Posts
Post Title:
Client Development Officer (in charge of SMEs)
Duration: One
year; renewable to further three years based on performance
Number of Positions:
One (1)
Country :Uganda
Organisation: The
Consortium for enhancing University Responsiveness to Agribusiness Development
limited (CURAD)
Location: Job
will involve extensive travelling aimed at customer development to coordinate
with various actors in different agricultural value chains.
Background
information:
The Consortium for enhancing University Responsiveness to
Agribusiness Development limited (CURAD) is a public-private partnership initi
ati ve promoted by the Makerere University;
the Nati onal Union of Coffee Agribusinesses
and Farm Enterprises (NUCAFE); the National Agricultural Research Organisati on
(NARO); the University of Copenhagen (UC) and NIRAS International.
CURAD is funded by the Universiti es, Business & Research
in Agricultural Innovati on (UniBRAIN), an initi ati ve led by the Forum for
Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) supported by the Royal Danish Ministry
of Foreign Aff airs (DANIDA).
CURAD has established an agribusiness incubati on centre
based at the Makerere University Agricultural Research Insti tute at Kabanyolo.
The key outputs of the incubator will be mainly young skilled entrepreneurs,
profi table enterprises and technological innovati ons and it is piloti ng with
the coff ee value chain. The objective is to improve the effi ciency of marketi
ng, to improve the quality of the product and to capture more value added
products in coff ee in ways that will increase returns to
the producers and create jobs locally.
CURAD is looking for a Clients Development Officer to
provide services to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that enhance their entrepreneurial
capaciti es and profitability in diff erent agricultural value chains. He/She
will be responsible for nurturing and providing services to SMEs but at the same
ti me ensure financial sustainability of CURAD.
CURAD Mission
Statement
To produce innovative and skilful agribusiness SME
incubatees through strategic partnerships that support training, mentoring,
coaching and business development.
Duties and
Responsibilities :
The Client
Development Officer is expected to:
• Carry out customer development acti viti es by getti ng to
SMEs, and rural and urban agribusiness customer segments so that tailored
services and products can be made for them.
• Mobilise and engage the SMEs for setti ng up agricultural
value chain enterprises
including coff ee based SMEs.
• Contribute to disseminati ng the informati on of the acti
viti es and opportuniti es provided by CURAD amongst the SMEs by tapping into
commercial corporations, rural communiti es and to wider public through outreach
acti viti es, meetings, print/electronic media.
• Facilitate in selecting, training and developing business
ideas into models and business plans for SMEs; arranging input service packages
like extension services, marketi ng, providing offi ce spaces.
• Facilitate and link incubated client SMEs to access fi
nancial support to implement their business plans.
• Organise and facilitate business plan competi ti ons,
which acti vity will enable SMEs to be competi ti ve and att ract funding.
• Organize and facilitate SMEs entrepreneurial clubs and
clinics along specific value chains.
• Support the CURAD Managing Director to:
Develop Monitoring & Evaluati on reports in line with
requirements of UniBRAIN and updati ng of UniBRAIN-MICS.
Conduct stakeholder and client surveys for the incubator.
Prepare monthly arti
cles and quarterly departmental reports on incubator activities concerning
client - SMEs. Prepare department annual report with data on job creati on,
revenue generated etc.
• Perform any other duti es assigned by the Managing
Director.
Desirable qualifications
General Skills
Bsc in Agriculture and or an MBA or Masters Degree in
Agribusiness or Agricultural Economics is an added advantage
Professional Skills
• 3-5 years experience in managing farmer groups or similar
youth/community service acti vities.
• Strong ability to work and interact well with diverse SMEs
customer segments in diff erent agricultural value chains.
• Handling training programs and ability to understand the
demands of the youths today. Specific Professional Skills
• Entrepreneurship management, revenue generation.
• Basic computer skills in MS Offi ce package.
• Good writt en and oral communicati on in English and one
of the local dialects in Uganda.
Other Conditions
Nature of assignment:
Job will be off ered on a one year contract which can be extended for a further
three years based on incumbent performance.
A positive attitude
and passionate approach for the job will be very much appreciated.
The Clients
Development Officer will report to the Managing Director.
Location: Job will involve extensive travelling aimed at customer
development to coordinate with various actors in different agricultural value
chains. Incubator will be based at the Makerere University Agricultural
Research Institute at Kabanyolo.
Remuneration
The Clients Development Offi cer (in charge of SMEs) will
earn an att racti ve gross
monthly remunerati on based on performance.
How to Apply:
Applicati on lett ers and CVs should be sent only by email
to the Secretary/Managing
Director CURAD, P.O.BOX 1509, Kampala using email
curad.curad@gmail.com and
a copy to skyamanywa@agric.mak.ac.ug by 6th September 2013.
