Company Profile

The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is a public international organization (PIO) governed by an international board of directors with representation from developed and developing nations. The non-profit center focuses on increasing and sustaining food and agricultural productivity in developing countries through the development and transfer of effective and environmentally sound crop nutrient technology and agribusiness expertise.

Job Description

Seed Value Chain Business Advisors, Feed the Future USAID Agriculture Technology Transfer (FtF USAID ATT)

Background
The Feed the Future USAID Agriculture Technology Transfer Project (ATT Project) will address northern Ghana’s complex value chain issues, focusing on technologies to improve the seed sector, and will identify sustainable solutions leading to increased competitiveness in the rice, soybean and maize value chains. The expected outcome is expanded availability and use of agricultural inputs and technologies which can increase and sustain agricultural productivity in Northern Ghana.

The project requires the services of two fulltime (2) Seed Value Chain Business Advisors to support its operations in Upper East and Upper West Regions, one to be stationed in the ATT Bolgatanga office and the other at its office in Wa.

Position summary

• Under the supervision of ATT’s Senior Seed Value Chain and Business Platform 
• Advisor, the regional Seed Value Chain Business Advisors will: 
• Assist existing and emerging seed companies to improve the quality, increase the quantity, and expand the sources of supply of basic rice, maize and soybean seed, and to increase the sales and quality of certified seed; 
• Assist private sector businesses and entrepreneurs to become more familiar with new technologies in the seed sector; 
• Assist in building the technical capacity of seed companies to package and brand their seed for end users; 
• Assist the ATT Senior Seed Value Chain and Business Platform Advisor to promote new varieties to seed companies and growers; 
• Provide leadership and technical assistance to private seed companies and distributorships in the development of marketing plans in consultation with the ATT Senior Seed Value Chain and Business Platform Advisor; 
• Gather information and making informed decisions on the effective demand for the different seed classes (breeder, basic and certified) and making this information available through ATT to the biannual Northern Regions Seed Stakeholder Meeting; 
• Report on seed supply chain aspects for their region, in particular, gaps in the seed business network; 
• Present ATT results, activities and grant opportunities to a wider audience and solicit ideas for filling the identified gaps in the seed chain (in terms of production, processing and marketing); 
• Facilitate potential public-private partnership activities supported by the Agricultural Technology Transfer project in their area of operation; 
• Ensure all project indicator targets and deliverables are being achieved regarding the seed sector development component of ATT; 
• Support data collection, and Monitoring and Evaluation activities in the seed sector; and, 
• Assist the ATT Senior Seed Value Chain and Business Platform Advisor in developing work plans for organizing development activities, budgets and project-specific plans; 
• Work together with other IFDC projects/initiatives to leverage impact in the project region. 
• S/he will be the knowledge broker and facilitator, and initiate the multi-stakeholder dialogue to improve seed value chain coordination, support transformation of seed producers into seed companies, create strong market linkages, and improve collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders in the sector.

Supervision

The ‘Regional Value Chain Seed Business Advisor’ will report directly to the ATT Senior
Seed Value Chain and Business Platform Advisor. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the person assigned to this anticipated position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job.

Duty Location
The Regional Value Chain Seed Business Advisor will either be based in Upper East (Bolgatanga) or Upper West (Wa) Regions and should be available to travel within the region and outside when necessary. Candidates may, if they have a preference, state the particular regional position for which they are applying but should explain their preference.

Required Skills or Experience

The successful candidate will:

• Be a Ghana national; 
• Hold a BSc degree in a relevant field such as crop science, agronomy, agribusiness development and demonstrate a business orientation with hands-on agricultural experience and knowledge; 
• A minimum of four years of work experience in agricultural projects in Ghana; 
• Experience in private sector development and facilitation of public-private partnerships; 
• Good communication and writing skills and sensitivity towards cultural differences; 
• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite of products; and, 
• Excellent English language skills (written and verbal).