Published 2025-07-12
Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of work around the world for over 50 years. Techno Serve is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business 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 Techno Serve staff, people around the world 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.
Title: Business Sustainability & Upgrading Specialist (BSUS) - Processors
Program: VINES (CRS002 N-01)
Reports to: Business Sustainability and Upgrading Manager (BSUM)
Location: Kasese
Travel: Remote rural locations
Grade: 8
Job Summary:
Techno Serve is recruiting a Business Sustainability and Upgrading Specialist who will support the implementation of Techno Serve’s efforts under the VINES-Project with a particular focus on ensuring business sustainability of the actors along the Vanilla Value Chain, including but not limited to access to access to finance and supply chain development of vanilla Traders, processors and exporters.
Program Overview:
Techno Serve, CRS, and Frontier Co-op are implementing VINES , a five-year, $13 million, USDA Food for Progress program that will make Uganda the world’s next leading supplier of high-quality vanilla. Led by CRS, VINES will leverage the expertise of CRS and its world class consortium of partners (including Techno Serve), associated experts and leading international buyers to provide technical assistance to enhance the production of safe, clean, pure vanilla, develop market links with US trade networks, and strengthen an enabling public policy network to reduce vanilla theft to transform the lives of 16,200 farmers, 356 self-employed service and input providers, 480 processors' employees; and generating 15,820 new on-farm seasonal and permanent processing jobs to reach 32,856 vanilla stakeholders.
In turn, this will provide international buyers with a new origin that will stabilize the extreme price volatility for this unique spice.
Within the consortium, Techno Serve will lead in market analysis, business planning, farmer business capacity building, agripreneur and youth training, input supply, and business relationship management.
Primary Functions & Responsibilities;
Facilitating partnerships and systems change within targeted Actors Support implementation of the Vines Project with an emphasis on cross-market functions, tailoring assistance to partners, conducting due diligence, and monitoring implementation
Capacity Building of actors through the provision of BDS targeting technical, managerial, business, and advocacy capacity;
Working with partners, facilitate innovation and pilots that promote inclusive business models (e.g., establish/strengthen smallholder sourcing networks and improve efficiency in distribution to increase access for marginalized populations, etc.) and enhance linkages among market actors.
Managerial capacity building of actors in areas of business planning, marketing strategy development, governance of the board, improved member relations, and development of members in the Farming as a Business concept.
Provide clients (Processors) with technical assistance, training, tools, and methodologies to ensure their optimal performance and sound management
Contribute towards Facilitating Stakeholders' engagements, meetings, and forums.
Facilitate Market linkages and Agricultural Finance Provide sector-wide training in market analysis, profitability analysis, value proposition design and testing, business planning, financial record preparation, and general support in how to prepare a supply chain upgrading plan
Identify and deliver technical and financial training and BDS support that are required to complement any commercial finance for the partners' co-investment
Provide customized business and technical advisory support to partners
Program Coordination and Implementation: Contribute to project activity reports and Techno Serve internal monitoring, evaluation, and Learning (MEL)
Collect and report data and support Microenterprise Counselors to collect accurate data from beneficiaries based on the project MEL plan.
Any other duties assigned by your supervisor
Basic Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, economics, business, or related field, excellent academic record
At least 5 years of experience in the agricultural value chain, rural development, and/or rural finance. Private sector experience preferred
Demonstrated understanding, skills, and experience in market systems development programs and facilitative approaches
Detail-oriented, with strong project and team management, organizational, analytical, and quantitative skills
Significant interpersonal and communication skills, especially in multicultural and multi-ethnic contexts, adept at building relationships with multiple stakeholders
Experience working with MSMEs, producers, producer organizations, traders, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers
Experience facilitating linkages and relationships between the private sector and the government
Adept at developing and sustaining high-level relationships
Strategic thinker
Strong team player and consensus builder
Highly computer literate
Excellent oral and written English communication skills
Preferred Qualifications: Financial and business modeling
Facilitating Multistakeholder Platforms
Fluent in at least one local Ugandan dialect
We encourage all qualified individuals who share Techno Serve'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 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.
