TechnoServe
: Nairobi, Nairobi County, Kenya
Date : 2023-04-19
Job Title Senior Food Processing Specialist, AINFP Kenya
Reports Country Program Manager
Location Nairobi, Kenya
Grade 8
TechnoServe Background:
Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.
The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing...when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.
Program Overview:
TechnoServe is implementing the USAID-funded Alliance for Inclusive and Nutritious Food Processing (AINFP) regional program in collaboration with Partners in Food Solutions (PFS). The program leverages the power of the private sector to create better nutritional outcomes for base-of-the-pyramid consumers and more profitable market opportunities for local farmers. This is achieved by supporting local food processing companies in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Ethiopia through remote technical assistance and training from world-leading food processing companies under PFS to increase the availability of safe, affordable, and nutritious food. Through this partnership, the AINFP program seeks to promote entrepreneurship and financial and digital inclusion among women-owned, -led, or –managed businesses through leadership and mentoring. Networking activities aimed at enhancing their business leadership.
Job Summary:
The Senior Food Processing Specialist is the technical lead overseeing the provision of strategic advisory services to food processors and other clients at the country level in coordination with Partners in Food Solutions and corporate volunteer experts. S/he oversees all engagements with selected clients, and collaborates with other team members in-country and across the project, to ensure coordinated and impactful implementation.
Primary Functions & Responsibilities:
Client Relationship Management
Strategic and Innovative Thinker
We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.
With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.
We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.
If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at recruitment@tns.org or call +1 202 785 4515.
Reports Country Program Manager
Location Nairobi, Kenya
Grade 8
TechnoServe Background:
Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.
The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing...when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.
Program Overview:
TechnoServe is implementing the USAID-funded Alliance for Inclusive and Nutritious Food Processing (AINFP) regional program in collaboration with Partners in Food Solutions (PFS). The program leverages the power of the private sector to create better nutritional outcomes for base-of-the-pyramid consumers and more profitable market opportunities for local farmers. This is achieved by supporting local food processing companies in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Ethiopia through remote technical assistance and training from world-leading food processing companies under PFS to increase the availability of safe, affordable, and nutritious food. Through this partnership, the AINFP program seeks to promote entrepreneurship and financial and digital inclusion among women-owned, -led, or –managed businesses through leadership and mentoring. Networking activities aimed at enhancing their business leadership.
Job Summary:
The Senior Food Processing Specialist is the technical lead overseeing the provision of strategic advisory services to food processors and other clients at the country level in coordination with Partners in Food Solutions and corporate volunteer experts. S/he oversees all engagements with selected clients, and collaborates with other team members in-country and across the project, to ensure coordinated and impactful implementation.
Primary Functions & Responsibilities:
Client Relationship Management
- In coordination with other team members identify clients (processors, industry bodies, aggregators etc.) that can have an impact on the availability of nutritious food products and on broader food systems.
- Clearly identify and document their aspirations and challenges; plot a mutually agreed intended impact and route to reach it.
- Plan activities to ensure that the shared objectives are met within the set times and resources and that impact is maximized.
- Effectively manage, maintain, and nurture the relationship with these clients.
- Ensure regular and responsive communication to monitor progress, identify problems at an early stage and respond to them.
- Clearly communicate to clients the full range of support that is available to them from TechnoServe and through PFS.
- Provide on-the-ground support for implementation of technical advice, on issues identified by the business diagnostic.
- Source and facilitate relevant expertise from PFS partner company volunteer experts to support the food processors. Liaise between volunteers and processors to ensure clear expectations and smooth communication.
- Ensure PFS Technical Leads are fully informed on progress, challenges, and successes
- In collaboration with other team members at the country and regional level develop and deliver standardized training and quick-win solutions to less sophisticated clients with simpler technical and business needs.
- Facilitate university student internships/apprenticeship initiatives with processors, whereby interns will be assigned for a defined period to provide technical support and address identified issues.
- In coordination with the M&E Manager, manage client data collection and review data for accuracy.
- Contribute towards explanations of metric results and provide input to recommendations to adapt program approach as necessary to maximize impact.
- Provide anecdotal evidence of impact, including success stories, case studies, and lessons learnt
- Ensure activities carried out are in accordance with TechnoServe and donor requirements.
- Support the Regional Program Training Lead, PFS experts, and local training institutes with technical input on identifying appropriate topics and developing curricula for sector-wide training in support of broader industry development.
Strategic and Innovative Thinker
- Identifies opportunities and builds strategic relationships with other organizations to help achieve identified goals.
- Proactively takes advantage of opportunities to learn and actively applies new knowledge and skill.
- Analyses both successes and failures for clues to improvement.
- Innovative to try new ideas to find solutions
- Analytical, able to diagnose problems, identify the key issues, and think strategically to evaluate alternative courses of action and produce a logical, practical, and acceptable solution. Works persistently to overcome obstacles
- Asks questions and seeks out information from multiple sources, learns from mistakes, sees change as an opportunity.
- Works cooperatively and flexibly with other members of the team to achieve a common goal. Ability to build and maintain effective relationships and networks.
- Effectively plans, schedules, and prioritizes activities.
- Able to take ownership of decisions on areas of responsibility but show sound judgment in escalating issues where necessary.
- Listens openly and effectively and ensures accurate understanding; able to adjust communication to the needs of the audience and work at multiple levels; facilitates the open exchange of ideas and information in individual and group situations.
- Transparent in dealings with others, admits mistakes, and is trusted. Inspires confidence in the team of honest intentions and fairness.
- Able to analyze and express themselves clearly in business writing.
- Degree in food science, food nutrition, or a related degree, preferably at Master’s level.
- Minimum 5 years of experience in the food industry or as a consultant to the industry
- Good knowledge and understanding of the challenges of food processing in Africa, both technical and business
- Previous work on a donor-funded program, ideally USAID
- Design and delivery of training
- Managing local consultants/BDS providers
- Fluency to speak, read and write in English and Kiswahili is essential
- Willingness and ability to travel within Kenya and occasionally in the region
- It is envisaged that this position will be managing some consultants and interns
We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.
With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.
We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.
If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at recruitment@tns.org or call +1 202 785 4515.
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