Business Program Manager 91 views

TechnoServe Ethiopia is recruiting for an enthusiastic and organized results-oriented professional to lead the business advisory unit of a large-scale five-year program in Yirgacheffe. If you want to be a part of a project from its inception this is the opportune moment to join TechnoServe as we move to the next phase of impact within the Ethiopian coffee industry.

If you are highly-organized with proven professional management experience, if you are enthusiastic about private-sector driven impact, self-starter with an eye for detail, if you are a dedicated and inspiring manager, if you are passionate about coaching others to lead trainings that facilitate behavior change, if you are comfortable overseeing program field operations and support staff, and if you are a skillful communicator, then you may be exactly the person that we are looking for!

The role

As the Business Program Manager you will directly contribute to the Regrow Yirga program’s deep impact by leading a team of business advisors to train and advise processing stations and exporters. You will hire, train, and supervise a team of professionals who provide tailored technical support to clients. This is an exciting opportunity to lead the roll out of new digital tools and approaches for processing clients to improve their operations, coffee quality, and revenue. You will report directly to the COP while supervising the team of business advisors, managing relevant local government relationships, and managing the project’s Dilla office and support team to ensure smooth operations and effective resource management.

The Project

The project will help farmers boost productivity and expand trade. Specifically, the Regrow Yirga program seeks to serve 42,000+ farmers, 45+ processing businesses, and coffee industry service providers. The project will launch an innovative Farmer Stumping Fund which will facilitate direct incentive (tools or cash) transfers to farmers to encourage tree rejuvination which has the potential to be scaled up to over 1 million coffee farmers nation-wide.

This USD 15 million project finds its roots in TechnoServe’s 10+ years of experience working with the coffee farmers in Ethiopia. Our work was recently honored as the “Origin Charity of the Year” by the National Coffee Association – the leading trade organization for the coffee industry in the United States.

What we Offer

We offer competitive salaries and career growth opportunities. We offer online learning resources from top universities. We provide regular training to all our staff to equip you with the coffee-specific technical know-how for you to excel. We provide autonomy in your job and freedom to bring in new ideas and initiatives. You get to be part of a stellar team and shape the project from its inception. You will be challenged and grow as a professional. We offer a diverse team environment and highly encourage women and underrepresented groups to apply. And of course… we serve great coffee and host regular fun team activities

Our ideal candidate –

1.    Is knowledgeable about coffee processing, agribusiness, SME development, exporting, project or business management, finance, or engineering

2.    Has a Master’s degree (preferred) with at least 5 years of experience or a Bachelor’s degree with at least 7 years of experience in business administration, economics, rural development, engineering, or a related field

3.    Has at least 5 years of professional management experience, including experience in or with the private sector

4.    Demonstrates excellent leadership, communication, and management skills with an adept strategic orientation, strong planning skills, and a history of working independently and within agreed timelines

5.    Has excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Amharic (knowledge of Afan Oromo, Sidamigna, or Gedigna is an added advantage) with proven report writing, presentation, and numerical analysis skills

6.    Is motivated to be located in the field and spend time traveling to project client sites in rural areas

7.    Is passionate about creating a positive impact and believes in the power of the private sector; experience working in the private sector preferable

8.    Embraces our values of collegiality (we stick our necks out for each other), integrity (doing the ‘right thing’ regardless), resourcefulness (solve problems) and results (bias for action)