Job details
Description
Title: Market Systems Advisor
Program: BlueBiz Program
Reports to: Market Systems and Partnerships Manager
Location: Mombasa – with travel to Kilifi, Tana River, Kwale, Lamu and Nairobi.
Grade: 7
TechnoServe Background:
Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of businesses and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.
The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development.
But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people worldwide are lifting themselves out of poverty.
The results are amazing…when incomes increase, and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.
Program Description:
TechnoServe is implementing the 3-year BlueBiz program to equip young people in Kenya’s Blue Economy with skills in enterprise development, financial literacy, and soft skills.
The program addresses barriers young men and women face in starting and growing micro-enterprises by tackling challenges like skills development, access to finance, technology, and markets while fostering local leadership.
Operating in Kenya’s five coastal counties (Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River, and Lamu), BlueBiz collaborates with four local partners per county, leveraging their insights to tailor activities.
The program will engage local stakeholders, including Community Based Organizations (CBOs), the private sector, and the government, to create economic opportunities for youth, train local business service providers, and build the capacity of local actors to support sustainable business models.
Role Summary and Position Description:
The Market Systems Advisor will play a crucial role in supporting the growth and impact of the BlueBiz youth development program by strengthening market systems and fostering partnerships within the blue economy.
The role involves identifying and promoting private and public off-taker customers for youth-led enterprises, and conducting market analysis to identify opportunities and challenges.
Moreover, supporting local partners in enhancing market access and competitiveness for the young participants within crucial value chains (e.g., fisheries, ecotourism, mangrove restoration, apiculture, seaweed farming, and plastic recycling). Additionally, it includes supporting partnerships docket with various stakeholders identification, facilitating training and networking opportunities for youth entrepreneurs, and organising events to connect them with potential partners and customers.
Lastly, the position focuses on building the capacity of local partners through tailored training programs and resources that meet the needs of youth entrepreneurs.
Working relationships:
Reporting to the Market Systems and Partnerships Manager, the Market Systems Advisor will work closely with the respective team members – Enterprise Development Advisors, local partners, and private and public organisations identified to ensure the program achieves its objectives.
Duties & Responsibilities:
Offtakers Identification:
- Developing a database for private and public off-takers customers within target value chains.
- Collaborating with the Market Systems and Partnerships Manager and local partners, to present and promote participants’ products or services to prospective buyers.
- Provide training and resources to local partners in closing sales to meet or exceed the set targets for the young participants.
Market Systems Analysis and Development
- Conduct market research and analysis to identify opportunities and challenges for youth-led enterprises within target value chains.
- In collaboration with the Market Systems and Partnerships manager, support the local partners in operationalising strategies to improve market access, competitiveness, and efficiency for these businesses. This includes identifying market gaps, analyzing value chains, and recommending interventions to strengthen market linkages.
- Support the implementation of market system development interventions in collaboration with key stakeholders.
Partnership Development and Management:
- Assist the Market Systems and Partnerships Manager in identifying, cultivating, and maintaining strategic partnerships with private sector actors, financial institutions, government agencies, NGOs, and other relevant organizations.
- Develop partnership agreements, manage stakeholder relationships, and ensure alignment of with BlueBiz objectives.
- Support partner collaboration and knowledge-sharing to drive innovation and create mutually beneficial alliances
Youth Enterprise Support:
- Develop and deliver training programs for youth entrepreneurs on market systems, business skills, and access to finance.
- Facilitate networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities for youth entrepreneurs, including, but not limited to, exhibiting their products at relevant conferences, pitching in deal rooms, participating in youth dialogues, etc.
- Support organising events (conferences, workshops, networking events) to connect youth-led businesses with potential partners and customers.
- Actively participate in relevant events to promote the program and facilitate networking opportunities.
- Strengthen the capacity of the local partners to identify and conduct workshops, provide one-on-one coaching, and facilitate access to relevant resources to strengthen the capacities of youth entrepreneurs.
Capacity Building:
- Collaborate with the Enterprise Development Advisors to develop and deliver training programs for youth entrepreneurs on market systems and marketing skills.
- Ensure that the training content and delivery methods are responsive to the needs and contexts of the target beneficiaries.
Required Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Abilities:
- Relevant educational qualification (preferably bachelor level) in Marketing, Sales, Economics, Business Management, or related field and over 3 years of private sector experience working in Marketing, Sales, or associated fields, or in an NGO/government role with an orientation towards private sector development or market systems development.
- A proven track record of working with stakeholders in the blue economy or sustainable development sectors is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated experience in working with youth entrepreneurs and/or marginalised communities.
- Strong understanding of market dynamics, value chains, and business principles.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and networking skills.
- Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with diverse stakeholders.
- Fluency in English is required. Understanding of Swahili is an advantage.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Excellent networking, negotiation, and communication skills.
- Strong understanding of the blue economy and sustainability sectors.
- Ability to work independently, manage multiple projects, and adapt to changing priorities.
- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Ability to work under tight deadlines while managing multiple tasks and activities
- Ability to develop well-written, cohesive analyses and reports
- Experience building win-win partnerships between multiple stakeholders, including civil society, supply chain actors, financial institutions, technology providers, and others
- Ability to communicate a high-level strategy to internal and external stakeholders while driving the execution of a work plan and achieving short-term milestones.
- Experience and comfort in applying adaptive management principles to make strategic, data-driven decisions in the face of uncertainty and complexity.
Success Factors and Milestones
Competency combines knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) directly related to successful job performance.
30 Days:
- Orientation and Onboarding: Fully onboarded with a clear understanding of company policies, IT infrastructure, and key responsibilities.
- Team Integration: Successfully integrate into the BlueBiz team, establishing productive working relationships with all team members.
- Develop a database of more than 30 private and public off-takers within target value chains.
- Conduct preliminary market research to identify critical opportunities and challenges for youth-led enterprises.
90 Days:
- Finalise and expand the off-taker database to include 100+ contacts, segmented by industry and potential for partnership.
- Deliver training sessions for local partners on sales techniques and resources to support young participants.
- Complete a comprehensive market analysis report identifying market gaps and intervention recommendations.
- Facilitate at least two networking events or workshops for youth entrepreneurs, connecting them with potential partners.
6 Months:
- Support the implementation of at least five market system development interventions based on the recommendations from the market analysis.
- Establish three new strategic partnerships, resulting in formal agreements and collaborative initiatives.
- Organize and execute a more significant event (e.g., a conference) to showcase youth-led businesses, including participation from off-takers and partners.
- Launch a pilot training program for youth entrepreneurs, with feedback mechanisms to content and delivery.
1 Year and Beyond:
- Create a sustainable and regularly updated off-taker database with ongoing engagement strategies for at least 200+ contacts.
- Develop a comprehensive training curriculum for youth entrepreneurs, with ongoing sessions scheduled quarterly.
- Through partnerships and interventions, achieve measurable outcomes in market access and sales growth for youth-led enterprises.
- Establish a mentorship program linking experienced entrepreneurs with youth participants to foster long-term business development and innovation.
- Continuously evaluate and adapt training and support initiatives based on feedback and changing market dynamics to ensure relevance and impact.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe’s vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.
With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability, and all other protected classes.
We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.
If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact Human Resources at [email protected] or call +1 202 785 4515.