TechnoServe Jobs in Tanzania; Business Advisor-Warehouse Receipt System

Job Title:        Business Advisor-Warehouse Receipt System
Job Location:   Mbeya, Tanzania
Employer:    TechnoServe
Reports to:   Senior Business Advisor
Travel: Frequent Domestic Travels within the target region

About TechnoServe
We are a nonprofit organization that develops business solutions to poverty by linking people to information, capital and markets. Our work is rooted in the idea that hardworking people can generate income, jobs and wealth for their families and communities. With more than four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

About the Project:
The Storage and Proper Post-Harvest Improvements for Resource Efficiency (SAPPHIRE II) project is a five year, US$5 Million project funded by DFID.  SAPPHIRE is designed to enable 40,000 smallholder farmers, including female farmers, in the southern highlands of Tanzania to increase their incomes by 10-20% annually.  This impact will be achieved via a series of interventions that catalyze improvements to Tanzania‘s Warehouse Receipt System (WRS) in tandem with those that reduce smallholder post-harvest grain losses and increase yield.

Project activities begin at the farm level–working on improved agronomy for sunflower, maize, and rice farmers with a focus on increasing yield and minimizing losses.  The commodities are then consolidated–maize and rice are stored in warehouses using a receipt system.  From there, the commodities are sold into a variety of marketing channels, enabling farmers to achieve higher prices for their products. Project staff train farmers and warehouse staff on financial literacy and techniques and warehouse management for operating their farms and warehouses more like businesses.

Job Overview:
The SAPPHIRE II WRS Business Advisor will be responsible for making sure Post harvest handling at the household and warehouse levels are improved and WRS producers (Farmers) increase production through improved agronomic practices.
Job Requirements:
· Undergraduate degree in agronomy, agricultural economics, food sciences, storage management, developments or other relevant field required.
· Masters’ degree is preferred.
· Three years of experience implementing post-harvest handling storage and commodity trading activities
· Three years of experience implementing Warehouse Receipt System
· Vast experience in interpreting Tanzania Cooperative Act and laws
· Ability to train farmers on post-harvest handling, storage  and business management
· Ability to link farmer groups/organizations to financial institutions
· Not less than 3 years’ experience in agronomy, preferably in paddy and maize crops.
· Strong private sector experience and entrepreneurial skills
· Proven track record of developing complex client business plans
· Excellent problem solving and analytical skills
· Strong interpersonal and management skills
· Good computer skills in business software (Excel, MS Project and PowerPoint)
· Excellent communication skills in both written and spoken English and Kiswahili
· Ability to develop well written, cohesive reports that are responsive to donors’ needs
· Self-motivated and undertakes assignments with little supervision.

Job Duties:
· Ensure that warehouses under the program meet warehouse requirements in terms of infrastructure, equipment, staff, management systems, services offered and business operations.
· Train Farmers and warehouse managers and operators in business planning and financial models and assist them to develop viable business plans for sustainable warehouse enterprises.
· Train farmers on farming as a business.
· Conducting feasibility studies for warehouse business
· Train warehouse managers and operators in Storage management
· Training farmers and warehouse operators/managers in grains quality standards.
· Train farmers and warehouse operators/managers on Warehouse Receipt System
· Train Farmers and warehouse managers and operators in Post-Harvest Handling Techniques.
· Tracking grain prices at different market levels: farm gate, local and regional.
· Facilitate financial linkages between warehouse businesses and financial institutions.
· Facilitate market linkages between warehouse businesses and grain buyers.
· Facilitate farmer group formation and link them to warehouses for grains storage
· Monitor the Trainers (Agriculture Extension Officers) for effective farmers training on weekly and monthly basis.
· Facilitate the licensing of warehouse businesses.
· Facilitate FBGs/Warehouses/AMCOS access to finance
· Offer regular technical assistances to farmers and warehouse businesses.
· Collaborate and work with other warehouse business stakeholders in the project areas.
· Provide farmers groups with access to market information
· Undertake any other task assigned by your supervisor

Deadline Date: 09/05/2014

How to Apply:
Kindly forward your CVs to:
Email: TZ-info@tns.org

TechnoServe is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.