Anunțuri de Angajare

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The High Value Agriculture Activity in Moldova

Chemonics International, Inc. seeks a highly qualified Fruit Value Chain Specialist for the USAID Moldova High Value Agriculture Activity (HVAA). This six-year project aims to further stimulate the transformation of the Moldovan high-value agricultural (HVA) sector into an engine of economic growth for the country leading to improved competitiveness and higher living standards for rural Moldovans in the long term.  Moldova HVAA is implemented by USAID contractor Chemonics International, Inc.

This position is anticipated to be full-time with a fixed-term until October 2022.

Position Description:

The Fruit Value Chain Specialist will be responsible for managing ongoing technical assistance to the fruit value chain actors involved in apple and stone fruit production (such as growers, nurseries, and extension service providers), ensuring the achievement of HVAA’s goals and objectives for the fruit value chain, and acting as a key point of contact for value chain stakeholders.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities (Essential Functions)

Principal tasks include, but are not limited to: 

• Advise HVAA Deputy Chief of Party on the design of project strategies and activities in annual work plans related to fruit production, ensuring contract indicators are addressed and prioritized in demand-driven interventions, including through identification of grant opportunities and subcontractor needs;
• Develop and maintain strong partnerships with private sector entities involved in fruit production (industry associations, producers and their cooperatives, crop advisors, input suppliers, etc.). Work with the grower member organizations and other providers of extension services to develop, deliver and evaluate fruit production educational programs addressing key commercial fruit production issues;
• Manage subcontract and grant activities related to fruit production (including production and post-harvest handling demonstration plots, and training for value chain stakeholders), ensuring that partners are on track and have necessary resources to succeed;
• Develop and maintain strong partnerships with private sector entities (industry associations, producers, consolidators, cooperatives, crop advisors, input suppliers, etc.), the public sector, and donor community;
• In coordination with the Deputy Chief of Party, develop scopes of work for local and international short term technical assistance (STTA) consultants, supervise the consultants during remote or in-person assignments and assure the quality of STTA products (presentations, training activities, reports, etc.);
• Collaborate with the Grants Team in identifying grant opportunities and drafting solicitations, training, liaising with, and effectively managing/monitoring all grantees in the sector, including the quantifiable and qualifiable results, compliance, and progress of grants and grantees;
• Assist the Trade and Marketing Manager to establish market linkages between potential sellers and buyers and participate in negotiations between fruit value chain members as needed. As appropriate, support the Trade and Marketing Manager to arrange participation in trade exhibitions, regional meetings, workshops, and business meetings in the sector;
• Collaborate with the Association Capacity Building Specialist to build strong, effective working relationships with targeted producer organizations in the fruit sector, identify and address capacity building needs in these organizations;
• Collaborate with the M&E Manager to gather data on project outputs and impact on the targeted value chains, with a focus on the fruit sector;
• Collaborate with the Food Safety and Post-Harvest Specialist and Environmental personnel to identify and address environmental and food safety issues related to the fruit sectors and ensure that targeted producer organizations in the sectors work towards and attain international quality, food safety and social standards, including GLOBALGAP, GRASP and SMETA;
• Assist the Agriculture Policy Reform Specialist to identify, diagnose, and recommend reforms to agribusiness enabling environment constraints that hinder development across the fruit value chain;
• Contribute to bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports; draft concept notes, various memos for internal and external consumption, as requested by HVAA Chief of Party and Deputy Chief of Party;
• Carryout monitoring visits to project beneficiaries across the fruit value chain, and as requested, across all HVAA-supported value chains;
• Other duties assigned by the Chief of Party and Deputy Chief of Party.

Required Skills and Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty and responsibility satisfactorily. The qualifications listed below are representative of the required knowledge, skills and/or abilities needed to perform the principal duties.

• University degree;
• Experience in the fruit sector as consultant, trainer, training coordinator or in another relevant capacity;
• Experience with donor-funded projects preferred but not essential;
• Experience with grant management, preferred;
• Willingness and ability to travel to all regions of Moldova;
• Proven ability to work professionally and constructively as part of team, meet deadlines, communicate effectively, and deal with diverse partners in challenging environments;
• Ability to problem-solve, work in a team-environment, think creatively, and maintain a high level of flexibility to meet project objectives;
• Romanian, Russian, and English fluency, with excellent writing and presentation skills;
• Word processing (Microsoft Word), spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel), e-mail (Microsoft Outlook). 

Application letter with a CV should be sent in English to HVAARecruitment@chemonics.com. The deadline for submission is September 10, 2021, but early applications will receive priority review. Only those candidates selected for interview will be contacted. Chemonics International, Inc. (www.chemonics.com) is a U.S.-based international consulting firm providing expertise in developing and emerging-market countries since 1975.