Junior Market Analyst-NORAD 163 views

1. About TechnoServe

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in 29 countries, we work with hard working men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. By linking people to information, capital, and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities. 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. In East Africa, we operate in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Across the region, we implement a range of large-scale value chain interventions, agribusiness Project and entrepreneurship/economic empowerment projects. With more than four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

1. About the Project

Through sustainable, smallholder-sourced high-value exports, Ethiopian small-scale farmers will access higher income generating opportunities and lucrative, premium export markets, contributing to more resilient and improved farming livelihoods, particularly for women and youth. We envision a climate-resilient and inclusive horticulture export sector that strengthens partnerships between small-scale farmers and export enterprises, allows small-scale farmers to produce high-value export crops with access to climate-smart irrigation technology. Responds to end-market consumer demand for regeneratively grown products. Although small-scale farmers have the potential to supply growing domestic and global consumer demand for sustainable products, Ethiopia’s business climate excludes small-scale producers from meaningfully participating in export value chains even when this is central to the mission of an export enterprise.  Limited enterprise knowledge, engaging small-scale farmers, inadequate small-scale farmer access to affordable technologies, expensive and costly certifications that discourage smallholder expansion.

•  Position Description

The Junior Market Analyst will support SERE-NORAD project overall market activities including markets and value chain assessments and analyses. Supporting financial analysis, business plan development and implementation. The Junior Market Analyst will assist identification, design and implementation of technology funds; manage relationships with technology companies. Collect data and support analysis for entrepreneurial and production options. Assist Farmers’ cooperatives and export/enterprises on crop profitability (Gross margin) and seed market. The Junior Market Analyst will coach and train smallholder farmers, local extension, Business Advisors, farmer trainers and Development Agents to enhance their ability to analyze different entrepreneurial and agronomic options. S/he will facilitate linkages to exporters/buyers; financial institutions and other key market actors.

1. Duties and Responsibilities

The Junior Market Analyst duties and responsibilities are described below:

   Technical Knowledge

• Engage with smallholder farmers’ and their organizations to make choices on major crops to be cultivated and technologies applied based on an informed analysis of their options, which depend on export/domestic market demand, technical capability, assess to technologies and finance, as well as other relevant factors;
• Support market research private sector(enterprises) requirements, and trends
• Brainstorming and developing ideas for creative marketing campaigns
• Assist in analyzing marketing data to help shape future marketing strategies
• Provided technical support to enterprises, smallholder farmers and farmers cooperatives to produce high-value crops & access to seeds improved
• Assess the export crop supply chain opportunities by identifying and engaging potential exporter
• Assess technical and financial viability of agricultural technologies
• Support the development of business plans at Irrigation out-grower farmers scheme level, including strategies for strengthening out-grower farmers
• Support farmer groups with technical issues related to business plan implementation as they emerge
• Support Financial analysis of farming/Cropping system;
• Promote learning by sharing key learning issues related to NORAD project and advance gender equity and equality

     Training and Coaching

• Train and coach local extension experts, BA, Development Agents (DAs), and smallholder farmers
• Engaging in participatory planning and applying tools for financial viability analysis;
• Regularly visit out-grower farmers, BA, FTs, and DAs to coach them and monitor performance; market oriented crop production,

     Facilitate linkages with other key market actors and manage relationships

• Support identification and prioritization of market system actors
• Facilitate market linkage between smallholder farmers, farmer organizations, private sectors and other relevant actors, including financial institutions
• Assist transparent and mutually beneficial business relationships, including with intermediate processors, exporters, input and service providers, and financial institutions as a model for viable market access alliances;

1. Required Skills, Experience and education:

• Proven experience as Market Analyst, Specialist or similar role, particularly in the private sector
• Understanding of marketing elements (including market research methods)
• Demonstrable experience in marketing data analytics and tools
• Well-organized and detail oriented
• Good communication and writing skills
• Commercial awareness partnered with a creative mind
• BSc/BA in marketing, cooperative management, Business Administration, agricultural extension, Rural development communications or equivalent related studies required;
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience on agricultural product marketing, development research, market strategy development, business plan development,
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and reporting skills;
• Fluency in Amharic, English and one SNNPR region language
• Willingness to be based and/or frequently travel to Butajira

                Attributes:

• Strong and very detailed oriented when planning and preparing documents
• Problem solver, structured thinker with high attention to detail
• Innovative mindset; learning attitude
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills; effective negotiation skills
• Flexibility and ability to adjust to rapidly changing circumstances
• Committed to quality and achieving impact; motivated; high level of integrity and honesty