TechnoServe

About TechnoServe:

TechnoServe, founded over 55 years ago, is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in more than 35 countries, we work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. By linking people to information, capital and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities.

Job Summary: 

TechnoServe is seeking an experienced Senior Manager for one ongoing program and one ongoing initiative. The Senior Manager will be responsible for growing and maintaining public- and private-sector partnerships, working with the operations team, TechnoServe different practices and overall monitoring and evaluation of the programs. she/he will ensure high performance of the M&E and learning functions within the projects, promoting evidence-based decision-making and project adaptation.

The Senior Program Manager of Potencia tu Agroempresa (PTA-Colombia) and the AgriFoodTech Accelerator Initiative, will have the main function of locally managing the activities corresponding to the preparation, promotion and execution of the Program. This includes coordinating and monitoring a team of advisors, consulting professionals and local institutions involved in the efforts and activities for the successful implementation of the program, as well as leading the interaction with local institutions and potential donors and stakeholders linked to the program. As well as leading TechnoServe's AgriFoodTech initiative at the Latin American level.

The Manager is responsible for supporting the development of relevant institutional relationships. In addition, this position is responsible for identifying and addressing the needs and contingencies of allies in strategic and operational matters, such as the different local Chambers of Commerce, Business Foundations and/or territorial entities. The Manager also plays a crucial role in coordinating the operation of programs with other technical areas of the organization and in designing strategies to improve implementation processes. He/she is responsible for supervising and monitoring the program, as well as making efforts with TechnoServe's external allies for the creation and execution of strategies that contribute to the development of Potencia tu Agroempresa in Colombia and AgriFoodTech initiative in LAC.

The Senior Manager will work directly with the Regional Program Manager or Country Director and is responsible for internal and external measurements including communications.

Program Overview:

TechnoServe, Argidius, Visa and Vitol Foundations share an interest in tailoring and applying the successful ITE model to accelerate small and growing agribusinesses in Latin America, which can stimulate economic development and job creation, while also driving critical domestic food systems transformation.[1] In particular, burgeoning food processing businesses occupy a unique mid-stream position in agrifood value chains (AVCs), acting as a critical linchpin connecting supply and demand, and enabling agricultural value-addition. For the fourth iteration of ITE (Potencia tu Agroempresa-PTA), TechnoServe proposes to reach 200 food processing SGBs in Colombia, Guatemala, and México, 50% led by women, with the objective of increasing revenues by 25% on average and creating or strengthening 833 jobs (278 jobs created, and 555 strengthened). The project will achieve this by adapting and complementing the core ITE curriculum and service offerings to the needs, constraints, and opportunities facing food processing SGBs. It will also strengthen the core business and financial management skills of participating entrepreneurs and facilitate access to finance and capital, while also addressing more sector-specific challenges, such as those related to sourcing, agrifood supply chain coordination, inventory management, and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) control. The project will pursue an ambitious learning agenda to monitor and evaluate the return on investment of a sector-specific approach to supporting small and growing food processors, as well as the multiplier effects across the food system generated by the growth and best practice adoption of food processing SGBs.

To complement this core program, TechnoServe will continue with the AgriFoodTech Accelerator Program with 30 AgriFoodTech Startups across Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico. This activity will build on ITE 3.0’ AgriFoodTech acceleration pilot with The Yield Lab in Colombia to support Startups to bring technologies addressing critical agrifood challenges to market and to scale across Latin America.

Primary Functions and Responsibilities:

Leadership and Management

• Lead overall implementation and management of the program, ensuring that the program achieves established goals, objectives, and targets, in close coordination with the
• Provide strategic guidance, leadership, management, and general technical oversight of the program.
• Identify opportunities to build potential partnerships and alliances with other relevant private and public market actors through outreach and promotional activities. Builds collaborative networks with clients to assess performance and anticipate needs.
• Advises on and develops innovative solutions to complex problems, requiring creativity, ingenuity and innovation. Ensures solutions are consistent with organizational objectives.
• Manages and inspires a team that focuses on cross-cutting areas and promotes a positive workplace. Secures internal support and understanding for new policies or programs; conducts briefs and technical meetings for internal and external representatives.
• Monitors and drives achievement of project goals in cross-cutting areas such as gender equity, digitization, and manages donor and partner relationships
• Optimizes the quality of programs and frameworks through continual assessment and adaptation; Mobilizes resources to achieve quality goals, persuading others to adapt new approaches.
• Execute actions that assure timely and high-quality service delivery, in line with donor expectations, resolving issues and managing the integration of new policies and procedures.
• Develops budgets in coordination with the Regional Program Manager or Country Director for new partnerships with the public and social sector.
• Develops annual project plans
• With the Regional Program Manager or Country Director, supports the development and execution of key project strategies
• Coordinates the development and execution of project procurement plans
• Acts as a spokesperson for the programs and presents their work internally and externally.
• Lead the AgriFoodTech Accelerator Initiative.

Project Execution

• Establishes goals with corporate partners and farmer organizations in coordination with the operations
• Supports alignment and coordinates actions with partners, key stakeholders for the programs.
• Coordinates processes and follow up on activities within the other LAC countries we are implementing these initiatives in.
• Defines the program methodology and takes leadership in the process of getting and selecting startups. Manage investors and potential clients for startups.
• Documents best practices to open purchasing channels for the beneficiaries.
• Manages communications for the program and initiatives related.
• Plans and conducts visits with partners.

Reporting and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)

• Develop or coordinate donor and partner reports: quarterly reports, monthly monitoring reports for the Project Director and Country Director, weekly monitoring reports for the team, and other information required by the donor for its communication and internal events.
• Report impact and progress of programs internally and externally according to each program’s M&E plan including quarterly reports, annual corporate measurements, and donor presentations.
• In coordination with the Regional Program Manager/Country Director and Global Impact Practice, recommend methodologies (RCT, Propensity Score Matching, etc and use of software Stata, etc) to define M&E strategy and conduct analyses.
• Assess and select digital tools and coordinate the development of apps for data collection, traceability and digital learning.
• Work closely with the Project Director and/or Country Director and other managers to provide necessary analyses and reports and deliver reports and evaluations to donors on time.
• Conduct or coordinate baselines, mid or final evaluations internally or with third parties. Supervise evaluation consultan
• Supervise relevant contractors as needed.
• Respond to and implement surveys as requested by Global TechnoServe (i.e. quality survey).
• Implement and coordinate the systematization of internal project processes, e.g. business, and quality teams

Country Support

• Supports the MEL, Communication and Gender components for the Country Office.
• Develops donor proposals and coordinate the compilation for requests for information
• Supports other functions or processes related to the initiative.

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s degree with 7 years of relevant experience or Bachelor’s degree with 10 years of experience in agricultural, economics, statistics, econometrics, international development, business, economy, public policy, social sciences or other relevant areas.
• Proven experience in project management, monitoring and evaluating programs including business and socio economic development.
• Colombia residency or valid work permit
• Fluency in Spanish, and good oral and written communication skills in English.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading economic development programs, in particular access to finance, market access, digitalization or business development.
• Consulting experience desired
• Team manager with good communication skills that enable seamless collaboration with field-based teams
• Demonstrates high attention to detail and superb planning skills with a history of working independently and within agreed timelines and the flexibility to manage multiple tasks simultaneously while adapting to changing work situations.
• Proactivity and focus on results.

Required Languages

Has excellent written and verbal communication skills in Spanish and English with proven report writing, presentation, and data analysis skills.

Travel

Regular travel across Colombia (30%)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proven record of successfully supporting or managing complex private sector development programs with extensive local capacity building components.
• Demonstrated excellence in managing teams, projects, and budgets.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively and collaboratively with a broad range of public and private sector counterparts and other key stakeholders.
• Demonstrated capacity and experience to supervise field teams and work to achieve the expected results
• Demonstrated ability to plan, monitor and deliver quality assurance; familiarity with M&E frameworks
• Independent judgment and strong decision-making skills required, with limited supervision.
• Knowledge of business market systems and facilitation approaches.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines while managing multiple tasks and activities.
• Ability to develop well written, cohesive analyses and reports in English and Spanish.
• Demonstrates interest in and/or knowledge of women's economic empowerment and gender equity.

Supervisory Responsibilities: ~10 Seniors Business Advisors. Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams is desired.

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 recruitment@tns.org or call +1 202 785 4515.

[1] ISF, July 2021, Argidius Foundation Food Systems Framework.