Program Manager, SAPPHIRE II

Reporting Unit/Supervisor: Country Director, Tanzania
Location: Mbeya with frequent travel to Dar es Salaam, Ruvuma, Rukwa and Iringa

I. TECHNOSERVE BACKGROUND:

TechnoServe works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. We are a nonprofit organization that develops business solutions to poverty by linking people to information, capital and markets. Our work is rooted in the idea that given the opportunity, hardworking men and women in even the poorest places can generate income, jobs and wealth for their families and communities. With more than four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The Storage and Proper Post-Harvest Improvements for Resource Efficiency  (SAPPHIRE II) project is a five year, US$5 Million project funded by DFID.  SAPPHIRE is designed to enable 40,000 smallholder farmers, including female farmers, in the southern highlands of Tanzania to increase their incomes by 10-20% annually.  This impact will be achieved via a series of interventions that catalyze improvements to Tanzania‘s Warehouse Receipt System (WRS) in tandem with those that reduce smallholder post-harvest grain losses and increase yield.
Project activities begin at the farm level–working on improved agronomy for sunflower, maize, and rice farmers with a focus on increasing yield and minimizing losses.  The commodities are then consolidated–maize and rice are stored in warehouses using a receipt system.  From there, the commodities are sold into a variety of marketing channels, enabling farmers to achieve higher prices for their products. Project staff trains farmers on financial literacy and techniques for operating their farms more like businesses.

III. POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Program Manager for SAPPHIRE II is expected to oversee project implementation, manage relationships with key stakeholders in Tanzania, lead and manage an experienced team in the field, monitor the project budget and work plan, and ensure timely and cost-effective delivery of results as agreed upon with the donor.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

• Provide overall leadership for large and diverse teams in Mbeya, Rukwa, Ruvuma and Iringa.
• Coordinate closely with East Africa regional advisors on strategy, implementation, monitoring and feedback.
• Ensure value chain improvement initiatives are aligned with industry stakeholder business objectives and are market driven.
• Review project team’s oral and written communication with clients and stakeholders to ensure consistency with client needs, expectations, national/global trends and project goals and objectives.
• Provide intellectual leadership in helping team members identify and develop business and industry-wide value chain improvement strategies.
• Ensure that the scope and projected impacts of the SAPPRIRE II program are correctly defined and understood by all team members.
• Ensure sufficient resources are mobilized (e.g. financial, human and information) to deliver on the work plan activities
• Design and launch WRS promotion and outreach campaign targeting both lower level local staff and executive staff of commercial banks for the SAPPHIRE II project.
• Identify volunteer or consulting needs and assist with developing clear scopes of work.
• Ensure spending is in line with budget and ensure compliance with donor requirements.

DEVELOP/MAINTAIN KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• Develop and sustain trust–based relationships with the government, key industry stakeholders and industry experts to secure buy-in to ideas and initiatives.
• Collaborate as needed with other SAPPHIRE II stakeholders (e.g., TWLB, EAGC, Local Authorities) and team members.
• Establish and maintain a successful, positive relationship with the donor.
• Ensure value chain improvement initiatives are aligned with industry stakeholder business objectives.
• Guide and facilitate producer associations and warehouse owners/operators on how to secure performance bonds required for TWLB licensing.

MONITORING & EVALUATION

• Ensure SAPPHIRE II project execution as per the logical framework and agree-upon milestones and that regular status reports are provided in accordance with our contractual obligations, as well as internal TechnoServe procedures.
• Ensure appropriate processes / systems are in place in all field offices to track SAPPHIRE II data necessary for monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
• Supervise the objectives and measures upon which the program will be evaluated against. Ensure they are clearly defined, understood by all team members, and that team members are implementing high-quality activities to meet objectives.
• Ensure SAPPHIRE programs performance is evaluated and that obstacles restricting the ability to achieve set objectives are identified and resolved.

COMMUNICATIONS

• Ensure a communication schedule is established to update stakeholders, including appropriate staff in TechnoServe, on the progress of the SAPPHIRE II project.
• Demonstrate empathy, cultural understanding, and diplomacy while delivering clear, high-impact communications with key project stakeholders.
• Ensure all direct reports and the team in general complete their individual performance goals in a timely and comprehensive manner and set own annual individual performance goals in coordination with Country Director, detailing project-specific and personal objectives.
• Develop donor reports in accordance with contractual arrangements and following established report review protocol.
• Represent SAPPHIRE and TechnoServe at relevant stakeholder meetings and gatherings as directed by the Country Director.
• Devise novel ideas and creative partnerships to expand the scope of SAPPHIRE II activities and present them to the Country Director.
• Other duties as assigned

IV. REQUIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or Agricultural Economics with a strong knowledge of staple crops; Master’s degree in related field is preferred.
• Experience in Agronomy and WRS for staple crops, especially maize and rice.
• Seven years’ experience in project management
• Strong private sector experience and entrepreneurial skills.
• Proven track record of developing complex client business plans.
• Excellent problem solving and analytical skills.
• Strong personnel and operational management skills.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities and meet demanding deadlines.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and attention to detail.
• Strong computer and formatting skills in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong interpersonal, cross-cultural and team-building skills.
• Ability to develop well-written, cohesive reports that are responsive to the donors’ needs.
• Fluency in English and Swahili.
• A valid driving license and the ability to drive a vehicle.
• Willingness to spend 50% of time travelling to oversee and monitor field activities.

V. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Qualified and interested applicants should submit a Word-formatted single document consisting of cover letter, resume and salary history to jobs@tns.org. Please identify the position for which you are applying in the subject line.
Only applicants meeting minimum qualifications will be considered or contacted. No phone calls please.

TECHNOSERVE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER