Value Chain Competitiveness Specialist, Lilongwe, Malawi

DAI is an employee-owned global development company. For 40 years, we have worked on the frontlines of international development, tackling fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governments, and instability. Currently, DAI is delivering results that matter in some 60 countries. Our integrated development solutions turn ideas into impact by bringing together fresh combinations of expertise and innovation across multiple disciplines?crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, HIV/AIDS and disease control, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Our clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and national governments.

Background

In Malawi, DAI is leading a three-year, USAID Supporting Food Security in East and Southern Africa task order to advance food security and nutrition and reduce rural poverty through an agriculture-led, integrated economic growth, nutrition and natural resource management strategy. Entitled Integrating Nutrition in Value Chains (INVC), this new project is expected to:

• Invest in the competitiveness of soybean, peanut, and dairy value chains in which large numbers of smallholders ? participate. The range of value chains may increase in Year 2 of the project, but will not include maize;
• Link increased market-oriented production, processing, and distribution of staple food crops and milk to household consumption and improved nutritional status; and
• Strengthen Malawian agriculture-related organizations so that indigenous institutions (public, private and non- governmental) have the capacity to implement one or more components of INVC.

DAI is seeking a long-term, resident Value Chain Competitiveness Specialist to play a lead role on the INVC project. The Specialist will design and lead activities with INVC partners to build the competitiveness of staple food value chains to increase household production of nutritious crops and milk and improve the nutritional status of mothers and children under five years of age. The position is available immediately, and runs through April 2014.

Responsibilities:

• Manage INVC's development and implementation of upgrading plans in soybean, peanut and dairy value chains with a focus on improving smallholder crop and livestock productivity and net revenues using market-led approaches;
• Supervise the work of three (3) value chain specialists and associated staff;
• Facilitate market driven linkages between smallholder farmers, input/output dealers, wholesalers, processors, and marketers within Malawi;
• Oversee INVC's agricultural production activities, focused on 'best bet' agricultural technologies with national-level working groups to spur sector-wide innovation with project partners;
• Lead value chain training and ensure the diffusion of value chain diagnostics, mapping, action planning, and business-to-business matching capacities;
• Facilitate implementation of INVC approved workplan activities through implementing partners to improve the competitiveness of staple food value chains;
• Provide technical guidance and capacity building services to INVC grantees/implementing partners;
• Provide technical input to initial environmental assessments and relevant environmental risk management and mitigation plans for project-supplied grants;
• Monitor and report progress towards achievement of established targets and objectives utilizing indicators agreed in the INVC Monitoring &Evaluation plan.
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• Qualifications:
  
• At least ten (10) years of professional work experience in value chain development, with a minimum of 5 years in the private sector. This experience should include capacity building with community-based organizations (e.g. outgrower operations, co-ops, producer associations, marketing associations), improving market linkages with value chain actors, and improving value chain actors' access to financial and business development services;
• Experience working in Malawi and in Eastern or Southern Africa is required;
• Past experience leading and building the capacity of agricultural value chain teams to meet program deliverables and due dates;
• Good knowledge of financial analysis for farm management, non-farm rural enterprise, agribusiness and/or food marketing companies;
• Demonstrated experience with gender mainstreaming in agriculture projects;
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills (writing samples are required), and strong facilitation skills;
• Must be a team player ;
• Previous experience on USAID-, DFID-, GIZ-, or EC-funded agricultural/agribusiness development programs, including contributing to M&E, quarterly and annual reporting, and designing and leading program activities; and
• Master's degree in agriculture, agribusiness, agricultural economics, or other related field is required.
• This is an immediate opening. The ideal candidate will be able to mobilize in November/December 2012, or January 2013 at the latest.

How to apply:

Interested candidates should apply to DAI directly at: http://ch.tbe.taleo.net/CH13/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=DAINC&cws=1&rid=593

Closing Date: Thursday, 01 November 2012