Quality Control & Marketing Manager – Meki Batu Veg & Fru Production Cooperatives Union
Agriculture, Business Development
Meki Batu Veg & Fru Production Cooperatives Union
: The marketing strategy is targeting three customer segments: wholesalers, institutions and individual
Meki Batu fruits & vegetables growers’ cooperative union (MBCU) and its partner, The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) are looking to urgently hire a well experienced Product Quality Control & Marketing Manager for its farmers’ Global Good Agricultural Practices (GGAP) adoption & Market linkage project.
The project has been working to get 400 farmers shift their vegetable production practice to the more sustainable Global Good Agriculture Practices Standard and as a result obtain certification by an independent certifying body over the last 5 years. By implementing GGAP well and consistently, the certification has been bringing multiple benefits including better market access and prices for certified farmers, reduce their cost of production, improve health of farmers who now better administer agro chemicals and improve food safety for consumers. In the wider context of the Ziway Shalla sub basin, adopting GGAP, also contributes to better land & water stewardship by farmers.
The incoming Product Quality Control & Marketing Manager will have two main responsibilities
- Ensuring that farmers’ product quality is managed per GGAP standard from farm to packhouse and until product reaches end buyer/customer in a traceable & documented manner for all farmers under GGAP certification
- Securing market linkage for the farmers with reliable & rewarding buyers and have it sealed with mid-long-term contracts
Specific Responsibilities
- Familiarize him/herself with Meki-Batu certified farmers, their products, MBCU & GGAP team
- Manage pack house operations & staff working on certified products to ensure hygienic & quality product output, accuracy and consistency in process & documentation required by GGAP audit
- Prepare budget plans for pack house and monitor costs monthly against plan to ensure best utilization of materials, reduction of waste on all lines & meeting customer specifications.
- Get full understanding of existing buyers sourcing certified products from MBCU farmers & existing sells outlets & develop business models for higher volume & product variety sales for longer term
- Make a biweekly assessment of local and international fruit and veg demands for GGAP certified products and make an inventory of type, volume & timing required by key potential buyers
- Identify at least one new buyer each month, negotiate & secure contracts for certified farmers
- Identify strategies to increase off take of GGAP certified produce by existing buyers of MBCU
- Closely advise and guide the farmers on strategic and market demanded crops to produce according to confirmed volume, quality and timing desired by buyers
- Identify and create linkage with service providers that supply inputs, knowledge & other necessary services useful for farmers to produce sustainably with little to no obstacles in the value chain
- Provide quarterly training to farmers on market & demands and related requirements
- In all aspects, work as a team and in good synergy with the GGAP project team and particularly with the MBCU fruit and vegetable marketing manager as well as the wider MBCU team
Duty station & condition
- The post is full time and contract based to be renewed on 6 months basis depending on the performance of the candidate and the project duration
- The manager is the be based in Meki town at the union’s head office and will report to the GGAP project coordinator and MBCU general manager and when needed to IDH Ethiopia program team.
- The manager is expected, at all times, to work closely & good synergy with GGAP & MBCU team
Required Educational Qualification & Experience
- Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s Degree in Agni-business and value chain management , Marketing, Agri-product quality control, Cooperative Management, business management and Horticulture
- Relevant & practical experience of 6 years (for BSc/BA Holders) & 4 years (For MSc/MA holders)
- Previous experience with GGAP, HACCP, Organic or similar farm certification standards is needed
- Previous experience in packing & exporting certified green/bobby/fine beans is a plus
- Experience in market linkage development for farmers/commercial farms is needed
- Previous experience working with farmers or interest for improving farmers’ livelihoods is a plus
- Proven negotiation skills for linking producers and buyers for sustainable business partnership
- Must have good financial, management & communication skills
- Able to work under minimum supervision to deliver on responsibilities with integrity and team spirit
- Fluency in Afan Oromo & Amharic and a good command of spoken & written English is necessary
- Good computer literacy & email communication (MS Word, Excel, Ppt & statistical analysis apps)
Deliverable
- Increase the volume & variety of GGAP certified products that key existing buyers offtake from MBCU so as to ensure that the 400 farmers get reliable market
- Secure at least one new high potential buyer per month with lasting contract so as to ensure that the 400 farmers get reliable market
- Develop a robust marketing strategy for the GGAP certified products that can be applied by MBCU for long term
- Ensure all quality production criteria are achieved from production to pack house ahead of GGAP audit & certification
- Provide weekly update on deliverable to GGAP Coordinator & bi-weekly virtual update to IDH