Now Hiring - Business Development Service Specialist in Saint Louis, MO

TechnoServe Background:

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing...when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.

Program Description:

Under the Feed the Future Senegal Value Chain Services Activity, TechnoServe will contribute to increased employment and enterprise development in key food value chains and increased access to markets and trades. The five-year award will provide technical assistance, training, material, and other agricultural financial and market services to increase food security and income of rural households and other food value chain small-holder actors, particularly youth and women, in the Feed the Future zone of intervention. The purpose is to provide technical assistance to significantly scale-up, both in terms of beneficiaries and geographical coverage, access to value chain services to expand job opportunities and enterprise development in agriculture by reaching 60% of households in the zone of influence. Lastly, the project will use a Facilitative approach that builds trust among market actors through evidence and experience, impactful investments, and local ownership and locally led solutions.

Position Description:

Reporting to the Senior Business Development Specialist, the Business Development Specialist (BDS) will support producer organizations and Micro, Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (MSMEs) with the objective to assist them to achieve improved performance and become more commercially viable. S/he will collaborate with other team members in-country and across the project, to ensure coordinated and impactful implementation

Responsibilities Include:

• Support commercial assessment of producer networks, input providers, and other MSMEs to identify constraints preventing these groups from becoming commercially viable.
• Support mapping of BDS service providers in the zones of influence, segment service provision based on assessment findings, and assess BSD capacity for growth and evolution.
• Facilitate matchmaking between BDS providers and MSMEs to support improved business performance of producer networks, input providers, and other MSMEs.
• Assist producer organizations and other MSMEs to effectively assess and choose BDS providers.
• Linking into TechnoServe’s global practice for supporting SMEs, provide TA/mentorship to BDS providers to increase the entrepreneurial, managerial, and technical skills of MSMEs.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field including Business Management, International Development, Agriculture and/or Agricultural Economics (Master’s degree preferred)
• 3 years’ experience in projects relating to either agribusiness, marketing, business development or advisory services.
• Track record of building and managing strong client and stakeholder relationships with private, public sector and government.
• Management consultancy, business advisory services or experience managing local consultants/BDS providers
• Ability to anticipate demand, manage multiple tasks/projects and meet tight deadlines.
• Exceptionally strong project management and analytical skills, as evidenced by leading roles on successful initiatives of significant scale.
• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and good computer skills in business software (Excel, MS Project and PowerPoint).
• Fluency in English. Knowledge of French and Wolof will be an added advantage

We are hiring for positions, one in Saint Louis and one in Kolda.

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at [please apply online] or call +1 202 [please apply online].