Assistant Regional Facilitator at Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry

Job Title

Assistant Regional Facilitator

Company/Organisation

Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry

Location

Mongu, Western Province and Solwezi, Northwestern Province

Job Description and Responsibilities

The Government of the Republic of Zambia through the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry (MCTI) is implementing the Zambia Agribusiness and Trade Project II (ZATP II) which is a follow-on to the Zambia Agribusiness and Trade Project (ZATP). The ZATP II is being implemented for 5 years from December 2023 to December 2028. The Project is a credit facility from the World Bank which seeks to increase access to markets and finance and promote firm growth in agribusiness. The Project has three components namely: (1) Support Access to Markets and Finance; (2) Promote Trade and Agribusiness Competitiveness; and (3) Project Management.

Job Purpose

To undertake the identification of project beneficiaries and monitoring the implementation of project interventions in order to promote access to market and finance for small and marginal farmers.

Main Duties and Accountabilities

• Undertake the assessment of beneficiary organisations training needs in order to facilitate the delivery of appropriate training programmes;
• Undertake effectively the delivery of capacity building programmes in order to up skill producer organisations;
• Undertake effectively the implementation of market access programmes in order to improve access to domestic and regional markets for producer organisations;
• Undertake effectively the conduct of outreach activities in collaboration with partners in order to create awareness of the productive alliance model and increase uptake of the matching grants and market connect services;
• Undertake effectively the identification of applicants in order to facilitate the disbursement of Matching Grants;
• Undertake effectively the pre-screening of business proposals/plans and investment plans in order to ensure adherence to requirements;
• Undertake effectively the maintenance of linkages between financial institutions and beneficiaries in order to increase access to financial services;
• Undertake effectively the monitoring of the implementation of project interventions in order to facilitate decision making and implementation of corrective measures;
• Undertake effectively the maintenance of a regional database for producer organisations and Agribusiness firms in order to facilitate storage of information;
• Undertake the receipt and processing of grievances in order to facilitate their resolution.

Requirements/Qualifications

Minimum Academic Qualifications

• Full Form V/Grade 12 School Certificate with five credits or better including English and Mathematics;
• Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness or its equivalent.

Professional Experience

Minimum Relevant Pre-Job Experience of Four (4) years in Agribusiness with focus on small holder farmers and rural agribusiness firms.

Specialized Knowledge and Skills

• Training Needs Assessment of beneficiary organisations;
• Capacity Building and Training Programmes to up skill producer organisations;
• Market Access Programmes to improve access to domestic and regional markets for producer organisations;
• Outreach activities to create awareness;
• Applicant Identification;
• Pre-Screening of business proposals/plans to assess matching grants and credit facilities;
• Financial Linkages between financial institution and beneficiaries;
• Project Interventions Monitoring;
• Database Maintenance;
• Grievance Redress Mechanism.

Other Skills/Attributes

• Initiative;
• Computer literate;
• Confidentiality;
• Integrity;
• Analytical;
• Interpersonal.

How to Apply

Applications accompanied by a detailed Curriculum Vitae and copies of academic and professional certificates should be emailed to [email protected] and hard copies to the address below:

The Permanent Secretary, Investment and Industrialization

Attention: Director of Human Resource and Administration

Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry

New Government Complex

P.O. Box 31968

LUSAKA