Business Advisor 128 views

Farmers Fighting Poverty II

For inspiring and creative professionals with a passion for cooperatives focused on the impact 

We are Agriterra, a Dutch agri-agency that provides business development services to ambitious cooperatives and farmer organisations in developing and emerging economies. We assist them with advice and training through locally based business advisors and by deploying practitioners from the Dutch and international farmer organisations and (cooperative) companies; the so-called Agripool experts. We apply a three-track approach: we make cooperatives bankable and create real farmer-led companies, we support organisations to improve extension services to their members and we enhance farmer-government dialogues. Our advisory practice covers the full range of services on Management & Organisation, Financial Management, Governance, Business Development and Lobby & Advocacy.

Agriterra has local offices in a large number of countries. We work with self-steering teams, so our employees are challenged to use every bit of determination, creativity and strategy to achieve our compelling goals. Being a self-steering organisation makes Agriterra an inspiring and challenging environment for professional growth and development.

Agriterra has an annual turnover of approximately 15 million euros, is ISO certified and has over 160 employees, both in the Netherlands and in more than 20 countries abroad. Agriterra has been active in Ethiopia since 2012. We support cooperative farmer-led economic development in the four main regions of Ethiopia: Oromia, Amhara, Tigray and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR). Agriterra provides business development services via trainings, advisory services, and exchanges to farmer-led business initiatives. For more information, visit our website www.agriterra.org

We are recruiting a Business Advisor

As a business advisor, you provide expert advice, coordinate advisory trajectories with clients (farmer cooperatives and organisations), and have an advisory and broker role in the closing of business deals with financial institutions and the private sector. In order to achieve this, you initiate and maintain a network that includes cooperatives and farmers’ organisations, financial institutions, traders, service providers and other stakeholders in the value chain. You initiate and guide change trajectories with clients, and do lobby, mediate and support negotiation processes, as well as prepare business deals.

 Duties

• Project and programme management.
• Provide business development advice and facilitate change management to cooperatives that allow them to realise their business growth potential.
• Investigate opportunities to finance business plans of cooperatives, support the establishment of contacts and negotiate business agreements with banks, investors and other financiers (governments and the business sector).
• Help develop financially sustainable structures within cooperatives and farmers’ organisations to enhance their service provision and agricultural extension to their members.
• Provide clients with guidance relating to change trajectories, to promote the interests of farmers, associations and cooperatives, with the authorities of the relevant developing countries.
• Collect and systematise information about clients and advisory processes, such as financial reports and annual overviews.
• Build expertise in a specific area of interest (for example supply chain management, marketing or HR management) and/or on a specific subject or subject of current interest, with a focus on product development, in which he/she will act as the expert point of reference, both within and outside the organisation.

What we have to offer 

A position that requires you to be highly self-reliant and use your pioneering skills in order to operate in dynamic international markets and in close cooperation with the agricultural business sector. At Agriterra, the work environment is collegial and ambitious, and the focus is on achieving impact. As a business advisor, you will be part of the head office team of business advisors. The working conditions and additional benefits are good. The salary offered will depend on your experience.

Your Profile

• Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.
• MBA/MA/MSC plus up to 2 years’ experience or a bachelor’s degree plus 4 years  of experience, in business economics, cooperative management or a similar field.
• Extensive experience in and knowledge of one or more of the fields in which Agriterra achieves results, such as cooperative business development, market chain development, agricultural service provision, entrepreneurship, governance, and financial management.
• Relevant practical knowledge and experience in the Ethiopian agri & food and/or cooperative sector.
• Proven experience in programme management with solid reporting and writing skills
• High level of proficiency in Amharic and English. Any additional language like Oromifa is an asset.
• Enthusiastic, focused on results and service, and with adequate advisory or training skills.
• Flexible (no 9-5 mentality), able and willing to frequently travel and stay in rural places (up to 40%) but based in Addis Ababa.
• Experience in working with international development organisations.
• Computer literate (MS word, MS excel and accounting software).
• Appreciative communication skills and attitude.