Company Profile

TechnoServe Inc (http://(www.technoserve.org) 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 ImpactMatters charity ratings agency.

Job Description

Job Summary
TechnoServe seeks a results-oriented agribusiness specialist to serve as the Private Sector Engagement & Marketing Lead for the anticipated Feed the Future Ghana Market Systems and Resilience Activity. The Private Sector Engagement & Marketing Lead will report to the Chief of Party and be responsible for promoting engagement between market system actors in northern Ghana—ranging from producers, to buyers, input suppliers and service providers – and the corporate private sector.

Program Overview
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) anticipates funding the five-year Feed the Future Ghana Market Systems and Resilience Activity to increase inclusive, agriculture-led economic growth in northern Ghana through competitive, stronger, and more resilient markets. The Activity will work across 17 Districts in northern Ghana to support agribusinesses targeting staple crops, such as maize, soybean, groundnut, and cowpea, and high-value export-oriented crops, such as horticulture, shea, and other tree crops.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities

• Lead project activities related to facilitating market linkages between producers and agribusinesses to end markets and enhancing local service delivery, ensuring excellence in execution
• Engage and develop partnerships with key stakeholders in the market system, including financial institutions
• Provide strategic guidance and technical leadership to support local food processors to meet national and international standards and build the capacity of local Ghanaian service providers to work with food processors to take on this work (in line with a market systems approach)
• Continuously develop operational efficiencies and drive innovations in delivery
• Supervise a small team of partnership managers and business development support (BDS) managers

Required Skills or Experience

Basic Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in agricultural economics, international development, business, economics, public policy or other relevant area, and at least eight years of experience in relevant private sector or development programs.
• Or bachelor’s degree with at least 12 years of relevant experience.
• At least ten years of experience leading SME capacity building, with previous experience utilizing a market systems development approach
• Experience working with agribusinesses, private sector experience preferred
• Experience in relevant agricultural market systems and/or in relevant support markets (e.g., inputs, agro-processing/marketing, storage, etc.) as well as understanding of production systems 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience living and working in Ghana or West Africa.
• Experience implementing USAID-funded programs and knowledge of USAID regulations and procedures.
• Track record of building win-win partnerships between multiple agriculture sector stakeholders, including agribusinesses, public sector, financial institutions, technology providers, and others.
• Experience successfully implementing gender-integrated programs.
• Demonstrated ability to use adaptive management principles to make strategic, data-driven decisions in the face of uncertainty and complexity.
• Results-oriented, with demonstrated experience achieving project targets. 

Required Languages

• Fluency in spoken and written English is required
• Fluency in other local languages a plus 

Travel 
Moderate across Ghana; at least 30%
 
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong leadership skills and demonstrated experience in managing complex, multi-disciplinary and challenging field operations in developing countries, West Africa preferred.
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills and ability to effectively motivate and manage teams in a multi-cultural environment.
• Strong private sector market orientation, entrepreneurial and innovative thinker.
• Demonstrated skills in problem solving, consensus building and coordination of diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines while managing multiple tasks and activities.
• Ability to develop well written, cohesive analyses and reports.