Summary
Date Posted: Thursday, November 23 2023, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Position Summary:
• The Cooperative Business Advisor will be responsible for overall coordination and management of the CORE’s cooperative performance improvement objective in Zambia. This position will lead the efforts to streamline activities associated with advancing the business performance of partner primary cooperatives in Zambia, ensuring quality program implementation by working directly with primary cooperatives and by building relationships with cooperatives, and other stakeholders. This role will also provide expertise in areas of cooperative financial management, business management, business development services, cooperative governance, linkages/access to finance and markets.

Primary Responsibilities:
The primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Technical responsibilities: “Improve the business performance of partner primary cooperatives” (70%)
• Work with the Zambia Program Manager to develop scopes of work that are responsive to identified performance areas.
• Develop and maintain relationships with program partners, cooperatives, districts, and private businesses through regular visits.
• Provide capacity strengthening to cooperatives through training and/or coaching, focusing on financial management, cooperative governance and business development services (BDS).
• Conduct annual capacity-needs assessments at partner cooperatives to inform performance priority areas of improvement.
• Monitor and track cooperative business performance, and regularly liaise with the Zambia Program Manager, Zambia MEL Specialist for associated reporting and thoughtful planning of future technical assistance.
• Educate businesses and employees on cooperative business management systems, working together to create and improve relevant policies and practices
Project Management/Implementation Responsibilities (30%)
• Work with Venture37’s accounting and finance staff in Zambia to ensure timely and accurate payments are made to consultants and contractors and in accordance with Venture37, Zambian government and USAID rules and regulations.
• Monitor consultants and review deliverables for quality and completeness.
Follow Land O’Lakes Venture37 procedures to mobilize and manage individual consultants and firms providing technical assistance to partner cooperatives and apex organizations.
• Liaise with the MEL manager to ensure firms and individual consultants are submitting accurate, timely MEL reports.
• Track key implementation lessons and liaise with the Zambia Program Manager and Zambia MEL Specialist to properly document.
• Supervise and mentor staff under their direct management to support their performance and professional development.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to support the project and/or the work of Land O’Lakes Venture37 in Zambia.
Reporting & Supervision:
• This position is supervised by the Zambia Program Manager.
• This position will oversee at least two Zambia-based positions and a large cadre of consultants providing technical assistance to partner cooperatives.

Required qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in business, management, or any other related development subject.
• Relevant background in developing business development services to farmer cooperatives and or small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
• Minimum of four (4) years’ experience strengthening the capacity of farmers and/or leaders of producer organizations (Cooperatives).
• Good understanding of agricultural cooperatives development.
• Experience managing relationships with local partners, private and government agencies.
• Ability to lead, manage and supervise a team including consultants.
• Team player with excellent interpersonal and written and oral skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Fluent in English and at least one local language in Zambia.

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 48

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Job application procedure
• Interested candidates should submit electronic copies of their CVs by 5pm Lusaka time on November 30, 2023 to: https://lol.avature.net/Careers/JobDetail/Lusaka-Zambia-CORE-Zambia-Cooperative-Business-Advisor/1760  the subject of the email must read: CORE Zambia Cooperative Business Advisor.

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