Heifer International’s mission is to work with communities to end world hunger and poverty and to care for the Earth. Dan West was a farmer from the American Midwest and member of the Church of the Brethren who went to the front lines of the Spanish Civil War as an aid worker. His mission was to provide relief, but he soon discovered the meager single cup of milk rationed to the weary refugees once a day was not enough. And then he had a thought: What if they had not a cup, but a cow? That “teach a man to fish” philosophy is what drove West to found Heifer International. And now, nearly 70 years later, that philosophy still inspires our work to end world hunger and poverty throughout the world once and for all. HOW IT WORKS We empower families to turn hunger and poverty into hope and prosperity – but our approach is more than just giving them a handout. Heifer links communities and helps bring sustainable agriculture and commerce to areas with a long history of poverty. Our animals provide partners with both food and reliable income, as agricultural products such as milk, eggs and honey can be traded or sold at market. When many families gain this new sustainable income, it brings new opportunities for building schools, creating agricultural cooperatives, forming community savings and funding small businesses.
Job Summary
The Business Development Officer, under the overall guidance of the Project Manager, will provide overall leadership in designing and implementing appropriate interventions within the project with the objective of developing the 25-farmer owned agri-business (FOAB), in the HHK project into strong and profitable farmer business organizations and entities. This will be achieved through capacity building of the organizations in business planning and financial management, development of management structures and systems, the provision of business advisory services and the development of key marketing and financial linkages in financial services, input services and strong partnerships with both public and private organizations. The officer will identify impact investment opportunities and scaling up of Business Models. The interventions to be led by the Business Development Officer seek to increase the overall level of competitiveness of the poultry production business within the farmer-owned agri-business (FOAB).
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Business Management, Rural Development, Animal production with post-graduate diploma or experience in Business Management or a related field is required.
- Experience implementing activities in large, complex projects in challenging environments.
- Minimum 5 years of field and technical experience working on agribusiness development projects.
- Significant experience in building public/private partnerships, preferably in the dairy sector.
Responsibilities
Business Development (30%)
- Undertake capacity assessment and due diligence for farmer-owned agri-business (FOAB)
- Support producer organizations to develop business plans, strategic plans, and financial and human resource management systems
- Capacity Building of farmer-owned agri-business (FOAB), through training in business, financial management, and governance
- Analysis and conducting of feasibility to assess and develop new business, investment, and financing options
- Provide advice and assistance in the establishment and maintenance of business and financial records keeping systems
- Develop business models clearly showing the value proposition of farmer-owned agri-business (FOAB), to members and how it will leverage the opportunities in the production and market environment
DELIVERABLES
- 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) assessed within the first year of the project implementation and 25 capacity assessment reports developed
- Technical assistance and mentorship provided to the 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) on a quarterly basis through research, advisory and visits, and training sessions
- Facilitate the development of business planning guidelines and the development of business plans, strategic plans, and financial management systems for 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) by the end of the first year of the project
- Capacity Building plans developed for all 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) by the end of the first year and their implementation updated and reviewed on a quarterly basis
- Feasibility and analysis conducted to identify business and investment opportunities for 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) and at least 3 new opportunities explored per year per organization
- 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) with established financial and business records systems that provide management with the key information to govern business operations by the end of the second year of project implementation
- 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) with established and documented business models with a clear value proposition within the first 18 months of the project
- 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) achieve the targeted growth in member mobilization numbers-based project and hub membership targets by the end of the second year of the project implementation
- Collect the Collate Catalytic Leverage Fund (CalF) and shared with the manager on a monthly basis
Cooperative Governance and Management (30%).
- Provide support in establishing and operating market structures (e.g., collection centers, market centers, processing facilities, chilling centers, etc.)
- Facilitate the transformation of 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) into formal dairy collective enterprises that will stimulate Poultry production
- Assist to develop guidelines for the formation, management, and governance of cooperatives/FOAB/Producer groups
- Coordinate and build up linkages and networks with the appropriate government Cooperative Office and other organizations, as required
DELIVERABLES
- 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) with functional market structures for milk aggregation by the second year of project implementation
- All the producer organizations operating as dairy collective producer organization and cooperatives by the end of the project
- The project has strong linkages with the government cooperative offices in all the targeted counties and all the 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) are compliant with cooperative guidelines and formal requirements by the end of the second year of project implementation
Capacity Development (30%)
- Design, develop and deliver business management training packages/modules, in liaison with other relevant project staff
- Identify and carry out a comprehensive capacity assessment of the potential farmer producer organizations for the project to partner with and thereafter develop and deliver a capacity building programme
- Develop capacity building and operationalization of the business and marketing plans of the producer organizations/Hubs through joint planning, monitoring
- Facilitate the capacity building of the Cooperative/FOAB/union governing board and management in effective and efficient decision making, financial management, human resource management, operation and strategic planning and implementation, conflict management and democratic governance
- Support the Producer Organizations to put in place and implement efficient financial management systems and build their capacity in all aspects of financial management
DELIVERABLES
- An operational and module-based business training package that integrates the experience of Cargill to develop and in use within the first 3 months of the project implementation
- Capacity assessment is completed and continuously reviewed using the Scope Insight methodology and LINK methodologies in the project
- Annual capacity development plans are developed overall for the project every year and their implementation reviewed and monitored on a quarterly basis
- 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) with effective governing boards with the capacity to provide strategic management and vision for the organizations in financial management, human resource management, operations, strategic implementation, and conflict management
- 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) with efficient and effective financial management systems by the end of the first year of project implementation
Collaboration towards a common goal (10%)
- With the Enterprise Development manager, develop the business FOAB of the cooperatives with backward and forward linkages into the total value chain
- Incorporate within the framework of the project, potential ‘win-win’ business opportunities which can attract different value chain actors to engage in transactional relationships with the farmer producer organizations and develop a platform for the achieving these partnerships
- Work in close coordination with the relevant project staff on quality assurance and control for all livestock-based products for processing, packaging, marketing, and distribution
DELIVERABLES
- The 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) develop a strong platform for engaging with the value chain actors in transactional relationships
- Close coordination and collaboration with Country Office Enterprise Development Manager, Training Manager, and Animal Wellbeing Manager to deliver quality training through the annual capacity building plans
- The 25 farmers owned agri-business (FOAB) achieve and maintain high-quality standards for their produce including milk and have effective systems for daily quality monitoring
Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor
DELIVERABLES
- This will be dependent on the specific duties assigned
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