Chief Operating Officer vacancy in Uganda, Jobs in Uganda,

Position Title:  Chief Operating Officer
Organisation: Agricultural Business Initiative (aBi) Trust
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
Application Deadline: 28th Mach 2014
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Coordinate and lead the management of the aBi Trust to deliver the agreed work plans, budgets and strategic objectives;

• Act as the focal contact person within aBi Trust for stakeholder, development partners and sponsors engagement in the areas of enhanced productivity, effective producer and trader association collaboration, post-harvest handling, value chain development, access to market information systems, and creating linkages to domestic, commodity information on local, regional and international markets;
• Plan, coordinate and ensure implementation of the aBi Trust Value Chains and Financial Services Development Activities with the integration of Green Growth, Human Rights Based Approach to Development (HRBAD) and Gender matters into the work;
• Provide operational leadership, guidance for the Financial Services Development and Value Chains Development Chief Managers with reference to Governance framework documents;
• Identify strategic business development opportunities to drive growth in the agribusiness sector and carry out business development activities;
• Develop innovative solutions for supporting agricultural value chain developments supported by the aBi Trust and ensure synergies and coordination of work with aBi Finance;
• Oversee Abi Trust’s M&E function and ensure effective monitoring of the activities and of the ongoing evaluation, ensuring Implementing Partners adherence to agreed terms and conditions and reporting these to the Chief Executive Officer on a regular basis;
• Chair of the Grants Committee with the emphasis on transparency, accountability and non-discrimination;
• Develop an effective team, motivate and retain staff within the aBi Trust;
• Ensure that risk management measures are undertaken within the aBi Trust;
• Ensure timely completion of technical activities and of contractual technical reports and deliverables (Quarterly and Annual Reports, Annual Work Plans, Performance Monitoring Plan and reports etc.);
• Actively participate in the development of innovative financial products for agricultural value chains, together with rural financial institutions, and in close cooperation with apex organizations with particular emphasis on financial access to the rural communities; and
• Ensure effective financial management of aBi Trust funds including budget development and efficient utilization of staff and resources in complete compliance with aBi Trust rules and regulations.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
• The Chief Operating Officer must hold a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Agricultural Economics or a related field and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, Agriculture or any other related discipline from a recognized university.
• The ideal candidate must also possess Operational Management experience of  at least five years obtained in an agribusiness development organisation and should be have a demonstrated record of ongoing continued Professional Development.
• He/she should have not less than twelve (12) years of working experience with value chain development in developing countries.
• He/ She must be able to demonstrate an excellent track record of initiating and successfully managing progammes of sustained agribusiness value chain support.
• The ideal candidate must possess comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the Ugandan and regional agricultural and agri- commodity markets, industry and development;
• Broad knowledge of input and output markets for agriculture and food production, processing and trading;
• Possess a good understanding of the aBi Trust’s products and facilities and what constitute opportunities and risks in this working space;
• Strong understanding of the domestic and international development policy environments and priorities and the frameworks and tools most commonly used to deliver those;
• Extensive exposure and experience with rural financing;
• Possess the ability to identify new opportunities for the aBi Trust, structuring solutions for those and then being able to negotiate operational partnerships for implementation and financing Intuitive and innovative;
• Strong, applied economic, financial and organizational analytical skills and the ability to use those to engineer better investment and development outcomes;
• Strong negotiation skills and the ability to “close the deal” in a timely manner.
• Possess the ability to manage budgets and resource allocations efficiently as well as having a strong commercial acumen; and
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills; the ability to motivate staff to perform at a consistently high level and to retain those staff.
How to Apply:

If you believe you fit the above job role and desire to join aBi Trust in the aforementioned portfolio, please send your application in confidence to the address below. Remember to kindly send an updated curriculum vitae (by post or email) containing details of your qualifications, experience, present position, current and expected remuneration as well as copies of professional/academic certificates. Also include day and evening telephone numbers, e-mail address, names and addresses of three references to:
The People and Change Division PricewaterhouseCoopers Limited 1 Colville Street
P.O. Box 8053 Kampala, Uganda E-mail: hr.s@ug.pwc.com
Only short listed candidates will be contacted.