Regional Program Manager - Food Market Development, Zambia

Reporting Unit/Supervisor:  Regional Director, West and Southern Africa
Location: Lusaka, Zambia
Travel:  International up to 30%   Domestic up to 25%

I. TECHNOSERVE BACKGROUND:

TechnoServe works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. We are a nonprofit organization that develops business solutions to poverty by linking people to information, capital and markets. Our work is rooted in the idea that given the opportunity, hardworking men and women in even the poorest places can generate income, jobs and wealth for their families and communities. With more than four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The UK Department for International Development (DFID) has initiated a regional food market development program in East and Southern Africa aiming to impact the livelihoods of 400,000 households through the development of stable markets for staple foods. Using the Marking Markets Works for the Poor (M4P) approach, the program aims to make staple food markets function better, ensuring interventions are inclusive of poor women and men. As part of this program, TechnoServe is seeking to implement a project to strengthen the soy market policy environment by improving access and use of market information by soy system actors; and fostering linkages between national and regional market actors. Ultimately, this project aims to contribute to improved trade policy and cross-border trade; to the financial benefit of soy traders, producers and consumers in East and Southern Africa.

III. POSITION DESCRIPTION:

TechnoServe seeks a full time Regional Program Manager (RPM) for the implementation of a regional food market development program, focusing on improved access and use of market information by soy system actors. The role of the RPM will be to ensure the program delivers on its deliverables to the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

The Regional Program Manager will provide overall strategic direction to the program; and will be responsible for delivery of all results to DFID. Specific responsibilities include:

• Provide overall program management, including technical, financial and administrative oversight.
• Assist the Country Director to ensure the project is implemented with sound managerial, technical, financial, personnel and overall programmatic practices; and that the processes and activities adhere to corporate policy, legal and contractual obligations and corporate and donor standards.
• Lead development and execution of the overall strategic vision, goals and objectives of the program.
• Lead strategic planning and contribute to implementation of all activities, related to market research, stakeholder engagement, policy dialogue, market information systems and capacity development.
• Manage long term and short term staff working on the project (and from different locations); and improve the performance of the team through mentoring and coaching.
• Lead program networking; and Build and manage relationships with private sector representatives, government officials and key institutions, as relevant to the program.
• Act as primary point of contact and liaison with TechnoServe corporate office and the client, on program implementation, financial, administrative and operational issues.
• With support from M&E expert, develop and manage implementation of M&E framework and system.
• Attend progress meetings with client and develop and submit all reporting requirements to client.

Time Period:  Anticipated to start May 2014. Phase 1 - 18 Months, with possible extension to 48 months.

IV. REQUIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:

• A Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Trade Policy and/or a related discipline
• At least 10 years’ experience facilitating high level public-private dialogue and promoting policy, legal and regulatory reform
• At least 8 years of program management experience
• Technical expertise in agricultural trade policy advocacy with previous experience implementing large donor programs
• Demonstrated experience in developing the institutional capacity of intermediary organisations to advocate on behalf of the private sector
• Excellent understanding of the Making Market Work for the Poor (M4P) approach
• Demonstrated knowledge of agricultural value chains, ideally, the soy value chain
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders in government, private sector and on program team/within donor organization
• Ability to structure and manage complex tasks; including experience in work planning and activity budgeting
• Excellent networking and relationship-building skills
• Excellent analytical skills
• Ability to work independently – and take initiative while also having strong team building skills
• Excellent communication skills in both written and spoken English
• Superior writing skills; and ability to develop well written, cohesive reports that are responsive to the donors’ needs
• Experience in program monitoring and evaluation for donors such as DFID and USAID
• Willingness to travel domestically and within the region

V. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Qualified and interested applicants should submit a Word-formatted single document consisting of cover letter, resume and salary history to jobs@tns.org. Please identify the position for which you are applying in the subject line.
Only applicants meeting minimum will be considered or contacted. No phone calls please.

TECHNOSERVE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER OF MINORITIES, FEMALES, PROTECTED VETERANS, AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES