Assistant Business Advisor – Agronomy at Technoserve

Assistant Business Advisor – Agronomy

Employer: Technoserve

Employment: Full-Time | Permanent

Place of Work: Bona town with field travel - Ethiopia

Posted date: 5 years ago

Deadline: Submition date is over

I. TechnoServe Background: TechnoServe works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. 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 given the opportunity, hardworking men and women in even the poorest places 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. II. Program Description: The primary objective of the TNS agronomy program will be to increase the production of the coffee tree for coffee farmers through both yield improvement and behavioral shifts due to price incentives. This production improvement will be achieved by educating project farmers on agronomy and environmental best practices, farm management, and assisting them in applying those techniques at an individual farm level. TNS will use two-year farm college training and individual farm visits to improve farmer knowledge of agronomy techniques and oversee implementation. III. Position Description: Support the implementation of strategies that will enable smallholder coffee farmers to achieve sustainable increases in coffee quality and yields as per Technoserve quality requirements. Responsible for day-to-day execution of the coffee agronomy program, activities plan and supervise project deliverables of farmer trainers to ensure the timely achievement of targets. IV. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Responsibilities as assistance business advisor 1. Planning and management of FT’s · Submit ABA weekly work plan – details when will attend training · Review FT weekly work plan with dates, · Collect weekly training plans and data from FT’s · Clearly communicate goals and roles and responsibilities to all direct reporting staff · Provide feedback, coaching and development activities related to performance management, following HR guidelines. · Notify SBA of any performance issues as soon as observed. · Develop a team spirit among all reports. · Submit Farmer Trainer of the month nominations for own reports 2. Conduct monthly Agronomy trainings to FTs · Model that months agronomy training to FTs at local training demo · Supervise teach-backs and give feedback · Ensure all training materials reach FT’s 3. Observe FT’s delivering training at demo plot · Do Training observation tablet Forms are completed for each visit and feedback and coaching given to the FT, meet monthly targets · Complete the training observation form and give feedback and coaching to FT · Check attendance form, cross-check with the number of farmers seen as present. Ensure the reported data is accurate. · Check demo plot status, complete form and give feedback to FT 4. Visit farmers · Pick farmers at random · Discuss training, farmer adoption, and challenges · Complete Best Practice checklist 5. Visit Demo plots · Meet with FF and discuss any challenges · Check demo plot status, complete form and give feedback to FT. 6. Attendance M & E · Collect, check for completion and submit a complete set of FT’s attendance sheets to SBA within 1 week of training completion. · Discuss any attendance issues with FT’s and SBA and develop an action plan. · Compile weekly attendance update and submit to SBA · Ensure high quality (error-free) training attendance is collected, reviewed and delivered to the M&E team on a timely/monthly basis. · Complete Attendance spot check Tablet Form for each FFGs he/she supervises 7. Prepare & check FTs expenses · Collect official voucher receipts for transport and accommodation · Submit these documents to the SBA in a timely fashion 8. Stakeholder Management · Create a good working relationship with stakeholders. · Holding a meeting with the Agricultural Development and administration offices of the appropriate Wereda once every quarter. · Meet with Kebele leaders and Cooperative to give progress reports every quarter. Support FTs to mobilize farmers at the Kebele level. · Perform other duties as assigned by the Agronomy Senior Business Advisor. V. Required Skills & Experience: · Bachelor’s Degree in Agronomy, Plant Science, Crop Sciences, Agricultural Science, etc/. May accept experience in lieu of a four-year degree. · At least two years’ professional experience for BSc and four years’ experience for Diploma – ideally private sector – in one or more of the following areas: Coffee Agronomy, Coffee processing, cooperative management or agriculture. · Strong planning skills and experience working to strict time-guidelines · Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills · Willingness to spend significant time in rural areas · Excellent communication skills, written and oral, in both English and local language (knowledge of Sidamigna is highly preferred and has an advantage) · Computer literacy, Business Acumen · Motor bicycle riding license, ability and willingness to ride a motor bicycle is a must · NGO experience