Agri-Business Advisor

SNV Vietnam is looking for an Agri-Business Advisor, based in Hanoi (with frequent travel to field sites: 2 weeks/month) - (Employment contract)

SNV (www.snvworld.org) is a not-for-profit international development organization. Founded in the Netherlands 50 years ago, we have built a long-term, local presence in 38 of the poorest countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Our global team of local and international advisors work with local partners to equip communities, businesses and organizations with the tools, knowledge and connections they need to increase their incomes and gain access to basic services – empowering them to break the cycle of poverty and guide their own development.

SNV has been working in Vietnam since 1995. Using market based approaches, SNV is committed to reducing poverty by catalysing environmentally sustainable solutions for the poor in agriculture, energy, water & sanitation, and REDD+.  In the agriculture sector SNV in Vietnam has a strategic alliance with Agriterra (www.agriterra.org).

Agriterra is a Dutch agency that aims to professionalize farmers' organizations and cooperatives worldwide, with advice from experts from the Dutch agricultural sector. Agriterra’ s opinion is that strong farmers' organizations and cooperatives lead to more participation, economic growth and a better distribution of income. Agriterra focus on economic development and work closely together with the Dutch agribusiness.

Agriterra cooperate with farmers’ organizations and cooperatives, professionalizing their functioning and service provision to their members, where the members want to increase their productivity and income, their position in the markets, access to finance and to add value to their products.  

In order to implement the strategic partnership between SNV and Agriterra in Vietnam, SNV is looking for highly qualified candidates for the post of Agri-Business Advisor.

Responsibilities:

Activities:

• To facilitate and accompany peer-to-peer advisory assignments conducted by experts stemming from the Dutch agribusiness in support to farmers’ organizations and cooperatives in Vietnam and abroad

• To monitor developments and progress of Agriterra clients based among others on jointly established yearly targets and key performance indicators written down in yearly action plans

• To give follow-up and advise to clients on at least three of the following topics:
  
  • Governance and internal management
  • Financial management
  • General proper recording (membership, volumes produce, minutes, etc)
  • Communication and reporting
  • Extension services
  • Marketing and input provision
  • Business practices
  • Value chain development
  • Advocacy

• To conduct scoping and company/organisation assessments of potential clients

• To keep updated Agriterra information systems on clients and contribute to knowledge management of Agriterra:
  
  • each client: action plans, missions, field visits, communication
  • potential loan providers
  • legal and tax framework
  • potential local experts/consultants

Expected results:

• Result-driven agribusiness advice featuring tailor-made financial, business and governance support that fulfils Agriterra specific aims while at the same time meeting the demand of the clients.
• Advice on improvement of the clients’ (agribusiness) internal organisation, position on the market and growth ambition.
• Increase number of farmer organisations in Agriterra’s portfolio having a potential healthy agri-business, having access to loan capital and/or financial services and/or having a sustainable and effective service provision system to members.
• Client satisfaction, as well as satisfied parties in the business sector, investors, financial institutions, development organisations, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and all departments of Agriterra, including AgriPool.

Candidate profile

• Formal education in MBA, Finance, Agricultural Economics or related studies
• Computer literate (MS Office, preferably Accounting software)
• Fluent in Vietnamese and English
• Experience in advising and training people, achieving lasting results
• Experience with farmer-led enterprises, farmer cooperatives and federations of farmers cooperatives
• Expertise in financial, governance and business management
• Flexible (no 9-5 mentality), able and willing to frequent travel and stay in rural places (up to 50%)
• Diplomatic skills to develop partnership with governmental and business entities
• Demonstrable experience in client-friendly and result-oriented service provision
• Committed to smallholder farmers’ economic development
• Appreciative communication skills and attitude
• Respectful and patient attitude, pro-active, convincing and target-driven
• Self-geared (able and willing to work independently)
• Generalist: eager to learn other topics and expand skills

Contract Duration:

The selected candidate will be offered initially for one year employment contract with possibility of extension subject to availability of funds. The position gives the selected candidate many opportunities for promotion within the organisation if growth of the program will develop as expected.

Reporting:

She/he will be managed by the Manager team Agribusiness.  

Desired start date:  1st June 2016

How to apply?  Please send your application letter and CV, together with an indication of your current salary and compensation package, to [email protected] by 18th May 2016.

Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted on a rolling basis to identify appropriate candidates as soon as possible.

For more information on SNV, please refer to our website: www.snvworld.org

We do not appreciate third-party mediation based on this advertisement.