Overview

Position Title: Business Advisor

Job Specifics:

Description:

Advisor for Business.

Senior Business Advisor is the reporting unit.

Job location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Time frame: half a year.

Less than 50% of travel is done domestically.

Level: 7.

 

Background of TechnoServe:

Everybody is entitled to the chance to create a better future. For more than 50 years, TechnoServe’s work has been driven by this straightforward concept all around the world. TechnoServe is a trailblazer in the utilization of business and markets to establish enduring routes out of impoverishment.

We work in low-income communities, and there are a lot of ambitious people there. Their small-scale enterprises and farms hold the key to their economic growth. However, they confront a number of difficulties, including low literacy, restricted access to markets and employment opportunities, erratic political dynamics, and the growing effects of climate change. The obstacles are far more formidable for a large number of women and young people.

People all across the world are escaping poverty by working with TechnoServe employees. The outcomes are astounding: when family earnings rise and their living conditions improve, they can now afford health care and education that were before unaffordable. It is beneficial for communities and perhaps for entire nations.

The Overview of the Program:

TechnoServe is conducting the Growth and Investment Program in collaboration with Aceli Africa. The program’s goal is to provide small and medium-sized agribusinesses (Agri-SMEs) in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda with a largely virtual training curriculum that meets their needs. The program’s objective is to increase the participating Agi-SMEs’ capacity to draw in commercial investment by strengthening their internal and external frameworks. The initiative focuses on Agri-SMEs with yearly sales between $150,000 and $500,000, SMEs that have an established growth plan, and/or those with seven to twenty-five staff. Creating training materials that are tailored to the requirements of agri-SMEs, as well as monitoring, evaluating, and learning for decision support and learning, are some of the sub-objectives of the program. Since the project’s inception in 2021, a fourth cohort has benefited from its technical help, and there are plans to add more trainee cohorts in the future.

Description of the Position:
A Business Advisor is needed by Technoserve for the Growth and Investment Program. The Business Advisor (BA), who will report to the Senior Business Advisor, will collaborate closely with both the Global Entrepreneurship team and the Kenyan project team. The position will oversee project operations in Tanzania directly. The main responsibility of the BA during the first six months will be to carry out our approach to Technical Assistance (TA) for Agri-SMEs, which intends to transform the way TA is provided to SMEs in the agricultural sector in Africa. We have two goals. The first goal is to completely transform the way technical support is provided to African agri-SMEs, and the second is to increase SMEs’ potential to draw in outside investment. The post holder will be in charge of in-country reporting and the execution of activities.

Principal Duties and Achievers:

Execution of the Program:

  • Assist in identifying, characterizing, and hiring Tanzanian agri-SMEs.
  • Assist the agri-SMEs with the Growth and Investment program’s onboarding process.
  • Establish and maintain synergies throughout TechnoServe’s offering to give SMEs comprehensive TA support.
  • Throughout the program’s implementation, give the Agri-SMEs individualized support and guidance, and make sure they finish the activities on the program’s schedule.
  • Help with the design and execution of the Growth and Investment Pitching sessions, which entail helping agri-SMEs create their pitch decks and finding and attracting investors.
  • Keep an eye on and interact with strategic partners for joint ventures, company development, and training.

Development of Capacity:

  • During the fourth cohort, the recruited Agri-SMEs will receive technical assistance from the BA in the form of training, individual and group coaching, and mentorship on topics pertinent to expanding businesses. The company’s priorities and common business problems—namely, achieving top-line growth, resolving inefficiencies in operations and management, obtaining financing, and market development/customer acquisition and retention—will be highlighted.
  • Help with project administration of the WhatsApp group to disseminate relevant information, foster networking, and offer assistance and answers to queries.

Monitoring, Assessment, and Education (MEL):

  • To guarantee that the program is implemented on schedule and in accordance with the work plan, track and monitor the Agri-SMEs’ real-time analytics progress on the various program-based activities.
  • After the content is delivered, the BA will include follow-up surveys to gauge adoption and uptake and gather data from agri-SMEs regarding training results.
  • By getting in touch with the registration (baseline), module satisfaction, and end-line surveys, the BA will assist with the program quality surveys.
  • The donor and the supervisor will receive reports from the BA on a regular basis. The information gathered will be the basis for a collaborative session where we will examine how to apply the knowledge we have gained to enhance our approach to scale-up. The BA/ABA will co-author a report for publication with Aceli and other relevant parties.

Fundamental Requirements:

All eligible candidates must fulfill these prerequisites. Usually consists of:

  • It is advantageous to have a bachelor’s degree in business, economics, or a similar discipline.
    four years or more of appropriate work experience.Desired Qualifications:
  • It is also beneficial to have a strong background in coaching and advising agri-SMEs in Tanzania.
  • Demonstrated analytical and modeling abilities.
  • Proven capacity to compile vast volumes of data (via interviews and desk research) and combine it to provide a coherent analysis of the potential and limitations present in a market.
  • Shown ability to lead, collaborate, and cultivate relationships.
  • Excellent communication both in writing and speaking.
  • Strong computer abilities, including proficiency with MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
  • Capable of working autonomously, adaptably, and quickly to produce deliverables of the highest caliber.
  • Capable of adjusting to shifting work environments.
  • Able to set priorities and adhere to schedules.
  • Strong foundation in business, economics, strategy development, and agriculture.
  • The capacity to converse in English. Swahili is an extra benefit.

Success Elements:

The set of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) necessary for successful work performance is called competency.

Among the core competencies are:

  • Honesty and integrity: demonstrates a high degree of interpersonal trust, is regarded as a straightforward and honest person, gives accurate information in a way that is suitable and beneficial, maintains confidentiality, owns up to mistakes, and refrains from self-deception.
  • Teamwork and Relationships: Cooperates and adapts with team members while fully realizing the role that each member and/or leader must play in order to accomplish a shared objective. the capacity to create and preserve strong networks and relationships.
  • Learning attitude: Seizes possibilities for learning in a proactive manner. actively seeks out new topics to study; appropriately implements and shares acquired information and skills.
  • Diversity/Inclusiveness: Exhibits an awareness and knowledge of diversity and lends support to initiatives promoting it. Effectively and inclusively engages with individuals of all racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, as well as all ages and genders.
  • Effectively communicates ideas both individually and in groups. Effectively listens; provides facts, opinions, and arguments; adapts language, terminology, and communication styles to the needs of the audience; makes sure that the other person understands what they are saying; behaves in a way that encourages the free exchange of ideas and information; and employs appropriate nonverbal communication.
  • Making decisions and solving problems: possesses the ability to assess and evaluate potential courses of action, diagnose problems, identify the main concerns, analyze situations, and come up with a reasonable, workable solution. possesses the ability to make wise judgment calls on a daily level, taking responsibility for judgments and elevating problems when needed.
  • Results-oriented/High-quality Deliverables: Maintains focus on the tasks required to produce high-quality outcomes in line with departmental or programmatic objectives. demonstrates the capacity to produce successful outcomes and works tenaciously to get past roadblocks in the pursuit of goals. Tasks are completed by taking into account all relevant factors, no matter how minor; demonstrating care for every facet of the work; and precisely verifying procedures and assignments.
  • Planning and time management: lays out a plan of action for oneself, others, or both to achieve a particular objective. identifies, integrates, and orchestrates resources (people, material, information, budget, and/or time) to achieve goals; efficiently plans, schedules, prioritizes, and regulates activities. prioritizes tasks based on the objectives of the department or program, not just their own work obligations; efficiently controls their own time.
  • Business acumen is the capacity to use information, formulate pertinent queries, and make choices that have an effect on the functioning of the company as a whole.

Technical and job-specific competencies include:

  • Innovative Mindset: Observant and inquisitive, it seeks knowledge from a variety of sources, learns from errors, and views change as a chance.
  • Computer literacy is the capacity to use particular computer programs or apps for one’s own functional area while demonstrating understanding of them. possesses the capacity to raise productivity in the workplace by incorporating both new and old technology.
  • Governance and Compliance: Knowledge and adherence to firm policies, relevant laws, grant requirements, donor contracts, local labor regulations, and tax laws.
  • Internal Client Focus: The foundation of Client Focus is the capacity to comprehend the short- and long-term demands and concerns of the client and to offer well-reasoned recommendations and/or remedies.

We welcome applications from any competent people who are committed to advancing TechnoServe’s mission of enhancing the lives of people via tested business solutions.

We do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. We are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer because of our commitment to diversity.

We take great pride in our dedication to preventing abuse and exploitation of employees, partners, and beneficiaries, and we carefully screen every applicant through stringent reference and background checks.

For assistance applying for a job at TechnoServe if your disability prevents you from using our online application process, please email recruitment@tns.org or give us a call at +1 202 785 4515.

Qualifications:
Actions: Essential:

  • Team Player: Functions well in a team environment.
  • Leader: Motivates subordinates to pursue them.
  • Enthusiastic: Exhibits a strong, impatient excitement and curiosity.
  • Dedicated: Showing loyalty or integrity in the pursuit of a goal or task.
  • Detail-oriented: Able to do a task with all the specifics required to complete it successfully.

    Reasons for doing so:

    Essential:

  • Self-Starter: Motivated to work without assistance from others.
  • Entrepreneurial Spirit: The capacity to spearhead new business endeavors within the company motivates employees to perform successfully.
  • Goal Completion: The accomplishment of tasks motivates one to do better.
  • Ability to Make an Impact: Being able to contribute to a project’s or an organization’s success motivates people to perform well.
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