New job Partnership Facilitator - 2SCALE, Juba in South Dakota

Background

The 2SCALE program 2019-23 builds on achievements and lessons learnt from a first phase (2012-18, www.2scale.org). It aims to be a flagship program for the Netherlands’ food security policy and one of the leading catalysts of inclusive agribusiness in sub-Saharan Africa.

2SCALE is designed to incubate and accelerate inclusive agribusiness development in target countries in Africa (Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Mali). Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are the core implementation modality to achieve the objectives of the program. 2SCALE’s strategy is three-pronged:

2SCALE is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and implemented by a consortium led by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and comprising the Base-of-the-Pyramid Innovation Center (BoPInc) and the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV). The Partnerships Resource Center (PRC) supports the consortium as a knowledge partner.

South Sudan was one of the countries included in the first phase of 2SCALE. However, due to the conflict the program had to be stopped in 2014/2015. In 2020, 2SCALE explored in close consultation with the EKN in Juba the opportunities to develop a number of pilot partnerships with private sector partners in South Sudan. A follow up visit and assessment in early 2021 confirmed the availability of private potential business champions that can work with 2SCALE.

Position summary

The Partnership Facilitator is responsible for the design and implementation of all activities related to the PPPs under her/ his responsibility. She/ he facilitates, in close collaboration with the private partners and other relevant stakeholders, all the interventions by 2SCALE at the levels of partnership, grassroots (i.e. agribusiness cluster), value chain and industry. She/ he also coordinates the support from business support services, consultants, and cross-cutting 2SCALE specialists to the PPPs under her/ his responsibility.

Main tasks

• Collect and analyze market and industry information related to anticipated and existing PPPs under her/ his responsibility.
• Design, formalize, implement, monitor and document PPPs with private business champions (companies or cooperatives) and other relevant private/ public partners:
  • Mobilization of actors around target agribusiness clusters and value chains.
  • Profiling/ assessments of agribusiness cluster and value chain actors.
  • Business connections of grassroots actors.
  • Coordination of activities of connected local actors within agribusiness clusters, based on competitive strategies.
  • Capacity building (technical, organizational) and empowerment programs.
  • Promotion of innovations within agribusiness clusters and value chains.
  • Capacity and trust building activities to improve efficiency and reduce transaction costs within value chains.
  • Linkage of value chain actors to financial and other support services.
  • PPP key performance indicators and markers for change.
  • PPP action plans and cost-shared budgets.
• Facilitate the development of PPP strategies that are gender-transformative, foster youth inclusion, and are environmentally sustainable:
• Ensure that business champions and other relevant private partners understand and adhere to commonly agreed standards of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Design – upon request – capacity building activities to deepen the design/ implementation/ monitoring of CSR policies.
• Prepare service agreements for business support services, in collaboration with the 2SCALE Contract Manager. Monitor these agreements, particularly through frequent field visits to cluster actors.
• Organize frequent governance meetings with the lead partner(s) and other parties in the PPPs. Ensure that governance mechanisms implemented in the partnership are inclusive. Lead the validation, sharing and filing of the minutes of every governance meeting.
• Collaborate with the Communication Specialists to develop outreach materials in a frequent manner, and ensure the visibility of the PPPs and their development (achievements, challenges, lessons learnt).
• Write and submit timely activity reports, as well as other technical reports, notes and partnership profiles.
• Participate pro-actively in the industry team, composed of all Partnership Facilitators with PPPs in the same industry. Respond to and seek advice from the 2SCALE management to improve industry knowledge, forward-looking strategizing within the industry, and priority-setting within existing and new PPPs.
• Represent the program at relevant national/ local events.

• Develop partnership agreements with clear theories of change, and well as related action plans and cost-shared budgets.
• Coordinate field interventions that fall under 2SCALE’s responsibility, in line with set targets, and in close collaboration with supporting 2SCALE cross-cutting specialists. These activities may include but not be limited to the following:

• Monitor and document the progress of the PPPs in line with:

• Use a gender lens in every action, analyze gender-related constraints and ensure that proposed strategies are gender-sensitive and address key constraints faced by female stakeholders in each PPP.
• Analyze youth-related constraints (for both young women and young men) and ensure that proposed strategies improve youth employment and youth integration in PPPs and their value chains.
• Lead the inclusion of environmental considerations in all PPPs, and in every pilot of a new technology/ practice, and design – if needed – capacity building activities to mitigate environmental risks.

The Partnership Facilitator may implement other tasks that the 2SCALE management deems necessary for the success of the program.

Supervision and team collaboration

The Partnership Facilitator is supervised by and reports to the DPD of 2SCALE. She/ he benefits from the coaching of her/ his employer Coordinator (or her/ his designee), and works in close collaboration with 2SCALE colleagues from other consortium members.

Position and duty station

The Partnership Facilitator is a national position with a duty station at IFDC office in Juba, South Sudan. The position requires intensive travels (up to 50% of the time) in target regions in South Sudan and exceptionally in other 2SCALE countries.

Contract duration

IFDC will propose a first contract ending on December 31, 2021. Based on the incumbent’s performance and availability of funds, the contract could then be extended or renewed.

How to Apply

Interested and eligible candidates are requested to visit the website www.2scale.org to find out more information about the 2SCALE program. Kindly send your applications in English via email to [email protected]

Note: Only pre-selected candidates will be contacted. They will be invited for interviews and oral and written tests, including in English language.

Closing date of application:

April, 26th 2021

IFDC is an equal opportunity employer.

Required Skills

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in agribusiness or agriculture.
• Result-orientation and ability to take initiatives under minimal supervision, and to reach targets.
• Excellent spoken English and ability to write quality documents in Standard English.

Required Experience

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in agribusiness/agriculture with the private sector.
• Good understanding of and work experience in value chain development.
• Proven experience in organizing and facilitating capacity building programs (trainings, demonstrations, field visits, etc.), business meetings, and other events for value chain stakeholder