The Organization

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

The Alliance works with local, national and multinational partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, and with the public and private sectors. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services.

About the Project

Building Equitable Climate-Resilient African Bean & Insect Sectors (BRAINS) project is a five-year project funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA | The Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (pabra-africa.org), PABRA under the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT collaborating with International Center for Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) – http://www.icipe.org/ and national partners . BRAINS is an initiative aimed at promoting low carbon, climate-resilient economies in 15 Sub-Saharan African countries. The project will enhance climate resilience among women, youth farmers and value chain actors through the participatory climate smart technology/ innovation development, accelerated delivery. It also aims to build enterprises that invest in carbon-neutral, climate-resilient and gender-responsive business development. Bean, fruit tree and insect value chains offer an opportunity for transformative change in Africa. BRAINS will leverage the Pan-African Bean Research Alliance and icipe to bring climate adaptation impacts to scale across 15 sub-Saharan countries, directly benefiting 10 million people and indirectly benefiting 50 million.

About the position

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT is seeking a motivated and dedicated Business Acceleration Specialist to join our team and co-design, co-develop and co-implement of the business acceleration activities within Bean Program and Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA | The Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (pabra-africa.org). In collaboration with other BP& PABRA Team and members/partners , the Business Acceleration Specialist (BAS) will play a crucial role in driving the growth and success of bean value chain related agribusinesses following bean corridor approach Bean commodity corridors scaling up production and market expansion for smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa (cgiar.org). S/he will provide comprehensive assistance to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)  and business service providers working along the bean value chains.

Key duties & responsibilities

The main responsibilities are the following:

• Co-design, co-develop/refine and co-implement the business accelerator program structure, curriculum, and resources for SMES and related business services

1. Assist in the identification and selection of promising agribusinesses for participation in the accelerator program based on gender inclusion.
2. Provide hands-on support to participating ventures, including conducting needs assessments, developing customized action plans, and monitoring progress.
3. Coordinate and facilitate workshops, training sessions, coaching and mentorship activities to enhance the entrepreneurial skills and knowledge of program participants.
4. Conduct market research and analysis to identify industry trends, market opportunities, and potential challenges for the ventures in the program.
5. Build and maintain relationships with relevant stakeholders, including mentors, investors, industry experts, and partner organizations.

• Catalyze investments and growth of bean-engaged SEMs and business service providers by  supporting to  them to build their business cases and attract  private and public investments in their business
• Provide research and timely analytics to track and evaluate the performance and impact of the accelerator program, collecting and analysing data to measure success and identify areas for improvement and learning .
• Contribute to the program and theme reporting by preparing regular progress agri-business reports, case studies/impact stories, and impact assessments.
• Widely publish and documents the BP& PABRA agri-business
• Co-develop proposal and mobilize resources for BP and PABRA to expand the bean-based agri-businesses
• Stay updated on emerging trends and best practices in the field of business acceleration, sharing insights and knowledge with the team and program participants.

Requirements

• Masters’s degree in business, agribusiness, economics, finance, entrepreneurship, or a related field
• Over 5 years’ experience in support SMEs/business service provider particularly women enterprise development through business acceleration, startup support, or venture development
• Strong understanding of the women’ entrepreneurial ecosystem, business challenges, and growth strategies.
• Excellent project management and organizational skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills to engage with diverse stakeholders and build relationships.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to assess investment relevance and conduct market research and data analysis.
• Knowledge of the agribusiness industry: The ideal candidate should have a strong understanding of the agribusiness industry, including trends, challenges, and opportunities.
• Knowledge of business modelling, financial analysis, and investment readiness is desirable.
• Passion for supporting agribusiness ventures and contributing to social impact.

Terms of employment

This is a nationally recruited position based in Nairobi, Kenya. The initial contract will be for two years subject to a probation period of three months and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources. This position is graded at BG08 level in a scale of BG01 to BG14 (BG14 being the highest level according to the Alliance job classification framework policy). We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits including but not limited to insurance, retirement plan, staff training and development, paid time off and flexible working arrangements.

The Alliance Bioversity-CIAT is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability statuses, sexual orientations, marital status, and gender identities. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applications

Applicants are invited to visit https://alliancebioversityciat.org/careers to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include reference number RFP 103854 – Specialist-Business Acceleration as the position applied for. Cover letter and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s last name, first name for ease of sorting. The Alliance collects and process personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Applications closing date: 26^th August 2024

Please note that email applications will not be considered.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

We invite you to learn more about us at: http://alliancebioversityciat.org