Swisscontact
JOB OPPORTUNITY
1. Introduction to Sahaj – Nepal Agricultural Market Development Programme (NAMDP) Phase II
Nepal Agricultural Market Development Programme (NAMDP), also known as Sahaj, has been designed with a 12 years’ time horizon with successive phases. The objective framework of Sahaj is based on a long-term vision of thriving and inclusive agriculture markets. Sahaj operates under the bilateral agreement between the Government of Nepal (GoN) and the Government of Switzerland. Sahaj is implemented by a consortium of Swisscontact (as the lead agency) and the Centre for Environmental and Agricultural Policy Research, Extension and Development (CEAPRED).
Background
Sahaj Phase I (March 2016 – November 2020) aimed to increase smallholder farmers’ income by integrating them into commercial agriculture markets and networks. Using an approach that makes private sector markets work better for the poor (also known as a Market Systems Development or MSD), the programme supported market-based solutions around inputs and farming. The impact targeted smallholder farmers, including women and people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Sahaj Phase II works on forward production linkages1 and focuses on generating lasting impact in Province 1. As per the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, 2002), “Forward production linkages (or down-stream linkages) refer to the part of the non-farm sector that uses agricultural output as an input. “The distribution and processing of agricultural outputs are fundamental components of forward production linkages.” Sahaj phase II is designed to foster overall agriculture commercialisation, international and domestic trade, and employment generation; with an emphasis on support functions (services) and enabling environment for agri-businesses, particularly to SMEs.
The project has three main pillars in phase II: agriculture service provision, non-agriculture service provision, and business enabling environment and federal state building. Under these pillars, interventions will identify and address constraints to innovative and sustainable products/service delivery by agriculture service providers (ASPs) and non-agriculture service providers (N-ASPs). This also includes addressing policy bottlenecks and unlocking potential for closer collaboration between sub-national governments and the private sector.
2. Vacancy: Sahaj – Nepal Agricultural Market Development Programme (NAMDP) – Phase II
Swisscontact Nepal invites applications from qualified candidates (Nepali citizens) for the following position required for Nepal Agricultural Market Development Programme (NAMDP) Phase II.
Serial Number: I
Position: Officer- Services and Innovation (1 Position)
Place of work: NAMDP Office, Biratnagar, Nepal
Serial Number: II
Position: Long term consultant – Services and Innovation (1 Position)
Place of work: NAMDP Office, Biratnagar, Nepal
See section 4 for the detail job description.
3. Application Procedure
Interested candidates who meet the requirements for relevant position are requested to send their current CV (maximum four A4 pages) and a motivation letter to [email protected] latest by 11:59 PM Nepal time on 13 December 2022. Along with the CV and the motivation letter, please send the duly filled in “Job Application Form”, which is available on our website.
https://www.swisscontact.org/en/countries/nepal/jobs
In the “subject” line of your email, please mention the position applied for.
Swisscontact Nepal will not entertain any phone enquiries or other such solicitations for these positions. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the selection process. Swisscontact Nepal reserves the right to reject any or all applications.
Swisscontact Nepal promotes workforce diversity and applies positive discrimination to candidates from discriminated groups (women, Dalit, Janajati, Madhesi/Terai and other minority communities).
4. Job Description
Officer – Services and Innovation
Start of employment: January 2023
Place of work: Biratnagar, Province 1, Nepal
Reports to: Manager- Agriculture Services
Tasks
The Officer– Services and Innovation (Agriculture Services) is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the programme activities under Agriculture Services team. Her/his major tasks
include:
- Analysis of agriculture services functions and performance as well as constraints in identified sectors and lead overall activities of a sector.
- Assisting line-manager with gathering relevant information to develop intervention strategies in line with the market systems development (MSD) approach.
- Ability to propose innovative ideas to solve systemic constraints identified in the sector strategy documents.
- Explore opportunities to work with relevant private sector companies and industry associations, government agencies, and other relevant stakeholders as per the strategies.
- Ensure quality of implementation by guiding partners to conduct activities under partnership and, if needed, recommending changes in intervention design or modality to improve the outcome of the interventions.
- Undertake day to day implementation in the field and supervision of intervention activities in accordance with defined strategies.
- Implement approaches and interventions that foster gender and social inclusion and greengrowth.
- Contribute to Federal State Building/Business Enabling Environment (FBS/BEE) initiatives as per project approach.
- Contribute to all relevant MRM processes; using MRM as a tool to improve interventions and strategies and proving results. Prepare and/or contribute to relevant documentation for MRM.
- Contribute to prepare outputs from the services and innovation team in accordance with communication guidelines and needs.
- Provide input to the Yearly Plan of Operations (YPOs) and (semi-)annual progress reports.
- Maintain professional working relationships with partners (subcontractors and intervention partners).
- Comply with the Project Manual of NAMDP and other relevant requirements of Swisscontact and SDC.
Requirements
- Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience (market systems development (MSD), private sector development or in the private sector in agriculture) with a bachelor’s degree in Management/Economics/Agriculture with specialisation in Agri Economics or Agri Business or minimum 2 years of relevant work experience with Master’s degree in Management/Economics/Agri Economics/Agri Business.
- Good knowledge of the context in which agribusinesses or industries operate in Nepal.
- Good understanding of agriculture services and non-agriculture services for agri-businesses and the underlying constraints facing the service providers in Nepal.
- Passion for learning and implementing innovative ideas
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in Nepali and English
- Willingness to travel frequently, often to remote places and sometimes within short notice
Long term consultant – Services and Innovation
The consultant is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of interventions under Agriculture Services.
Start of employment: January 2023
Place of work: Biratnagar, Province 1, Nepal
Reports to: Manager- Agriculture Services
Tasks
Her/his major tasks include:
- Analysis of agriculture services functions and performance as well as constraints in identified sectors.
- Assisting line-manager with gathering relevant information to develop intervention strategies in line with the market systems development (MSD) approach.
- Ability to propose innovative ideas to solve systemic constrained identified in the sector strategy documents.
- Explore opportunities to work with relevant private sector companies and industry associations, government agencies, and other relevant stakeholders as per the strategies.
- Ensure quality of implementation and, if needed, recommending changes in intervention design or modality to improve the outcome of the interventions.
- Support three pillars of the project: Agriculture Services, Non-Agriculture Services and Business
- Enabling Environment and Federal State Building on designing, implementation and supervision of the interventions related to mechanisation
- Undertake day to day implementation in the field and supervision of intervention activities in accordance with defined strategies.
- Implement approaches and interventions that foster gender and social inclusion and green growth.
- Contribute to Federal State Building/Business Enabling Environment (FBS/BEE) initiatives as lead by the project.
- Contribute to all relevant MRM processes; using MRM as a tool to improve interventions andstrategies and proving results. Prepare and/or contribute to relevant documentation for MRM.
- Contribute to prepare outputs from the services and innovation team in accordance withcommunication guidelines and needs.
- Provide input to the Yearly Plan of Operations (YPOs) and (semi-)annual progress reports.
- Maintain professional working relationships with partners (subcontractors and intervention partners).
- Comply with the Project Manual of NAMDP and other relevant requirements of Swisscontact and SDC.
Required skills and qualifications
- Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience (market systems development (MSD), private sector development or with the private sector in agriculture)
- Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Engineering/Mechanical Engineering
- Good knowledge of the context in which agribusinesses or industries operate in Nepal.
- Good understanding of services for agri-businesses and the underlying constraints facing the service providers in Nepal
- Passion for learning and implementing innovative ideas
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in Nepali and good command of spoken and written English
- Willingness to travel frequently, often to remote places and sometimes within short notice
To apply for this job please visit www.swisscontact.org.
