Technical Expert at SNV Netherlands Development Organisation

The programme

Opportunities for Rural Youth Employment in Kenya (ORYE Kenya) Programme – (Subject to Project Award) which is an anticipated GIZ-funded programme seeks to improve the overall training and employment situation in rural areas of Western Kenya, especially for young people and women. SNV, in a consortium with Welthungerhilfe, is in the process of designing a youth employment programme that specifically focuses on employment opportunities in the agricultural sector in five counties in Western Kenya, namely: Siaya, Bungoma, Kakamega, Kisumu and Vihiga. The programme is part of a global rural youth employment project that is coordinated by a GIZ steering unit in Germany.

The programme has two key fields of action:

1. Business environment and improved access to inputs, services and markets which aims to ensure that Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), smallholder farmers/cooperatives and start-ups benefit from new or improved access to inputs (including land), services (including financial services) and markets to better start or grow their business.
2. Strengthening the demand for labour which aims at identifying and developing employment potentials for the rural youth with reference to the agricultural and food sector (i.e. cross-value chain support, coaching & mentoring, better access to markets, etc.).

Job Description

Reporting to the Team Leader, the Technical expert will work full time contributing to ensure completion of project activities, especially on developing and implementing models for youth employability skills development, business coaching to self-employed youth and new youth-led micro-enterprises as well as contributing to results-based monitoring and reporting.

Responsibilities and Tasks

• Implementation of programme strategy in supporting agricultural enterprises and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in line with set performance indicators to implement employment-promoting practices (expansion, diversification, intensification of business activities).
• Support to youth-inclusive business models in combination with market-based employability skills training and business coaching of aspiring youth in agricultural value chains.
• Support the identification of demands for inputs, services and markets by youth start-ups, youth-inclusive MSMEs, and small holders/cooperatives.
• Support the identification of business models for demanded, production-related inputs and services and for improved access to markets.
• Work with agricultural enterprises, start-ups, small holders and farming schemes for improved access to markets for youth with improved employability skills and business ambitions.
• Provide input to development of training materials for input and service providers, small holders, and cooperatives.
• Support creation of linkage to existing advisory and qualification structures, especially in the non-formal Agriculture Technical Vocational Education and Training (ATVET).
• Overseeing and guiding programme activities on the ground.
• Provide data and information to reporting of programme activities according to GIZ requirements.
• Provide data and information to results-based monitoring of anticipated impacts of activities.

Qualifications

• University qualification in agriculture, agribusiness, or related fields; A Master’s degree will be an added advantage;
• Very good business language skills in English and Swahili;
• General professional experience in Agricultural Value Chain Development, Agricultural production;
• Specific professional experience in services around agriculture (e.g. mechanisation, input sector), business promotion, agricultural markets;
• 5 years of work experience in Kenya;
• 3 years of experience in Developing Cooperation projects;
• 2 years of work experience in the private sector.

Additional Information

Contract Duration: 2 years with possibility of extension subject to good performance.

Desired start date: Subject to Project award