USAID ERA looks for AGRI Prіvаtе Partnerships Relations Specialist

Since 2018, USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) has focused its activities on eastern Ukraine. In 2022, it expanded its geography of cooperation to other regions due to Russia’s full-scale invasion and occupation of part of Ukraine. In 2023, given the military and political circumstances and challenges, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) changed ERA’s priorities.

ERA is one of the implementers of the U.S. Government’s Interagency Agriculture Resilience Initiative – Ukraine (AGRI – Ukraine), which aims to support Ukrainian agricultural production and exports and help address the global food crisis exacerbated by Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine. USAID supports the Government of Ukraine, including working with the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI) and the State Customs Service, through ERA, to modernize border crossing points to improve grain trade and exports, passenger traffic, and perceptions of Ukraine. ERA is also implementing the Economic Stability and Recovery Initiative (ESRI), which focuses on job retention and creation and assists small and medium-sized enterprises.

USAID ERA prioritizes work on AGRI and rehabilitating EU-facing border crossing points (BCPs). The AGRI component is extending its technical assistance to Ukrainian Agri-traders and logistics companies supporting them in increasing capacity and potential of grain export logistics. The BCP component includes complex construction management and procurement of equipment and service for BCPs to become more efficient in processing big cargos of grain and other commodities through the border.

About the job

The AGRI Private Partnerships Relations Specialist is responsible for working with private AGRI logistics companies, grain traders, and agricultural holdings. This role requires a strong knowledge of the AGRI commodity export industry, including logistics and supply chain management. The AGRI Private Partnerships Relations Specialist will be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with private sector AGRI companies and traders, working with them to identify and address challenges to the export of AGRI commodities, and supporting them in implementing best practices for AGRI products export and logistics. The AGRI Private Partnerships Relations Specialist reports to the AGRI Director and is based in the Odesa, Kyiv, or Lviv office of USAID ERA.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and maintain relationships with private sector stakeholders to promote the export of AGRI commodities.
• Work with private sector partners to identify and address challenges to the export of AGRI commodities, including logistics and supply chain issues.
• Support private sector partners in implementing best practices for AGRI commodity export and logistics.
• Facilitate communication and coordination between private sector partners and other stakeholders, including government agencies, international organizations, councils, or trade unions.
• Collaborating with the AGRI Team, elevate agricultural logistics and transportation capabilities, facilitating the streamlined and punctual export of agricultural commodities to global markets.
• Work closely with other USAID ERA teams to ensure that private sector engagement is integrated into all project activities.
• Join and closely follow the efforts of the AGRI team in promoting, reconstructing, and repairing various agricultural commodities export facilities.
• Creates meeting memos with key bullet points to circulate among Senior Management Team (SMT) upon request.
• Follows-up requests to or meetings with beneficiaries upon request.
• Contributes to project planning, monitoring progress, and ensuring that objectives are met within budget and time constraints.
• Timely delivers all the ecological standard documents (ERC, EMMP, and others upon request).
• Verify to their best knowledge the potential reputational and compliance risks (Know-Your-Client).
• Analyze the private agricultural market and propose a strategy of partnership with selected beneficiaries.

Reporting:

• Prepare accurate and timely field reports and other documentation as required.
• Monitor and report on the progress of private sector partners in expanding and improving the export of AGRI commodities.
• Support the MEL Team with deliverables, as it relates to private partnerships.

About you

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, business, economics, or a related field.
• At least 8 years of experience working with private agricultural logistics companies and grain traders.
• Seamless cross-functional teamwork skills to elevate agricultural logistics and transportation capabilities, facilitating the smooth and timely export of agricultural products to global markets.
• Strong knowledge of the AGRI commodity export industry, including logistics and supply chain management.
• The ability to prioritize competing tasks, set realistic deadlines, and manage time efficiently.
• Experience working with USAID or other international development organizations is a plus.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Fluent English and Ukrainian are required.

WE OFFER

Contract length: 12-month employment agreement with a possibility of extension.
Benefits: all benefits envisaged by the Labor Code of Ukraine, corporate medical insurance for employees and immediate family members.
Start date: October 2023

Application process

All applicants must send a cover letter and updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English to [email protected]

Closing date for applications: October 9, 2023.

For further information about DAI GLOBAL LLC, please consult our website era-ukraine.org.ua.