CARANA Corporation (www.carana.com), a contractor for USAID, designs and directs innovative economic growth strategies to help countries and businesses compete globally, reducing poverty and raising living standards around the world. For 30 years, we have specialized in market-led solutions to development challenges in more than 100 countries, packaging our expertise with on-the-ground resources for continuing, cost-effective results.
CARANA seeks a Value Chain Development Specialist for an anticipated, multi-year USAID funded trade expansion project in East Africa. The East Africa Trade and Investment Center (TIC) will be based out of Kenya, the project will facilitate and reduce barriers to the trade of staple foods, cash crops, horticulture, live stock and other export products within East Africa and between the region and international markets.
CARANA seeks a Value Chain Development Specialist for an anticipated, multi-year USAID funded trade expansion project in East Africa. The East Africa Trade and Investment Center (TIC) will be based out of Kenya, the project will facilitate and reduce barriers to the trade of staple foods, cash crops, horticulture, live stock and other export products within East Africa and between the region and international markets.
Duties:
•Provide leadership in value chain mapping, value chain benchmarking, and market analysis for staple crops, horticulture, cash crops, live-stock and apparel.
•Guide the value chain mapping exercises, emphasizing participants and their relationships to each other, and differentiating between their parts of the chain in the region.
•Quantify data related to the value chain maps.
•Collaborate with TIC value chain specialist to identify and foster working groups for strategy implementation.
•Responsible for implementing cross cutting themes such as access to finance and transport and logistics.
•Develop and mentor local counterparts in the analysis and planning of value chain development and other SME business support activities.
Minimum qualifications:
•Master’s degree or equivalent in business administration, marketing, finance, management, agriculture or related area or equivalent preferred;
•Minimum of ten years of relevant experience with developing value chains in developing countries, preferably in Africa;
•Experience researching trends in end markets, and supporting firms to meet the requirements of end markets, competitors and buyers regionally or internationally,
•Experience that has resulted in contacts with key value chain stakeholders: producers, traders, actors in the supporting markets; and research/policy associations,
•Demonstrated skills for fostering inter-firm collaboration and cooperation between associations, donors, and governments;
•Demonstrated experience with promoting cutting edge technologies and methods for increasing firm-level productivity;
•Demonstrated experience helping developing country firms meet the requirements for exporting goods to the U.S.
•Minimum 3 years of experience working with institutional and private sector partners and stakeholders in a multi-country setting;
•Excellent writing and communication skills;
•Ability to use the latest ICT technology and computer software programs;
•Excellent English
•Preference will be given to local and regional nationals of East Africa
•Provide leadership in value chain mapping, value chain benchmarking, and market analysis for staple crops, horticulture, cash crops, live-stock and apparel.
•Guide the value chain mapping exercises, emphasizing participants and their relationships to each other, and differentiating between their parts of the chain in the region.
•Quantify data related to the value chain maps.
•Collaborate with TIC value chain specialist to identify and foster working groups for strategy implementation.
•Responsible for implementing cross cutting themes such as access to finance and transport and logistics.
•Develop and mentor local counterparts in the analysis and planning of value chain development and other SME business support activities.
Minimum qualifications:
•Master’s degree or equivalent in business administration, marketing, finance, management, agriculture or related area or equivalent preferred;
•Minimum of ten years of relevant experience with developing value chains in developing countries, preferably in Africa;
•Experience researching trends in end markets, and supporting firms to meet the requirements of end markets, competitors and buyers regionally or internationally,
•Experience that has resulted in contacts with key value chain stakeholders: producers, traders, actors in the supporting markets; and research/policy associations,
•Demonstrated skills for fostering inter-firm collaboration and cooperation between associations, donors, and governments;
•Demonstrated experience with promoting cutting edge technologies and methods for increasing firm-level productivity;
•Demonstrated experience helping developing country firms meet the requirements for exporting goods to the U.S.
•Minimum 3 years of experience working with institutional and private sector partners and stakeholders in a multi-country setting;
•Excellent writing and communication skills;
•Ability to use the latest ICT technology and computer software programs;
•Excellent English
•Preference will be given to local and regional nationals of East Africa
To apply: Submit a detailed CV caranatrade@gmail.com with the title of the position in the subject line. Qualified candidates will be contacted with more information. CARANA is an EOE.
