Job Summary

The Market Systems/Value Chains Officer will support the implementation of key market and value chain strategies and approaches and will assist in improving the overall performance of the markets and value chains component of the Accelerating and Massively Scaling-up Land and Livelihood Restoration program for Southern Highlands. The incumbent will be responsible for increasing quantity, and competitiveness of relevant agribusinesses, while ensuring the integration of improved quality and quantity of goods produced; and good agricultural practices are implemented. The incumbent will have a background in agro- forestry, agricultural production, rural market linkages, and capacity building in value chains.

• Minimum Qualification: Bachelor
• Experience Level: Executive level
• Experience Length: 3 years

Job Description

Project: TANZANIA EVERGREENING INITIATIVE

Location: MBEYA (WITH EXTENSIVE TRAVEL TO NJOMBE AND RUVUMA)

Reports To: MARKET SYSTEMS/VALUE CHAINS ADVISOR

ABOUT CRS:

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official overseas relief and development organization of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and has served people living in poverty and situations of vulnerability in over 100 countries since 1943. In Tanzania, CRS has served vulnerable communities for over 50 years and implements its programs through partnerships with the Government of Tanzania, International and local organizations and community entities for maximum impact and sustainability.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The anticipated Accelerating and Massively Scaling-up Land and Livelihood Restoration program is a climate change initiative to be funded by G9-2030 donors aimed at supporting climate-vulnerable communities in Tanzania to improve the sustainability and resilience of their ecosystem goods and services and increase household resilience and adaptive capacity. While working with the Government of Tanzania and different stakeholders, the program will take a multi-faceted, evidence-based approach to scaling-up evergreening practices and will develop equitable agroforestry value chains and ecosystem-based businesses to underpin the sustainability of the scaling-up process.

The anticipated program aims at improving livelihoods, food and nutrition security, and resilience to climate change for small scale farmers and/or pastoralist while restoring ecosystem services, particularly through evergreen agriculture, covering four zones in mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. These zones include the semi-arid agro-ecological zone of northern and central Tanzania, Southern Zone and Southern Highlands.

This 5-year climate change initiative will be implemented through a coalition of national and international NGOS including CARE, CRS, World Vision and ICRAF in close coordination with the Government of Tanzania.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead the program team to identify and prioritize key local natural resource-based value chains and market linkages
• Build the capacity of key value chain actors including training on agri-business/farming as a business; ensuring the participation and empowerment of both youth and women.
• Identify, strengthen, or where appropriate, establish CBOs, new and existing producer groups including Village Savings and Loans Associations; to facilitate grading and bulking of on and off farm produce, developing value chains, locally produced/available products and facilitating community-based extension.
• Facilitate private sector engagement including but not limited to evergreening business forums between value chain actors and government stakeholders
• Support the scaling of existing, or where contextually appropriate, establishment of new agroforestry value chains through technical and input access support, market and financial service linkages, post-harvest management including processing and storage, adherence to standards and labelling and use of improved planting material. ,

• Facilitate establishment and/ or scaling of existing Natural Resource Based Enterprises (NRBEs) including the development and promotion of various value chains; with a particular emphasis on enterprises which are likely to deliver rapid benefits.
• Work with the agroforestry team lead to identify and promote climate-resilient agroforest value-chains and assess market for linkages.
• Work with the MEAL team to conduct crop yield baselines with technical support from research institutions, the local government and other relevant consortium members.

Requirements: Education, work experience and skills

• Degree in a relevant field of Agribusiness, Agriculture; production, business and marketing, supply chain management and/or food security and livelihoods.
• Minimum 3 years demonstrated experience with similar projects focused on agroforestry, market systems access and development; including improving financial services for the poor.
• Demonstrated ability to work and coordinate effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders, including national and local government, donors, community-based organizations, and the private sector.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in both English and Kiswahili.
• Established relationship with and/or substantive knowledge of agribusiness firms in the agroforestry sector within Tanzania.
• Experience working in a consortium setting, preferably with an international NGO.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with ability to make sound judgment and decisions and offer innovative solutions
• Strong interpersonal skills. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship and how to influence for results.
• Good presentation and facilitation skills
• Proactive, resourceful, solution and results-oriented
• Willing and able to travel up to 80% in Mbeya, Njombe and Ruvuma
• Excellent Command of Swahili and English languages, in Swahili and English

Disclaimer: These job descriptions are not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the respective position.

CRS’ recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

Interested and qualified applicants are requested to submit their applications to CRS Human Resources Manager at [email protected]g by 17h00 EAT on 06 June 2020. Only submissions that meet the following criteria will be reviewed • Subject line must read indicate the position applied for. • CV must be in Word or PDF format and not exceed 4 pages. • Cover letter summarizing qualifications and motivation. Cover letter must be in Word or PDF format and not exceed 1 page. • Kindly note, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted