Job Description

Title: Business Development Expert

Company Name: International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)

Vacancy: Not specific

Job Location: Dhaka

Employment Status: Full-time

Educational Requirements:
∎ Bachelor's degree in business development or marketing, or similar.
∎ Master of Business Administration Degree (MBA) preferred.

Job Context:
∎ Business Development Expert-Feed the Future Bangladesh Climate Smart Agriculture Activity
∎ IFDC is an independent non-profit organization that combines innovative research, market systems development, and strategic partnerships to spread sustainable climate-smart agricultural solutions for improved soil health, food security, and livelihoods around the world.
∎ IFDC is recognized by the Government of the People`s Republic of Bangladesh as an International Organization. IFDC established its Asia Divisional Office in Dhaka Bangladesh and enjoying diplomatic status under the same Government declaration.
∎ IFDC is recruiting for the above project in Bangladesh.
∎ The Feed the Future Bangladesh Climate Smart Agriculture Activity funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will work in 21 Feed the Future Zone of Influence (ZOI) Districts targeting 900,000 farmers and 2,485 private sector enterprises including 10-20 big companies. The Activity`s purpose is to: facilitate farmers, firms, and public sector actors to increase the sustainable productivity and diversity of smallholder farmers through a more resilient and inclusive food and agriculture production system in Bangladesh. The goal is to sustainably improve food security and the nutritional status of the rural population, decrease the incidence and severity of poverty among the rural poor, and better adapt agriculture systems to meet the threats and challenges linked to climate change-related events, thus transforming farming systems through climate-smart agriculture (CSA). Mainstreaming women and inclusive development presents a significant opportunity. Meaningful participation of women is essential to purpose and goal achievement.
∎ The Activity will result in marked improvements in smallholder farmers` access to and use of high-quality CSA technologies and practices as well as CSA inputs, to improve productivity of target crops such as rice, pulses, legumes, and vegetable and other suitable crops. More than 200 model CSA villages will be developed in the ZOI districts with a village farm area group seeking advice on how to set up and operate an agriculture cooperative to serve area farmers with CSA input supply and sale of harvested crops by linking farmer-members to buyers. These 200 villages will be advertised as model villages and gradually spread all over the country. Farmers` incomes will increase, bolstering food and nutrition security.
∎ The three intermediate results (IR) of the Activity are:
∎ IR 1: Increased availability of climate-resilient varieties of target crops through seed system strengthening.
∎ IR 2: Enhanced market delivery of climate-adapted innovations of agro-inputs, including seeds, practices, and climate information services.
∎ IR 3: Increased smallholder farmer application of climate-smart agriculture technologies and practices.
∎ IFDC is seeking to recruit a qualified resourceful individual to fill the position of Business Development Expert for the above project, to be based in Dhaka.
∎ Supervision and Team Collaboration
∎ The Business Development Expert is supervised by and reports to the Chief of the Party. He/she works in close collaboration with other colleagues, and field-level IFDC staff.
∎ The Business Development Expert will supervise the work of the Junior Business Development Officer.
∎ Position and Duty Station
∎ This is a national position with a duty station in the IFDC Dhaka office.
∎ The position requires intensive travel (up to 30% of the time) in target ZOI districts of USAID`s Feed the Future Activity and some international travel to other IFDC countries.
∎ ID: 20121056
∎ Full-Time/Regular

Job Responsibilities:
∎ Position Summary
∎ The Business Development Expert will be responsible for revenue streams and identifying opportunities to increase the profitability of private sector companies, CSA input service providers, and farmers. He/she will be responsible for evaluating and improving sales, marketing, and branding strategies. Identifying and developing new lines of business based on consumer behavior in project sectors: rice, pulses, oilseeds/legumes, and horticultural crops and CSA inputs. The incumbent will evaluate and support market actors to conduct strategic and business planning exercises of their proposed initiatives to develop/ expand their sales/distribution channels and/or procurement models that will contribute to climate-smart solutions for farmers in the Feed the Future zone.
∎ Duties and Responsibilities
∎ To be successful in this role, shall demonstrate extensive experience in business development strategies and marketing.
∎ Accomplish in identifying and capitalizing on business opportunities.
∎ Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Coordination:
∎ Collect and analyze market 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.
∎ Develop partnership agreements with clear theories of change, as well as related action plans and cost-shared budgets.
∎ Coordinate field interventions that fall under CSA Project's responsibility, in line with set targets, and in close collaboration with supporting cross-cutting specialists. These activities may include but not be limited to the following:
∎ 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.
∎ Monitor and document the progress of the PPPs in line with:
∎ 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:
∎ 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.
∎ Communication and Stakeholders' Engagement
∎ 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.
∎ 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.
∎ Collaborate with the Communication Specialists to develop outreach materials in a frequent manner.
∎ Ensure the visibility of the PPPs and their development (achievements, challenges, lessons learned).
∎ Represent the program at relevant national/ local events.
∎ Administration
∎ Write and submit timely activity reports, as well as other technical reports, notes, and partnership profiles.
∎ Prepare service agreements for business support services, in collaboration with the CSA project Grant Manager. Monitor these agreements, particularly through frequent field visits to cluster actors.
∎ Lead the validation, sharing, and filing of the minutes of every governance meeting.
∎ The Business Development Expert may implement other tasks that the CSA project management deems necessary for the success of the CSA Activity.
∎ Supervision and team collaboration.
∎ Respond to and seek advice from the CSA project management to improve agri-business knowledge, forward-looking strategizing, and priority-setting within existing and new PPPs.

Additional Requirements:
∎ Previous experience as a Business Development Specialist in a related sector of CSA projects.
∎ Proficiency in integrated business management and CRM software, including NetSuite.
∎ Advanced knowledge of business development, marketing strategies, and brand expansion.
∎ Experience in identifying profitable business opportunities and potential clients.
∎ Exceptional ability to analyze market trends and competitor behavior.
∎ Ability to maintain strong client relationships and establish product sector partnerships.
∎ Competency in negotiating and closing business deals.
∎ Ability to advise on possible joint ventures, mergers, and acquisitions.
∎ Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.
∎ Ability to work independently under pressure and meet strict deadlines.
∎ Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and international environment.
∎ Strong interpersonal skills, and team working skills with the ability to maintain effective work relationships.
∎ Previous experience as a Business Development Expert or any relevant experience in USAID funded or any other projects.
∎ Excellent communication skills with the ability to express ideas clearly, logically, and effectively.
∎ Ability to assess priorities and work on own initiative.
∎ Good communication and interpersonal skills.
∎ Strong sense of integrity and personal commitment to the achievement of goals.
∎ Good teamwork skills and ability to work in a multicultural environment.

Job Source: Bdjobs.com Online Job Posting.

Application Deadline: 15 Jun 2023

Company Information:
∎ 25 May 2023
∎ International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)

Category: NGO/Development

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