Value Chain Development Specialists (4 positions)

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

Organization

Heifer International is a Non-Governmental Organization whose mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth. We work with farmers and their communities to identify opportunities that deliver living incomes, creating solutions to local challenges that are designed to build inclusive, resilient economies. With Increased productivity of livestock and crops, farmers provide for their families and improve the health of their communities.

Heifer Project International-Ethiopia (HPI Ethiopia) together with the Ministry of Agriculture is planning to implement the Enhancing Livelihoods of Smallholders through Improved Poultry Business (ELSIPB) Project under its RESTORE + signature program of HPI Ethiopia. ELSIPB project aims to close the living income benchmark of targeted households (Women and Youth) through improving production, productivity, and marketing of eggs. To achieve this, the project will identify a private feed and DOC processing firms with demonstrable capacity and incentive to serve as an Egg-hub. The project will be implemented in four regions (Amhara, Oromia, Sidama, and SNNPR) and 70 districts. The overall objective of the project is to help 70,000 rural households (50 % women and 70% youth) are on the path to attain sustainable living income by the end of 2026. The ELSIPB project applies Market Systems Development (MSD) approach to address root causes of the systemic constraints in the poultry market system by designing innovative interventions that improve poultry market efficiency and sustainably benefit more poor households.

Heifer Project International-Ethiopia (HPI Ethiopia) is seeking for a qualified applicant for value chain development specialist of the ELSIPB project.

FUNCTION

The Value Chain Development Specialist reports to ELSIPB project team leader of HPI Ethiopia. The position holder shall have deep experience and knowledge of various aspects of livestock/poultry program commercialization, private sector engagement; Public, private, and producers partnership (PPPP), poultry production and value chain development, market linkages, agricultural financing, market systems development, and agribusiness and agricultural value chains development to promote and strengthen the ELSIPB project. The role holder will deliver technical lead to the value chain component of the ELSIPB implemented in the regions.

This position will report to the ELSIPB Project Team Leader and will be supported by the Heifer Ethiopia team. He/she is responsible for building strategic relationships with the regional Bureau of Agriculture and working closely with the Livestock Development Section of the bureaus on technical aspects of the poultry value chain. This position will serve as Heifer’s chief brand ambassador for the ELSIPB Project in the region representing Heifer in strategic forums to ensure Heifer carries strong brand recognition within the region as related to the project.

ESSENTIAL CHARACTER TRAITS

Detailed-oriented, self-driven, action oriented, team player.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DELIVERABLES

Ensures effective implementation of the required poultry businesses, private sector development and engagement in the project action (35%)

• Facilitate the onboarding of poultry business actors and stakeholders in the project action,
• Facilitate the establishment of poultry hubs and market linkages between input suppliers, poultry producers and off takers,
• Support the establishment and strengthening of the hub governance system.
• Facilitate and promote the establishment of 4Ps arrangement in the support of the sector and livelihoods of poultry producers,
• Facilitate realistic and commercially viable business plans developed by actors in pilot PPPPs to drive productivity and income increases in the regions,
• Facilitate the financial access of poultry producers from within and outside of the poultry value chain to improve their poultry businesses.
• Ensure the accessibility of relevant poultry production technologies and services to ESLIBP clients through PPPP arrangements,
• Influence Multi-purpose Farmer’s Cooperative in the project area to engage in poultry feed processing and marketing by undertaking feasibility studies.
• Women are empowered through enhanced social status, access to assets and services, and enhanced livelihoods.
• Foster strong partnerships and liaise regularly with MoA, private sectors and cooperatives working on poultry and poultry feed production and marketing.
• Provide training as required to ministry and regional stakeholders as required and demanded.
• Lead the process of strategic visioning for Heifer International at the regional level.
• Form strategic partnerships that embrace the triple bottom line (social, environmental, and financial).
• Build and maintain strong relationships among stakeholders at a regional level.

 Market System Analysis along the poultry value chain and support stakeholders in the development of guidelines, manuals and periodically monitor the performance of project activities (20%)

• Facilitate and lead the undertaking of market system analysis in the core and support systems of the poultry market system along the poultry value chain.
• Identify critical bottle necks and prospects of the poultry market systems for developing the sector.
• Facilitate the increased visibility of Heifer amidst the larger public including government officials and other stakeholders.
• Represent Heifer International before all persons and organizations at the regional level, government, non-governmental organizations, private sector, stakeholders, and partners.
• Demonstrate an aptitude for creativity and innovation.
• Position Heifer as one of the thought leaders on thematic issues: poultry, Livestock, agriculture, livelihoods, smallholders, women, and youth)
• Regularly monitor the performance of project activities, prepare, and submit progress reports (activity and finance) to the project team leader, stakeholders, and HPI.
• Ensures the transfer, internalization, and adoption of the project’s learnings and best practices (national and international) for impact and sharing.
• Document and share project learnings with the Team Leader & stakeholders.

 Poultry commercialization with strong private sector engagement and market systems approach (25%)

• Support the transitioning of subsistence poultry production to market-based (market informed, market-oriented, and market-led) poultry business in the project areas.
• Facilitate the accessibility of relevant poultry production technologies and services to project target households through PPPP arrangements.
• Foster the out-grower scheme between private poultry complexes and smallholder poultry producers and look for other output market opportunities.

 Capacity building, relationships with the Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders (10%)

• Together with the MoA the different capacity-building pieces of training for the DAs & implementation of biannual Review workshops.
• Maintain, cultivate, and grow a strong signature program portfolio.
• Work with signature program leaders to ensure quality delivery of Heifer’s model.
• Systematically identify viable market linkage opportunities
• Fosters a sense of connection and belonging.
• Shows openness to new ideas and fosters organizational learning.
• Maintain regional level requirements for Heifer’s legal operation.

 Planning and Reporting (5%)

• Prepare monthly, quarterly work plans for implementing in line with the project operational plans and submit them within the expected timelines.
• Prepare weekly, monthly and quarterly reports and submit to the Project coordinator, within the expected timelines.
• Participate in compiling of donor reports as requested.

 Any other tasks assigned by the supervisor (5%)

• May perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Job ID: 1058

Category : Program / Project Management

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s Degree from a recognized university or equivalent in Agriculture Science, Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, or a related field, plus 10 – 15 years of relevant experience with at least five (5) years in a supervisory capacity. Fluent in English, Amharic, and local language, both spoken and written.

Preferred Requirements

• Proven professional experience & results in livestock/poultry production & livestock /value chain development.
• Significant experience in supporting smallholders and producer organization to transform the traditional smallholder poultry production into improved poultry business.

Most Critical Proficiencies

• Clear understanding of the poultry value chain and market system development approach.
• Experience in delivering extension services to small scale farmers.
• Innovative, analytical, and solutions oriented.
• Strong farmer mobilization skills.
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement strategies aimed at providing institutional capacity building’ to Producer Organizations with a view to build a more efficient, competitive, and sustainable poultry industry.
• Knowledge of income and expense budget preparation and monitoring.
• A good understanding and sensitivity to issues associated with poverty, hunger and environment, and knowledge of the context to which non-profit organizations operate.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the latest developments in advancing good/best practices in poultry productivity improvement and poultry value chain and market system development that reaches women, youth, and underprivileged.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Proficient knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, electronic mail (Microsoft Office preferred) and Internet.
• Knowledge of and experience with developing private/public partnerships at the district level.
• Demonstrated proficiency in English and other local languages, both oral and written.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands

• Prepare and present documents in a well-designed and attractive format with superior attention to detail.
• Ability to understand, appreciate and implement Heifer’s Value-Based Holistic Community Development.
• Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions and design catalytic activities within the production segment of the dairy value chain (e.g. the concept of business development service provision).
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work cooperatively, tactfully and diplomatically with culturally diverse groups of people.
• Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the general public.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively.
• May require constant sitting, working at a computer and focusing for extended periods and performing office environment activities while on the road and/or in remote conditions.
• Ability to work with sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
• Ability to manage and execute multiple tasks with little supervision while meeting inflexible deadlines.
• Ability to work with smallholder farmers in rural set up while appreciating the dynamics or rural extension system.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.