Value Chain Specialist at TechnoServe Kenya

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning and Technical Leadership

• Lead the development of sector-specific strategies for the leather and essential oils value chains, addressing key challenges such as product quality, processing efficiency, and market access.
• C ollaborate with the Program Manager to ensure interventions align with the program’s overall goals, ensuring responsiveness to the expressed needs of MSMEs and industry studies.
• Support the design and implementation of value chain diagnostics, ensuring a focus on improving productivity, market linkages, and financial readiness across both value chains.

Implementation and Coordination

• Coordinate the delivery of technical assistance to anchor firms and MSMEs, including supporting the integration of smallholder farmers, facilitating certification pathways, and improving production processes. 
• Facilitate the development and scaling of inclusive sourcing models, such as outgrower and aggregator structures, to strengthen supply chain consistency in both sectors.
• Collaborate with key sector actors to design and execute buyer engagement strategies, B2B matchmaking, and trade forums, ensuring increased market linkages and new business opportunities for MSMEs.

Capacity Building and Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead the development and delivery of targeted training programs for MSMEs on quality control, production efficiency, business management, and financial readiness.
• Support ecosystem MSMEs in adopting improved production techniques, such as advanced tanning in leather or improved extraction methods in essential oils, through hands-on training and field demonstrations.
• Foster partnerships with anchor firms, government departments, financial institutions, and other stakeholders to drive systemic change and promote inclusive growth within the value chains.

Monitoring, Learning, and Reporting

• Collaborate with the M&E team to develop value chain-specific performance indicators, track progress, and assess the effectiveness of interventions.
• Support the Program Manager in preparing progress reports, ensuring the documentation of key milestones, success stories, and lessons learned.
• Assist in refining the intervention strategy based on ongoing field insights, market trends, and the evolving needs of MSMEs.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure that all activities adhere to donor requirements, TechnoServe policies, and ethical standards, maintaining robust records of performance and partnerships.
• Monitor sector-specific risks, such as market fluctuations, climate change impacts, and policy shifts, and propose mitigation strategies in collaboration with the Program Manager.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Rural Development, or a related field.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in value chain development, market systems, or MSME support, with a focus on sectors like leather, essential oils, or agriculture.
• Experience in providing technical assistance and capacity building to MSMEs, including training on production practices, business management, and financial readiness.
• Proven track record in facilitating market linkages, B2B matchmaking, and buyer-supplier relationship building.
• Strong understanding of inclusive business models, with experience in integrating marginalized groups, including women and youth, into value chains.
• Proficiency in project management tools, reporting, and field coordination.
• Fluency in English; Swahili proficiency is an asset.