Bangladesh: Technical Team Leader, Agriculture Market Systems, Bangladesh

https://internationaljobs-acdivoca.icims.com/jobs/5104/technical-team-leader%2c-agriculture-market-s...

Since 1963 and in 146 countries, ACDI/VOCA has empowered people in developing and transitional nations to succeed in the global economy. Based in Washington, D.C., ACDI/VOCA is a nonprofit international development organization that delivers technical and management assistance in agribusiness, financial services, enterprise development, community development and food security in order to promote broad-based economic growth and vibrant civil society. ACDI/VOCA currently has 41 active projects in 28 countries and total revenues of approximately $143 million.

ACDI/VOCA is currently seeking a Technical Team Leader, Agriculture Market Systems for the USAID-funded Feed the Future Bangladesh Rice and Diversified Crops Activity (RDC). The activity is a five-year primary mechanism to support productivity and market systems development under USAID/Bangladesh’s FTF strategy, with the objective of improved food security through systemic changes that increase rural incomes and – via increased incomes, including women’s income, and incentivized crop diversification – to improve nutrition. USAID/Bangladesh’s new RDC activity will foster growth and reduce poverty through improving the competitiveness, inclusiveness, and resilience of rice and other selected crops in the FTF Zone of Influence (ZOI) to the benefit of large numbers of men and women and their families in rural households, farms, and market systems.

Responsibilities

Leads, motivates, and manages the project agricultural market systems team. Oversees continual analysis of end markets and market systems dynamics across selected target value chains. Coordinates efforts to ensure market system strategies and interventions are integrated and complementary. Instills a culture of adaptive management. Establishes processes that contribute to effective collaboration, learning, and adaptation systems. Serves as technical representative to the donor, other development partners, and at external events.

The key responsibilities of the Technical Team Leader will include:

• Provides leadership in identifying inclusive market development opportunities, understanding evolving market trends, conducting targeted research on new/potential market channels, business models, or partnerships. Identifies constraints, market-based solutions, and incentives to integrate small-scale producers into efficient market systems for rice and crops grown in rice based cropping systems.
• Trains, motivates, and councils market system teams to assess end markets and develop a deep understanding of constraints for market actors, female and male, along selected value chains. Oversees market system teams to design and implement interventions that strengthen structured input market systems, transition actors to higher value markets, expand inclusive business models and nonfarm enterprises, and integrate cross-cutting issues of gender, climate change, and nutrition.
• Ensures the agricultural market system team contributes toward meeting project targets through RDC initiatives supporting private sector development of market systems that benefit market actors, including farmers, in southern Bangladesh.
• Reviews initiatives from, and structures agreements with, Lead Firms (LF) and Sector Stakeholders (SS) in support of results.
• Contributes to the development of adaptive management systems and a culture of collaboration, learning, and adaptation that encourages the flow of information and reflection to maximize performance and continuous improvement.

• Ensure adherence to the project’s analysis, pilot, adapt, and design facilitation approach.

• Manages assigned operation(s), activities, and staff i.e. Plans, organizes, distributes, and coordinates the flow of work, Supervises, trains, guides, and advises staff. Makes recommendations concerning employment, performance, and other personnel actions. Ensures adherence to Standards of Conduct, the Employee Policy Manual, and other corporate and applicable policies, procedures, and schedules.

• Represents ACDI/VOCA at meetings, workshops, and other events as required. Establishes relationships with public and private sector stakeholders. Coordinates activities with government officials, other implementers, stakeholders, and institutions active in the target areas. As necessary, facilitates communication between ACDI/VOCA and outside organizations. Plays a lead role in interacting with key implementing actors and other development partners.

• Undertakes other projects and duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong understanding of market systems frameworks and facilitation strategies and In-depth knowledge of market system dynamics and designing market system intervention strategies.
• Proven ability to work with and motivate private- and public-sector actors.
• Strong analytical skills, including ability to gather and analyze a variety of information pertaining to issues and to develop appropriate recommendations for action.
• Advanced computer skills in a Windows based environment including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel. A knowledge of statistical analysis software would be an advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with donors, project stakeholders, in-country collaborators and staff at all levels of the organization. Awareness, sensitivity, and understanding of cross-cultural issues particularly in representing a US-based agency.
• Familiarity with USAID regulations and systems including Feed the Future performance monitoring and evaluation guidance, gender policies and guidance, project management, budgeting, and financial analysis and reporting would be an advantage.
• Strong written communication skills, including demonstrated ability to write required documents in a clear, concise, well-organized manner.
• Proven ability to prepare and conduct formal presentations, and to organize conferences, seminars, workshops, trainings, and study tours.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams in an atmosphere of multiple interventions, shifting priorities, and deadline pressures.
• Ability to travel outside of the job location on extended field trips.
• Experience of working in south Asia, particularly Bangladesh, would be an advantage
• Fluency in English, both verbal and written.

Education and Experience:

• Post Graduate Degree in Economics, Agribusiness, Agro-economics, Business Studies or other relevant field.
• 10+ years of experience in market systems development preferably in Agriculture Sector, including working in the private sector or supporting private enterprise.
• Proven experience in program design and management positions, including management of sectors or sub-sectors of agricultural value chain development interventions.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience.

Please apply online at https://internationaljobs-acdivoca.icims.com/jobs/5104/technical-team-leader%2c-agriculture-market-systems/job?mode=view. No phone calls please. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. ACDI/VOCA is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from qualified women and minorities candidates. ACDI/VOCA will never solicit a payment from any applicant.