post location:  Nairobi, Kenya (open to Kenyan Nationals only). The successful candidate would need to travel to other countries in Africa.

Duration:   1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021

Essential skills and qualifications

• PhD or MSc degree in plant breeding/agronomy with 5-7 yrs experience or MBA in Agri-business Management with 4-5 yrs experience
• Knowledge and extensive experience in the field of product management, business planning, market development, agri and allied subjects.
• Experience of working with extension workers and market stakeholders.
• Strong oral and written communication skills and scientific documentary/compilation skills.
• Strong organization and interpersonal skills.