Job title: Intervention Manager (Agribusiness)
Location: , Kampala , – Uganda

Organization details
The Agricultural Business Initiative Group is a social enterprise with the overall vision to contribute to ‘a competitive and sustainable agriculture and agribusiness sector in Uganda in support of equitable wealth creation in Uganda’. The aBi Group consists of two companies Limited by Guarantee; aBi Development and aBi Finance.The main focus of aBi Development is to increase agricultural production and value addition by extending matching grants and business development services (BDS) to agribusinesses, farmer organizations and intermediaries.

The grants and BDS enhance planning and management, production and business infrastructure, and upstream and downstream market linkages of producers and agribusinesses. aBi Finance expands access to business finance for agricultural producers and agribusinesses by offering to Financial Institutions (FIs), financial incentives and infrastructure that make lending to the agricultural sector more attractive and less risky.

Under the Financial Services Development (FSD) programme aBi Finance provides matching grants to FIs to build institutional capacity for enhancing the provision of financial services and increase outreach in rural areas.
Number of vacancies: 1 Sector: Civil society Industry: Project Management , ,Learning & Knowledge Management ,Strategy & Programming ,Relationship Management

Knowledge, Skills & Competences
• Ability to think strategically and systemically; familiarity with market development approaches
• Good general knowledge of good accountancy practice and high ethical & financial standards for managing funds

• Track record of managing relationships and influencing key stakeholders
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Integrity & Commitment
• Learning & Capacity Building
• Proactivity & Innovation
• Getting Work Done
• Relationship Building
• Thinking and Problem Analysis
• Communication and Information Handling
• Resource and Business Management

Responsibilities
• The Intervention Manager is responsible for leading the effective implementation of aBi’s projects within the sector. In addition, s/he is responsible for strategic networking and relationship-building and acts as aBi’s primary representative – both with key decision/policy makers and with implementing partners.
• The Intervention Manager is an expert in project management and in the utilisation of agricultural financing to leverage beneficial change. S/he supports the aBi team and partners in implementing best practice; ensuring that aBi continuously develops new and more effective approaches and has a positive impact on sustainable growth of the agricultural sector in Uganda.
• The Intervention Manager is responsible for ensuring that the portfolio of projects deliver against the goals and targets laid out in the business plan and results management framework.
Scope of Responsibilities
Strategy & Programming
• Contribute to the development and implementation of aBi’s strategic and operational plans; ensuring that insights gained from aBi’s work with the Agri Business sector are well reflected
• Participate in generating a systematic stakeholder analysis (e.g. sectors, value chains, stakeholders, impact); develop profound understanding of the ecosystems that aBi is seeking to develop and identify opportunities for leveraging beneficial change
• Guide the development of strategies and plans ]; ensuring that learning from previous projects is incorporated into design
• As requested by the COO aBi Development, participate in, or liaise with, Technical Teams to design funding windows; in particular, advising on the choice of projects and partners for maximum impact
• Take responsibility for rolling out the aspects of the risk management framework that pertain to project management; contribute to the development and review of prudent investment policies
Project Management
• Oversee the implementation of projects, ensuring that good practice in end-to-end project management is implemented and that interventions are made as required to ensure that planned results are achieved
• Ensure full understanding of the design of each project and the contractual arrangements that have been made; coordinate the briefing process for Implementing Partners and for all project stakeholders
• Ensure that each project’s plan has been uploaded into the GMS system; take ownership for ensuring that plans proceed on time and to standard
• Supervise consultants, and coordinate colleagues, who are deployed to the projects being managed; ensure that clear expectations are communicated, manage any shortfalls with a coaching style in the first instance
• Review reports concerning the status of investments; take the lead in giving feedback to IPs and supporting them in understanding the results and taking appropriate action
• Provide expert advice, mentoring and guidance to both staff and I.Ps; swiftly escalate any persistent capacity/performance concerns to the Head of Portfolio
• Cooperate with and support internal and external audits; track and report on implementation of audit recommendations, includes following up with implementing partners as necessary
Learning & Knowledge Management
• Participate in monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities, ensuring that learning from projects is fully utilised to maximise impact; contribute towards positioning aBi as a centre of knowledge and learning in agribusiness
1. Collaborate closely with the RMRD team to evaluate and learn from monitoring data that is relevant to SSRI:
2. Initiate strategies for widespread awareness-raising around key learnings.
3. Feed insights into the future design of strategies, procedures, tools and resources to support consistent delivery of good practice in SSRI
4. If desired results have not been achieved, identify, and implement improvements in either process or performance
5. Periodically review theories of change, revising as appropriate
• Participate in and convene forums ; share/acquire knowledge for the benefit of aBi and its stakeholders
• Act as aBi’s expert on the specific Agri Business sector and a leading source of expertise for key stakeholders (e.g. [Private actors, Financial Institutions, Government, Farmers organisations, NGOs, Sector Platforms ]); -support developing the sector in a meaningful and intentional manner
• Collaborate with the RMRD team in developing knowledge-sharing reports, tools, and other materials; especially products that will be useful and relevant for the sector
Relationship Management & Communications
• Strategically manage relationships and, in particular with Implementing Partners so as to ensure achievement of aBi’s goals; implement
• partner-facing aspects of the communications plan
• Manage, coordinate, and build effective working relationships with all stakeholders involved in assigned projects, including consultants; swiftly escalate any problems to the Head of Portfolio
• Seek strategic partnerships with like-minded organisations, building relationships with influential actors and applying learning to aBi’s practice
• Participate in the development and implementation of aBi’s Influencing and Communications Plan ensuring that needs for influencing, advocacy and marketing are fully incorporated
• Support delivery of any allocated components of the communications strategy; influencing, advocacy and communication according to interest and priorities
• Produce relevant sections of the annual report, and other reports required by the Management, Board, Investors, and other stakeholders; ensure that submissions are made on time and to standard
And other duties as requested by the Head of Portfolio

Qualifications
• Professional qualification and relevant accreditations (Masters level qualification in Agricultural Economics, Development Economics or other relevant subject)
• Certification in Project Management (PMP/ PRINCE2) or Post Graduate diploma Project Management
Details of experience
• At least 5 years proven experience in the Agriculture sector, with focus on at least one of the aBi-supported value chains

All interested and qualified persons are strongly encouraged to apply by email: [email protected] clearly indicating the Position Title in the email subject line. Please note that only successful candidates will be contacted. Canvassing will lead to disqualification. Hardcopy applications will not be accepted.
Application deadline: 2021-11-14

Job application procedure
All interested and qualified persons are strongly encouraged to apply by email: [email protected] clearly indicating the Position Title in the email subject line. Please note that only successful candidates will be contacted. Canvassing will lead to disqualification. Hardcopy applications will not be accepted.
Application deadline: 2021-11-14