Agricultural Sector Specialist, Location Краматорськ

1. Project Background:

 The purpose of the USAID Economic Resilience Activity is to improve the overall economic resilience of eastern Ukraine in response to Russia’s aggression, which has disrupted critical market linkages, catalyzed the economic decline of previously dominant industries, and caused massive population disruption. This activity aims to improve the economic resilience of eastern Ukraine through accomplishing the following objectives:

• OBJECTIVE 1: Provide assistance to stabilize the economy of eastern Ukraine
• OBJECTIVE 2: Support the sustainable development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in eastern Ukraine
• OBJECTIVE 3: Build confidence in the future of the eastern Ukrainian economy

By accomplishing these objectives, the economy of eastern Ukraine will be more diversified, more integrated with the rest of Ukraine, less dependent on Russia, and the region’s residents will be better equipped to compete for the jobs of the future, thereby improving the economic resilience of the region.  The activity will work primarily in the oblasts most affected by Russia’s aggression, Donetsk and Luhansk, but will also be active in the surrounding oblasts and throughout Ukraine as required to achieve the objectives.

The project is implemented by DAI, which works at the cutting edge of international development, combining technical excellence, professional project management, and exceptional customer service to solve our clients’ most complex problems. Since 1970, DAI has worked in 150 developing and transition countries, providing comprehensive development solutions in areas including crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and host-country governments.

2. role’s Purpose:

DAI seeks an Agricultural Sector Specialist for a 5-year, USAID funded “Economic Resilience Activity”.

 Responsibilities:

• Facilitate business-to-business meetings, matching buyers and sellers in the agricultural sector based on end-market research.
• Work in partnership with local BSPs like the DCCI and support marketing specialist to help prepare businesses for trade fairs.
• Work with value chain business networks to collect information about what skills employers need and are missing, supplement this with a confidential online survey for employers and workers (including their level of motivation and willingness to build new skills or train new workers). Work with local institutions to ensure their curricula cover those skills, including the latest technologies.
• Work closely with the project staff to conduct analyses of specific local value chains, namely greenhouse vegetables.
• Provide guidance and training to Value Chain Assessment teams.
• Based on results of VCA, work with assessment team to identify needed interventions in Agricultural Value Chain.
• Determine what value chain improvements and innovations are needed. Work with objective leads, namely objective 2 manager, workforce development and training staff to come up with project interventions based on needs.
• Assist with writing project reports.
• Advise the performance monitoring team as needed in capturing all the anticipated benefits from value chain interventions. Ensure team obtains all data needed regularly for reporting against relevant targets.

3. Qualifications:

• Extensive experience working with USAID or other donor agencies.
• BS/BA in business, agricultural economics, agronomy or a related field, from a recognized national or international university (postgraduate degree preferred)
• At least 5 years of experience serving as a senior technical expert in agriculture sector interventions for USAID or other donor entities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English;
• Fluency in Ukrainian and Russian
• Familiarity with and experience working in eastern Ukraine preferred.
• Experience with agriculture value chain analysis and assessment.
• Direct, hands on private sector experience desirable.
• Experience working in the field of international development.
• Good interpersonal skills, and an ability to succeed in a multi-cultural environment.

Submission Instructions: Please submit CVs in English to [email protected]. Submissions are accepted until October 26^th. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. No email or phone inquiries, please. When submitting your CV, please include position title in the email subject line.