Business Expert

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Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition

Wool and Mohair Value Chain Competitiveness Project

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The Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho through the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition (MAFSN) will be implementing a Wool and Mohair Value Chain Competitiveness Project (WAMCOP), which is a 7 years project that will be covering the 10 districts of Lesotho. The project loan, is financed by the Government of Lesotho, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for International Development, Global Environment Facility (GEF) and beneficiary’s contributions. The project’s overall goal is to increase the economic and climate resilience of wool and mohair value chain stakeholders, with emphasis on wool and mohair farmer’s livelihoods, including women and youth. The MAFSN is establishing a project management unit and would like to make a call to the relevant professionals for the following project positions;

Position: Business Expert

Report to: Project Coordinator

Duty Station: Maseru, Lesotho with intensive travelling to 10 Districts

Job Summary:

Plan, lead, organize, implement and monitor all key livelihood value chain related activities across WaMCoP. Work jointly with the Livestock Production Expert (LPE) in ensuring consistency and continuity of approaches. Responsible for the day-to-day operations and coordination of project component activities and ensure that all requirements (AWPB’s, budgetary allocations, disbursement of funds and progress reports) are prepared and submitted on time to the Project Coordinator. Coordinate and collaborate with all relevant partners and stakeholders, working on activities that have a bearing on the wool and mohair value chain. Find opportunities to leverage project resources and equally avoid duplication, where necessary and also monitor implementation of all value chain activities with a focus on improving interrelated supply chains and ultimately ensuring greater value chain competitiveness.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

Coordination and Supervision of business-related activities in areas of value-chain

  • Work closely with all partners and key stakeholders to coordinate the overall implementation of value chain development in the wool and mohair sector;
  • Work closely with relevant players to map out the interrelated supply chains in the wool and mohair sector that make up the broader value chain
  • Identify key actors; bottlenecks; flow of inputs and supporting organisations within the wool and mohair sector;
  • Create and strengthen linkages between the private and public sector, ensuring coherence of approaches and strategies;
  • Work closely with stakeholders and support the development of an inclusive ecosystem for greater value chain development in the wool and mohair sector;
  • Research and Development
  • Assess value chain profitability and competitiveness in a manner that ensures the underlying viability of wool and mohair production;
  • Generate data and information which can be used to inform operational and strategic decisions in the wool and mohair sector, with a focus on value chain development;
  • Identify alongside partners, business opportunities and pathways for greater inclusion of women and youth;
  • Implementation of Capacity Building Programmes
  • Work closely with Knowledge Management, create awareness of the existence of the project to the communities;
  • Mobilise women and youth to take active participation along the value-chain
  • Develop and deliver capacity building activities in the area of value chain development;
  • Promote the establishment of the social enterprise through regrouping of existing cooperatives and associations for sustainability of the cottage industry;
  • Liaise with and closely support the development of the social enterprise and transformation of Lesotho’s cottage industry alongside the Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI);

Facilitation of Access to Finance

  • Support the development of appropriate financial services for wool and mohair farmers;
  • Support the development of the wool and mohair fund and enterprise;
  • Liaise with the Trust Fund and the Trust Company to determine areas of improvement in regulatory and policy aspects, enabling increased responsible access to finance;

Facilitation of Access to Markets

  • Work closely with EFI to assist the social enterprise to better understand the market requirements to meet the regional and international market demands
  • Work closely with EFI to promote and link social enterprise products to domestic, regional and international markets;
  • Review the regulatory context and conditions of market access in line with taxation, tariff regime and distribution channels in identified markets and advise accordingly;
  • Facilitate the implementation of comprehensive marketing strategy and action plan for the wool and mohair cottage enterprises and other value chain actors with recommended measures;
  • Facilitate accreditation of wool and mohair value chain actors in collaboration with the Textile Exchange and other relevant role players;

Planning, Budgeting and Administration

  • In collaboration with the project team, develop plans and budget that can be used to strengthen supply chains and the broader wool and mohair value chain;
  • Support the implementation of value chain upgrading strategies, intimately linked to the wool and mohair sector;
  • Ensure the effective and efficient operation of administrative aspects of the WaMCoP;
  • Review and finalise the wool and mohair value-chain policy and relevant legal frameworks;
  • Carry out any other activities that are assigned by the Project Coordinator.

Qualifications and Experience

  • Master’s Degree in either Economics, Business or Finance Management Agricultural Economics, or Business Administration from a recognized University plus 4 years work experience 3 of which must be at senior management level.

 OR

  • Post Graduate Degree in Commerce, Business or Finance Management from a recognized University plus 6 years work experience 3 of which must be at senior management level

 OR

  • Bachelor Degree in Commerce, Business or Finance Management from a recognized University plus 8 years work experience 4 of which must be at senior management level.

Skills and Competencies

  • Be a member of professional accountancy body with good standing (Any of the CA, CPA,
  • ACCA certifications)
  • Have 5 years working experience in a similar position.
  • Demonstrated experience with financial management/accounting in a government ministry/ department and donor-funded project.
  • Be computer literate, especially in electronic spreadsheet, and other specialized accounting packages preferably FINPRO/TOMPRO;
  • Have a good working knowledge of accounting, personnel and procurement policies and procedures;
  • Have a good working knowledge on: (a) banking, and (b) financial control;
  • Have strong leadership and communication skills.
  • Be fluent in both English and national language;
  • Experience with working for donor-funded projects is an added advantage., value chain development alongside a multi-disciplinary team of experts will be an added advantage.
  • Should have a good command of both national languages English and Sesotho

SUBMISSION

Interested candidates’ applications should be accompanied by detailed CVs, certified copies of national identity document, educational certificates and transcripts and be delivered to the address below not later than 03rd May, 2024 at 13:30 pm

The Director Human Resources

Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition

Wool and Mohair Value Chain Competitiveness project

P.O Box 24

Maseru 100

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified

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