Head of Portfolio Development

Job Description

JOB PURPOSE: The role of Head of Portfolio Development has the prime responsibility for ensuring the effective and efficient roll out of aBi Trust’s projects with implementing partners in order to achieve the targets outlined in the strategic objectives

REPORTS TO: Chief Operations Officer aBi Trust

SUPERVISES: Project Manager Agribusinesses, Project Manager Umbrellas & Gov’t and Project Manager Farmer Groups.

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Lead the development of strategies and work plans that will achieve the results of aBi’s strategic plan

• Contribute towards the development and review of the strategic plan and updated business plan
• Liaise with the Chief Operations Officer aBi Trust to develop operational work plans and budget for the Trust programs
• Participate in the development and review of standard operating procedures
• Take personal responsibility for rolling out the aspects of the risk management framework that pertain to aBi Trust’s programs

2. Drive the identification and contracting of a comprehensive portfolio of influential implementing partners, capable of adding value to the sector

• Ensure that a systematic stakeholder analysis is carried out and continually updated across all value chains at all levels
• Lead the team in proactively approaching and communicating with potential partners
• Ensure that due diligence & capacity assessments are undertaken with potential partners
• Ensuring that BDS Providers assist applicants at the business planning stage
• Ensuring that all necessary contracts are negotiated and signed by all relevant parties; in line with aBi’s policies and procedures

3. Ensure that a comprehensive portfolio of quality projects are planned and implemented by the matrix managed teams

• Deploy the Project Managers to carry out participative planning with stakeholders; ensuring that the plans developed will deliver against aBi’s strategy
• Ensure that plans and budgets that are produced represent effective use of aBi resources
• Ensure that impact measurement tools are in place and fully understood by all staff and stakeholders
• Review the Grant Memos and ensure quality and consistency before project paperwork is passed to the Investment Committee
• Identify and address opportunities for aBi to act as a convener and investment broker
• Ensure that Implementing Partners receive their funds on time; reporting any shortfall to the Chief Manager Investment Performance & Results

4. Lead the team in fully participating in Program Quality and Learning activities

• Ensure that learning reviews of projects are carried out on a regular basis; working with the relevant Technical Experts to identify and bridge any gaps
• Lead the team in personal professional development; ensuring that learning is applied to make workplace improvements

5. Lead the team in rolling out the partner-facing aspects of the communications plan

• Participate in the development of aBi’s Influencing and Communications Plan
• Participate in the development of communications materials as requested by the Communications Manager
• Ensure that the team delivers any components of the communications strategy and plan that are allocated to them
• Take personal responsibility for influencing, advocacy and communication according to personal interest and priorities

6.Lead the Programs Team, in a manner that empowers them to deliver aBi’s goals and objectives

• For each project, ensure that an appropriate team of staff and consultants is constituted for effective delivery of results
• Communicate to the aBi Trust Team a clear and exciting vision for the work of the organisation
• Ensure that each team member is provided with clear expectations for achievement of results, standards and behaviour
• Plan and organise the work of the department so as to accomplish strategic and operational goals in the most cost effective manner possible; ensuring that an appropriately sized team of competent staff and consultants are in place
• Support and build the capacity of team members to enable them to give of their best e.g. by encouraging and praising good performance, coaching, training, assisting staff to prevent or resolve problems, providing resources, tools and equipment
• Monitor and review performance and, in particular, hold staff accountable for achieving results, meeting standards of excellence and delivering any improvement goals which have been identified; taking decisive action in the case of poor performance

Educational Qualifications:

• A Master’s Degree, MBA or Agriculture Economics
• Post Graduate Diploma in Project Management
• Bachelors – Agribusiness Management if the Masters is not in Agriculture Economics, Agriculture, Development Studies, Agribusiness Management

Job related experience and knowledge:

• 10 years post graduate Masters experience in Business Development (Portfolio Management) and or Pipeline Development & Management
• Extensive Knowledge and understanding of Agribusiness Management
• Demonstrable knowledge of Agri-Business Development and Market Systems Approach
• Proven experience of working in rural development in a generalist role within the sector and in a developing country
• Demonstrable experience and ability to network, develop and sustain strategic partnerships
• Knowledge and skills in program planning and development
• Familiarity of usage of databases and Microsoft Office
• Proven experience to manage and engage teams for delivery of results

About the Organization

The Agricultural Business Initiative (aBi), a group of registered companies namely aBi Trust and aBi Finance Ltd, is a multi-stakeholder entity co-founded in July 2010 by the Governments of Uganda and Denmark through DANIDA and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development respectively, with the objective to promote “Private sector agribusiness development to enhance wealth creation”.

The development objective of the aBi Trust is building a self-sustaining export-led economy in which the benefits are shared by all Ugandans, and its immediate objective is to strengthen the competitiveness of Uganda’s agricultural and agro-processing sector. It does this through Value Chain Development (VCD) of six value chains (Coffee, Cereals, Pulses, Horticulture, Dairy and Oil Seeds) and Financial Services Development (FSD).

aBi Finance Ltd is the investment arm of aBi that aims to enable the Trust to meet its programme activities in a sustainable manner by offering financing for agribusiness development through Lines of Credit, Agribusiness Loan Guarantees and the Construction Guarantees Fund.