Project Manager, Soybean Value Chain (Ref: DDG-R4D/PM/SVC/02/14)
Background: The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) invites applications for the position of Project Manager, Soybean Value Chain.
IITA is an international non-profit agricultural research-for-development (R4D) organization established in 1967, governed by a Board of Trustees, and a member of the CGIAR Consortium. Our R4D approach is anchored on the development needs of tropical nations. We work with partners to enhance crop quality and productivity, reduce producer and consumer risks, and generate wealth from agriculture. We have more than 100 internationally recruited scientists from about 35 countries and 900 nationally recruited staff based in various stations across Africa. Please visit http://www.iita.org/ for more information on IITA.
Position/Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities will include:
- Provide management and leadership, guidance, cohesion, accountability and profile to the project.
- Identify and facilitate collaboration among stakeholders encompassing all key actors along the soybean sub-sector (farmers’ associations, small and large scale processors, end-users, national research and extension institutions, NGOs, industrialists, micro-finance institutions, agro-industry, market actors, policy makers).
- Carry out soybean sub sector studies to assess the bottlenecks and potential market opportunities for small-scale farmers.
- Facilitate the identification of development domains for targeting soybean production in the project countries.
- Design functional organizational structures to facilitate participation of diverse stakeholders in the soybean value chain.
- Establish a sustainable system for the supply of raw soybean in quantities and quality required by the industry through promoting modern science-based production techniques by small-scale farmers.
- Promote small-scale industrial processes for the production of diversified home-based soybean food items and new intermediate products for use as raw materials in local industries.
- Test and promote appropriate small-scale industrial processing systems for the supply of high quality soy-products to identified markets.
- Design strategies to scale out and up the knowledge and experience gained from this pilot project to other interested parties.
- Strengthen skills of key stakeholders along the soybean value chain to enable them participate more effectively and efficiently in the development of the soybean subsector.
- Organize reporting and annual review and planning meeting.
Educational Qualifications
At least an MSc degree in the food technology, agri-business or agricultural engineering but a PhD is preferred.
Core Competencies:
- Knowledgeable of the research-extension-production-marketing continuum
- At least 3 years experience in leading and managing collaborative research-for-development projects
- Experience in managing complex, inter-institutional partnerships
- Excellent leadership, management, interpersonal, and team building skills
- Ability to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team in a cross-cultural environment
- Fluency in oral and written English and Portuguese
- Knowledge of Southern Africa is also an added advantage
- Experience in commodity value-chain development.
Duty station: Nampula, Mozambique.
General information: Initial appointment is for one year. IITA offers a competitive remuneration package paid in US dollars.
Applications:Applications must include covering letter which should address how the candidate’s background/experience relates to the specific duties of the position applied for, curriculum vitae, names and addresses of three professional referees (which must include either the Head of the applicant’s current or previous organization or applicant’s direct Supervisor/Superior at his/her present or former place of work). The application should be addressed to the Head, Human Resources Service. Please complete our online application form using this link: http://www.iita.org/irs-online-application
Closing Date: 14th March 2014
IITA is an equal opportunity employer and particularly welcomes applications from women candidates.
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
