SNV Ethiopia (Duty station: Addis Ababa, National Portfolio) is looking for:
Senior Advisor Value Chain Development
SNV Netherlands Development Organisation is working in over 33 developing countries. In these countries we are dedicated to a society where all people enjoy the freedom to pursue their own development. The emphasis of our work is on poverty alleviation through (1) increasing production, income and employment and (2) increasing access to basic services in the sectors of water, sanitation & hygiene, education, health and renewable energy. We aim at achieving considerable impact in both ‘impact areas’.
We do this through providing advisory services, facilitating knowledge development, brokering and networking, strengthening local capacity builders, supporting the establishment of local capacity development funds and carrying out advocacy at national and international levels.
In the impact area of Production, Income and Employment (PIE), SNV Ethiopia is supporting the development of 4 value chains: milk & milk products, honey & bees wax, oil seeds & edible oil and perennial fruits (pineapple, mango, apple). We do this through a value chain development approach, with a special focus on improving access to markets for small holder farmers and enabling an effective supply of business development services. Most of the activities are embedded in the “Support to Business Organisations & Access to Markets” (BOAM) programme for which we receive funding from the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands and Irish AID. See for further details the SNV Ethiopia-BOAM website . We also support some activities in the tourism sector.
In Ethiopia the agricultural marketing system is generally weak and inefficient. The Ethiopian Government has acknowledged this and is increasingly promoting agricultural marketing and private sector development as necessary ingredients of rural economic development. The formation and strengthening of autonomous efficient producers and traders organisations and the intensification of market linkages has been recognised by the government and other actors as key strategies to improve the functioning of value chains and the supply of business development services.
Since mid 2005, SNV Ethiopia has been successfully introducing an innovative approach to develop the above mentioned value chains within the BOAM programme. Innovative aspect are bringing together all actors in a value chain through three monthly coordination group meetings, working with value chain leaders, establishing diverse active networks thereby creating win-win situations for all involved.
The pilot phase of the BOAM programme is coming to and end, meaning that SNV Ethiopia and its partners want to upscale the activities through intensification of the activities (going deeper and possibly broader).
In order to guide, coordinate and give strategic direction to the scaling up of the programme activities, SNV Ethiopia is looking for a senior advisor value chain development, with duty station Addis Ababa.
The Senior Advisor will work within a (growing) team of currently 10 other private sector development and access to market advisors and in close alliance with the SNV Ethiopia Management Team. He/she will report to the Portfolio Coordinator of the National Portfolio.
Main responsibilities: ? Fine tune and work out per value chain the already developed value chain concept and translate this into continued support activities to a multitude of actors within the value chains, thereby giving due attention on how to strengthen the conditions of small-scale farmers to increase their access to markets. ? Ensure having up to date information about the market developments in the four value chains and an ongoing analysis of trends in these value chains: identify, together with all relevant stakeholders and through a participatory process, critical constraints and promising opportunities in order to improve the functioning of the value chains, thereby increasing market flows and improving access to markets. ? Identity key stakeholders and actors in the 4 value chains and support initiatives to establish market linkages, networks and partnerships between them. ? Based on market and actor analyses, develop ideas together with the stakeholders and actors on how to improve access to markets in the 4 value chains and discuss this with these actors/stakeholder but also within broader platforms and forums of development partners. ? Support the actors/stakeholders in the selected value chains, in a facilitative and advisory role, to identify and select a number of value chain interventions to be undertaken within the BOAM programme. ? Provide the requisite advisory services at the various levels and in more complex situations in selected value chains, thereby actively contributing to achieving the defined impact targets. ? Be instrumental in the promotion of linkages to agricultural markets: identify promising (possibly new) markets and its key players; constantly track changes in the market requirements (regulations, quality standards, trade conditions), collect data on specific markets and translate all the gathered data into relevant information for decision making by the actors at the various levels in the selected value chains. ? Establish networks and where possible collaborative partnerships with similar and complementary initiatives, undertaken by other organisations, institutions or programmes, like public agencies promoting and regulating private sector development initiatives (EEPA, MoTI, Ministry of ARD, Bureau of Agriculture), private investors and development agencies working on market development (CBI, ECBP/GTZ, Agriprofocus (ICCO/KIT), WUR, GRM-Bonga, ILO). ? Pro-actively develop modalities to increase the opportunities for women to be actively involved in market activities as well as to increase their participation in decision making processes (e.g. through membership of platforms) within the selected value chains. ? Document interesting results, including the process followed and the support supplied by SNV, and present study and research findings at relevant forums. ? Contribute to value chain research activities, like the one to be undertaken by WUR/IAC, which will include one of the 4 value chains supported by SNV Ethiopia. ? Take the lead within the SNV team to further develop and fine-tune the value chain development concept, give strategic direction to the scaling up of the programme activities, give technical backstopping and guidance to the SNV BOAM team and coordinate the BOAM activities in collaboration with the senior advisor based in Awassa. ? Contribute to the half yearly reports to be presented by SNV Ethiopia to the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands and Irish Aid through the supply of relevant technical input.
Requirements:
Education: Masters degree in Agricultural Economics, Market Development, Business Management or Rural Development related studies, with an academic level of working and thinking.
Work experience: 10 years of relevant working experience, preferably in (the horn of) Africa. Proven experience analysis of agricultural sectors and/or value chains. S/he should have recognised expertise in working in an advisory capacity and as a process facilitator, having demonstrated competences in advising organisations on technical and organisational/institutional issues, related to improving access to markets In addition should have experience with giving advice in complex situations and in different contexts.
Knowledge: Strong (state of the art) knowledge of agricultural sub-sector and value chain analysis. Knowledge of clustering and the approach of systemic competitiveness in local economic development and/or other relevant private sector development methodologies. Sound knowledge of marketing of agricultural commodities and market potential analysis. Knowledge of gender concepts and promotion of women entrepreneurship.
Skills: Team player with networking abilities at the national level, combined with result orientation. Strong intercultural skills, coaching skills.
Other: Computer skills and ability to work in a challenging and dynamic context. Affinity with the private sector and its way of working
Description of duty station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia Health services: Fair to good, there are a number of private hospitals and there are daily flights to Nairobi or Europe in case of emergencies. Accessibility: Daily flights from Nairobi and main European carriers arriving several days a week. Education: Excellent, with a high number of international schools, including a Dutch School.
Salary Scale 11: Minimum € 2587 – Maximum € 4024 gross per month (hypo tax will be deducted), excluding attractive secondary conditions and individual allowances.
Starting date: September/October 2007
Length of contract: 3 years with possible extension
Information/application: You can send your application letter and CV (in English) to Tegene Sisay, (), under reference number ET 2483, until 20 July 2007.
We do not appreciate any commercial mediation based on this advertisement.
