Agribusiness/Market Officer, Food for Progress SunGold project

RTI International is an independent scientific research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Our vision is to address the world’s most critical problems with technical and science-based solutions in pursuit of a better future. Clients rely on us to answer questions that demand an objective and multidisciplinary approach—one that integrates expertise across social, statistical, data, and laboratory sciences, engineering, and other technical disciplines to solve the world’s most challenging problems.

We believe in the promise of science and technical solutions, and we push ourselves every day to deliver on that promise for the good of people, communities, and businesses in the US and around the world. If you are looking for the opportunity to make a real difference, RTI is the place for you.

About the Hiring Group

RTI’s Center for International Development implements large-scale, multidisciplinary projects across health, energy, agriculture, water, and education by leveraging RTI’s deep cross-Institutional knowledge, proven solutions, and contextual expertise to increase global impact by improving lives, driving economic growth, and enhancing stability in fragile and developing geographies.

What You’ll Do

RTI is seeking Agribusiness/Market Officer candidates for a 5-year Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food for Progress (FFPr) program in Ethiopia. This Food for Progress program will use a market driven, U.S.-led value chain approach to transform Ethiopia’s sunflower sector and benefit U.S. businesses by addressing key productivity, market linkage, financing, and policy constraints identified by public and private actors. The program will focus on four broad activities that increase Ethiopian sunflower productivity, competitiveness and value addition while reducing trade barriers for U.S. agribusiness. This includes building the capacity of extension services; facilitating financial services, improving market access through contract farming; and promoting improved policies and regulatory frameworks. The Agribusiness/Market Officer will play a key role in strengthening the sunflower value chain development and market integration in Oromia, Central, Southern and Southwest regions.

The Agribusiness/Market Officer will work with SunGold Agriculture Lead, Financial Services Lead, Production and Agribusiness Officers to develop and deliver agribusiness development plans for the sunflower value chain and to lead market linkage initiatives between producers and buyers. As needed, the officer will facilitate training programs for farmers and agribusiness actors on market systems, farming contracts, and access to finance to support expansion of sunflower value chain in Ethiopia. The position will be based in Jimma or in one of SunGold’s other regional offices and will report to the SunGold Financial Services Lead. The Agribusiness/Market Officer will have the following duties and responsibilities.

Key responsibilities and tasks 

Technical

• Map, engage and monitor commercial farmers, cluster farmers and agribusiness enterprises including cooperatives, off-takers and processors which can have a potential engagement in sunflower production and marketing.
• Develop agribusiness enterprises, such as commercial farms, cluster farmers and farmer cooperatives, agro-dealers, aggregators and other agribusiness which can potentially engage in the development of the sunflower value chain. Promote entrepreneurship among farmers and youth engaged in the sunflower value chain.
• Support value chain analysis to identify opportunities and constraints in the sunflower market system and conduct gap assessments of agri-SMEs and farmers.
• Help farmers access sunflower markets, facilitate contract farming arrangement with processors, and organize market linkage events, such as buyer–seller meetings.
• Promote aggregation and collective marketing through commercial farmers/cooperatives and/or cluster farmers.
• Support training and capacity-building activities for farmers, cooperatives, agribusiness enterprises and sunflower cluster farmers. Topics may include agribusiness management, marketing strategies, quality standards, access to finance, and financial management.
• Facilitate access to input financing through linking farmers and agribusinesses with financial institutions and banks. Provide technical support in business planning, enterprise management, financial literacy and business plans and other required documents for loans or investments. Facilitate linkages among input suppliers, farmers, cooperatives, processors, and traders.
• Collaborate with government institutions, such as regional and woreda agriculture and other relevant bureaus, private sector actors, and development partners to enhance project implementation in the regions.
• Engage actively in the effort of developing the supply chain digital solution being implemented by Dimagi.

M&E

• Support any M&E efforts in the field. Collect and report data on market linkage, agribusiness development activities and project indicators. Monitor progress of agribusiness grant activities and project indicators.

Communications

• Contribute to the development of communication materials, e.g. photos, stories, blogs.
• Identify, prepare and document success stories, best practices, lessons learned through regular progress and activity reports.
• Perform other project related activities as assigned by the head office.

What You’ll Need

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development and/or Business Administration and 3 years of experience, or Master’s degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development and/or Business Administration and 1 years of experience.
• Experience in agricultural value chain, agribusiness and market systems development, and improving market access.
• Experience working with small-holder farmers in extension services, market access, contract farming and out grower schemes.
• Business development and entrepreneurship support, value chain analysis, market systems development, training and facilitation skills, data collection and reporting.
• Verbal and written fluency in English and Afaan Oromo.
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently throughout Ethiopia to regional activity sites.

Desired Skills and Experience

• Experience with donor-funded agriculture projects.
• Experience in pricing negotiations between producers and off-takers and contract/agreement enforcement.

 Additional information for the candidate

• This position is open to Ethiopian Nationals only.
• Submit a 3-page CV and a 1-page cover letter only. You should not submit additional information, i.e., certificates, diplomas etc. at this stage.