Business Development & Extension Advisor
Are you interested in joining an Organisation with
a long term commitment to fighting poverty? Would you like to work in a
challenging environment and develop an international career focused on
demonstrating shared core values that achieve results?
SNV Kenya is
looking for a:
Business
Development & Extension Advisor
Work within Renewable Energy (RE) Sector and based
in Nairobi, Kenya
SNV
is a non-profit international development organisation established in
the Netherlands in 1965. For over 40 years, SNV has been at the
forefront of development, helping to build local capacity and empower local
families and communities to break the cycle of poverty. We are present on the
ground in 36 developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the
Balkans and operate in Agriculture & Food Security, Renewable Energy (RE),
and Water, Sanitation & Hygiene.
Our
900 advisors in the field come from a variety of cultural and technical
backgrounds, and over 60 per cent are nationals of the countries where we
work.
In its
Renewable Energy Sector, SNV Kenya working closely with HIVOS wishes to recruit
a Kenyan National as an advisor to
serve in an upcoming project /programme named Sustainable and Secure
Smallholder Systems @ Scale (4S@Scale).
The purpose
of the programme is to create
viable smallholder coffee farming systems, that will allow the coffee sector in
East Africa to regain its vitality and offer long-term business opportunities
for 2.4 million smallholder coffee farms and 16 million people dependent on the
sector.
Key
activities of the programme will include incorporating
biogas into the whole farm system; diversification of incomes, in particular
through dairy and horticulture; the provision of credit facilities; enhanced
good agricultural practices including climate resilience; and women and youth
targeted training and support. Women and
young farmers are priority clients as key actors to revitalise the sector
and ensure long-term sustainability.
For SNV
Kenya as the “lead country” for this PPP, specific interventions that the
advisor and RE/AGRIC teams will ensure are planned as follows:
·
Expand
farmer support to include non-coffee activities, in particular animal
husbandry.
·
Build
markets for non-coffee products, lead role for local cooperatives
·
Provide
biogas digesters to 40% of program farmers.
·
Setting
up agro-investment support, readily accessible to women and youth.
·
Implement
whole-farm approach with 30.000 farmers who have received basic training
·
Roll
out approach to 30.000 farmers who have had no prior training.
·
Implement
business model for fully self-funding farmer services by project end.
Responsibilities
The advisor will be reporting to Sector
Leader, Renewable Energy (RE) BUT will work closely with colleagues within
the Renewable Energy and Agriculture Sectors. The advisor will work
directly with KENDBIP, Producer Cooperatives and Extension services and will be
responsible for providing technical guidance for the improvement of farm
productivity utilising bio-slurry to produce high value organic manure for coffee
and other farm crops.
More
specifically the SNV advisor will.
·
Establish
and maintain effective working relationships
with project partners and stakeholders
·
Act as
the focal point for the project with the technical team in RE and Dairy and partners
·
Strengthen
synergies between dairy and RE sectors
·
Lead in
the development and testing of extension models which farmers must be able and
willing to pay.
·
Support
the biogas programme to improve current extension models.
·
Assure
proper learning and knowledge development (10%)
Candidate profile
·
Master’s
degree in a rural development related course (or in Management of appropriate
development technologies), Economics of Sustainable development, Agro-economy,
Rural development;
·
A minimum
of 5 years of work experience in agricultural extension and/or rural technology
dissemination. Experience in extension / investments for renewable energy,
business skills will be an added advantage;
·
Have proven
track record in capacity building, experience in micro and medium size
enterprise development and insight into problems and constraints in stimulating
private-public partnerships.
·
Have experience
in networking, alliance building and facilitation of multi-stakeholder
processes, product development, organizational learning, institutional change
processes, and project proposal formulation.
·
Strong
applied analytic skills are required.
Desired Skills and attitude
·
Leadership
skills, including independent initiative, meeting facilitation, flexibility,
ability to drive multiple aspects of initiatives and projects from inception to
implementation within a limited time frame, and ability to develop and sustain
effective working relationships with people of diverse backgrounds and levels
of expertise.
·
Have superior
oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills, including keen attention
to detail and ability to express complex ideas clearly to a broad range of audiences.
·
An advanced
knowledge of and experience with MS Office Suite and internet use.
·
An ability
to travel moderately with readiness to work and travel in rural districts with
minimal amenities.
Contract Duration:
Two (2) years BUT renewable subject to
availability of programme funding
Desired start date:
ASAP
Description
duty station
Medical facilities: Good,
numerous private clinics
Educational facilities: Very good. There are several International
Schools in Nairobi, including
a Dutch School
Security
situation: Peace is
prevailing in most parts of the country
Accessibility: Good telephone fax, email and
internet facilities are available. There are
daily flights with KLM and several connection flights
Communication: Good
How
to apply?
Please send your application letter
and CV with three referees by clicking the send tab (att. HR Officer) before 20th July 2013 with reference
title as “Business Development & Extension”.
More
information about SNV Country
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