Business Program Manager

Job Description

1. About TechnoServe:

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in 29 countries, we work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. By linking people to information, capital and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities. Founded over 50 years ago, TechnoServe has been named the #1 nonprofit for fighting poverty by the Impact Matters charity ratings agency.

2. About the project:

TechnoServe seeks a results-oriented professional to lead the business advisory unit of a large-scale program in Yirgacheffe, one of the world’s most celebrated coffee origins. Regrow Yirga is a five-year, $15M+ project funded by U.S Department of Agriculture, JDE and Peet’s Coffee. The program will help farmers boost productivity and expand trade and has a focus on improving farmers´ capacity to renew their trees. Specifically, the Regrow Yirga program seeks to: train 42,000 farmers in good agricultural practices, provide quality advisory support to 45 coffee processing stations, and improve the enabling environment through strengthening private and public coffee service providers in Ethiopia. Lastly, the project will launch an innovative Farmer Stumping Fund which will facilitate direct incentive (tools) transfers to farmers to encourage tree renewal which has the potential to be scaled up to over 1 million coffee farmers nation-wide.

The program is officially running until April 2025, with a possibility of a one-year extension.

3. About the role:

Reporting to the Deputy Chief of Party, the Business Program Managers’ principal objective is to manage a team of business advisors who train and advise processing stations and exporters on coffee processing and quality. Part of the job will be introducing new digital tools for managers to access technical resources, and supporting station owners to remotely monitor on-site performance through daily data input and sensors.

Responsibilities under this role include:

Lead a team of (senior) business advisors

• Lead a team of highly talented advisors to provide processing station owners and exporters with leading consultancy advice regarding processing techniques and quality, financial management, and sustainability standards.
• Develop and monitor work plans. Schedule weekly one-on-one check-in meetings with the business team advisors. Present weekly progress updates and priority plans with weekly reports and with weekly strategy calls with the DCOP.
• Provide timely feedback to advisors, encourage learning, and provide continuous coaching and support. Ensure that the business activities and the team have the resources required to perform planned activities in a timely manner to the highest quality.
• Conduct annual performance reviews for all advisors.
• Develop tools in collaboration with the HCD and TNS labs teams for advisors to capture client data and analyze clients’ performance.
• Provide modeling training to prepare advisors for training clients and provide feedback during client training sessions.
• Support and coordinate training activities with processing station clients. This includes but not limited to quality processing, financial management, governance, and sustainability training.
• Facilitate Coffee Quality Institute processing and cupping SoWs and training for team and clients. Facilitate the sample collection, cupping, and sensory mapping by a Coffee quality advisor.
• Manage relationships with zonal and regional officials, and actively engage in industry initiatives and partnerships with key stakeholders on issues that promote the mission of TechnoServe’s coffee work.
• Contribute to the preparation of periodic donor reports including collecting client stories.

Provide overall technical support to the business team and clients.           

• Ensure the delivery of high-quality technical training and advisory services that are appropriate to the local context and effective at changing participants’ behavior (adoption).
• Provide revisions to lesson plans, training tools, and data collection processes based on the team’s and clients’ feedback (in collaboration with the ET coffee team and the regional coffee practice advisers).
• Maintain an accurate and up-to-date database of processing clients and relevant area maps.
• Identify bottlenecks and come up with solutions/upgrades to improve product offering and delivery to clients.
• Provide continuous support in business development strategies to increase the client’s revenue
• Coordinate with the client other stakeholders and coffee experts to research, identify, analyze, and execute new business
• Provide feedback on operational costs and provide cost performance benchmarking
• Educating stakeholders on the role of business intelligence.
• Provide guidance when issues, challenges or problematic situations
• Clearly identify and document client aspirations and challenges; Compile and present findings and recommendations

Support in the management of TechnoServe’s Dilla Office and its support team

• Ensure effective team interaction and positive employee relations within and across departments.
• Provide periodic feedbacks to the DCOP on challenges and opportunities observed in the support team

Manage project resources

• Manage contracts with various consultants and other partners to ensure compliance and efficient performance.
• Develop and manage the bottom-up budget and resources for the business team.
• Support in the allocation of all program resources, including vehicles and motorcycles.
• Submit weekly reports to DCOP on program activities, plans, challenges, and required support.

Cultivate stakeholder relationships

• Represent TechnoServe at regional and zonal levels and manage government relationships
• Actively engage in industry initiatives and partnerships with key industry stakeholders within the project area
• Actively engage in supporting the DCOP in fostering the enabling environment at both regional and federal level
• Support stakeholder relations that are geared towards the strategic growth of the coffee portfolio in Ethiopia.

4. Required Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree with at least eight years of experience; Master’s Degree with at least five years of progressive experience in business and administration, economics, rural development, engineering, or other related discipline

• At least three years of professional management experience – including experience in or with the private sector
• Knowledge in one of the following areas: coffee processing, SME development, exporting, supply chains, project or business management, finance, or engineering

• Excellent communication skills, written and oral, in both English and Amharic (knowledge of Afan Oromo, Sidamigna, or Gedigna is an added advantage)

• Good report writing, presentation, and numerical analysis skills
• Customer/client orientation and problem-solving skills
• Strong planning skills and ability to work independently within agreed work plans and timelines
• Willingness to be located in the field and spend time traveling to project sites located rural areas.