Agriculture & Market Development Specalist

Job description

With 75 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.

Come join our 33,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!

Key Responsibilities:

,1. Technical Leadership in Agriculture and Market Systems

Provide technical guidance on agricultural value chain development, market systems facilitation, and agribusiness models supported under EC 2.0.
  Lead market systems and value chain analyses identify constraints, opportunities, and leverage points for enterprise support.
Ensure supported enterprises promote productivity, quality, aggregation, value addition, and market competitiveness.
Integrate climate-smart agriculture, natural resource management, and resilience principles into enterprise and value chain interventions
Provide technical input into the development of calls for proposals, enterprise selection criteria, and due diligence tools.

2. Enterprise and Value Chain Support

Discover more
Skills Assessment Tools
Language learning software
CV template packs
Provide hands-on technical support to selected agribusinesses, producer organizations, and value chain actors funded through the challenge mechanism. 
Support enterprises to develop and refine business models, production plans, sourcing strategies, and market linkages. · 
Facilitate partnerships between farmers, aggregators, processors, off-takers, financial institutions, and service providers.
Promote inclusive business approaches that increase participation of women, youth, and vulnerable groups.

3. Market Linkages and Private Sector Engagement

Strengthening linkages between smallholder farmers and formal markets, including off-takers, exporters, and processors. 
Engage private sector actors to crowd-in investment, innovation, and market services.·       Support enterprises to meet market standards related to quality, food safety, traceability, and certification.
Coordinate with government and sector platforms to align interventions with national agriculture and market development priorities.

4. Programme Planning, Coordination and Reporting

Contribute to annual, quarterly, and monthly work planning for EC 2.0. 
Provide high-quality technical inputs to donor reports, learning briefs, and case studies.
Coordinate closely with the Project/Fund Manager, MEAL, Finance, and GAM teams to ensure coherence between technical implementation and fund management.
Document lessons learned and emerging market innovations for adaptive managemen.

5. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

Support the design and implementation of agriculture and market systems indicators within the EC 2.0 results framework.
Monitor enterprise performance and value chain outcomes, including productivity, incomes, employment, and market access.
Participate in data quality assurance processes and learning reviews.
Use evidence to inform course correction and scaling strategies.

6. Capacity Strengthening and Knowledge Transfer

Build capacity of project staff, partners, and enterprise grantees in market systems development and agribusiness best practices.
  Facilitate trainings, clinics, and learning events for value chain actors.
Support integration of gender, youth, and social inclusion across agriculture and market interventions.

Qualifications:  Education/Knowledge/Technical Skills and Experience

Education: Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, or a related field; master’s degree in a relevant discipline is an added advantage.

Experience: Minimum of 5 – 8 years’ experience in agricultural value chain development, market systems development, or agribusiness support; Demonstrated experience working with smallholder farmers, MSMEs, and private sector actors; Experience in donor-funded programmes and results-based approaches; Familiarity with climate-smart agriculture and inclusive market systems.

Skills and Competencies: Strong analytical and facilitation skills in value chain and market analysis; Practical understanding of agribusiness models and enterprise development; Excellent communication, reporting, and stakeholder engagement skills; Ability to translate technical concepts into practical solutions for enterprises; Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and basic data analysis tools.

Working Environment / Conditions:

Work environment:  50% Field based, 50% Office work
Travel:  Local travel and as need arise international

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local Applicants Only