Business Development Advisor

Organizational Setting

FAO Representation in Sierra Leone implements an integrated food security programme, focusing on diversification of livelihoods, managing natural resources and building resilience. The office employs diverse team of experts locally, but also attracts the available technical experts from the region and the Head Quarters (HQ). FAO works in close partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone, farmers and other stakeholders, supporting plans and policies that affect the food and nutrition security in the country; our work is a part of the corporate commitment to support countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, especially SDG 2 on Zero Hunger.

FAO Sierra Leone in collaboration with UNDP and UNFPA is implementing a joint youth-focused peace-building project for which the FAO country office in Sierra Leone is the lead agency. This project aims to empower youth at risk to become agents of change for community resilience, providing positive role models in the community and contributing to social cohesion in the targeted districts. It will provide increased possibilities for the voices of youth to be heard and to participate in decision-making spaces; for securing their sustainable livelihoods; and increasing access to prevention and protection services, including counselling, related to gender-based violence (GBV) and harmful practices (including early marriages, drug, alcohol, and substance abuse). This project will strengthen the capacities of security and civilian authorities as well as civil society organizations at the national and local levels to deal with youth-at-risk issues adhering to respect for human rights and dignity.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Sierra Leone, the Agronomist will be directly supervised by the Project Manager and work in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry extension officers and the Ministry of Youth Affairs.

Technical Focus

The overall responsibility of the Business Development Advisor is to support the implementation of the project’s livelihood component for youth and risk, by ensuring effective, high quality and conflict-sensitive implementation of livelihood and agriculture activities in the targeted communities.

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Sierra Leone and the supervision by the Project Manager, the Business Development Advisor will:

• Coordinate closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and relevant district, chiefdom and community youth structures and stakeholders for the implementation of livelihood and agricultural activities

• Support coordination and promote peaceful cooperation between youth at risk groups and communities

• Support market and value chain analysis in the targeted areas
• Support review of training materials on business skills, agri-business development and financial management
• Conduct trainings for youth at risk in cooperation with MAF
• Link youth at risk to Farmer-Based Organizations and support their formalization into Youth Agri-Enterprises
• Facilitate development of business plans for Youth Agri-Enterprises
• Monitoring and coaching of youth in agri-business management
• Link youth at risk with private sector actors in agri-business e.g. organize buyers’ workshops and learning exchanges with youth at risk and private sector actors in agri-business
• Support the establishment of a transport facility to link youth at risk to markets
• Facilitate youth at risk to participate in local and national events to promote business development and market access, such as produce and trade fairs, pitch nights
• Report on progress and challenges and recommend solutions to Project Manager

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University Degree in Business Administration/Development
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of one of the other FAO languages (French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian). For PSA.SBS working knowledge of English.
• At least five (5) years of experience working on business development in the context of community livelihood programs

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Experience working with a UN agency or international organization
• Experience working the in the project targeted areas Kenema and Tonkolili
• Good training and facilitation skills
• Conflict sensitivity and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to speak one or more of local languages in the project targeted areas (preferred)
• Experience with agricultural value chains and agri-business development
• Experience working on peace-building programs and
• Experience working with youths focused programming and with vulnerable youths