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About this job

Q-Sourcing Limited trading as Q-Sourcing Servtec is a manpower management solutions firm operating in the East African Region in the countries of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and South Sudan.

On behalf of our client
RIPPLE EFFECT in the NGO sector,
we are looking for
3 ( three)
competent
,
skilled, and experienced
Value Chain Development Specialists.

About the Project

The Youth Economic Empowerment through Livestock Development (YEELD) Program is a five-year initiative aimed at improving the socio-economic well-being and resilience of financially disadvantaged young people aged 18–35 years in the Teso, Bukedi, and Ankole sub-regions of Uganda through livestock value chains. The program seeks to create 250,000 work opportunities, including for 200,000 (80%) young women, 5% persons with disabilities (PWDs), and 3% refugees and displaced persons (RDPs). YEELD is being implemented across 20 districts in the three sub-regions through a consortium coordinated by Ripple Effect, dfcu Foundation, and Multi Community Based Development Initiative (MUCOBADI), and Action For Development (ACFODE) as a social and inclusion partner in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

Role Purpose

The Value Chain Development Specialist will lead the design, development and strengthening of inclusive profitable, and sustainable livestock value chain businesses, and service systems under the YEELD programme with a focus on groups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and farmer organizations. The primary responsibilities include analyzing the livestock and other value chains, developing market linkages, and implementing strategies to upgrade and improve value chain processes. The focus is on improving the availability, quality, and accessibility of critical services including inputs, veterinary care, extension, aggregation, and market infrastructure to enable sustainable productivity and employment outcomes for young people, especially women, refugees, and persons with disabilities.

The Specialist will drive systemic, market-based interventions that strengthen ecosystem actors and service delivery models, ensuring long-term sustainability and alignment with the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy and Uganda’s national livestock development priorities.

The Specialist will coordinate closely with consortium partners, Project Manager and other technical and thematic leads and other stakeholders to ensure effective Agribusiness information sharing and collaboration across all activities. He/she will also build capacity among Agri-hubs/cooperatives and MSMEs on sustainable farming systems and production models to enhance production, processing, and marketing efforts. This includes promoting market access through collective marketing, encouraging investment among youth and women small-scale producers, and providing these groups with support, information, and confidence needed to access finances to invest in their farms, businesses and communities.

The Value Chain Development Specialist will oversee all YEELD value chain activities within the sub-region. A key part of the role involves conducting value chain analytics and studies for selected commodities and products to identify primary inefficiencies, constraints, and opportunities for women and youth engagement and value addition. Furthermore, the role involves working with the Business Development specialist to facilitate collective marketing and building sustainable linkages between farmer producers and markets through developing viable business cases for youth and MSMEs, fostering sustainable business partnerships, and promoting job creation. The Specialist will engage with various value chain actors including government institutions, implementing partners, agro-processors, farmer organizations, and farmers to ensure a comprehensive approach to strengthening the agricultural value chain.

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Technical Leadership

§
Identify
agribusiness and value chain enterprises with the potential to increase youth
employment and income across domestic, regional, and international markets.

§
Champion innovative
and sustainable agricultural practices and production models that improve
efficiency, resilience, employment and income generation.

§
Collaborate with
the project leadership team to integrate strategic value chain interventions,
workplans and budgets with a focus on youth engagement and inclusion of
women, refugees, and Persons with Disabilities.

§
Identify and assess
Private Sector Actors (PSAs), conducting due diligence and developing
business cases to integrate them into YEELD value chains. This includes
evaluating their capacity through site visits, and interactions with company
personnel and clients, to support youth skills development and employment
opportunities.

§
Support the
front-line teams to ensure Good Agricultural and Livestock management
practices, are integrated within value chains in collaborations with PSAs and
district production departments.

§
Manage PSA
contracts, ensuring deliverables are met in accordance with contractual
terms.

§
Develop and roll
out multiple and sustainable value chain production models while integrating
other pathways including access to finance to accelerate youth transition
into employment.

§
Identify and map
out any YEELD related value chain risks likely to impact project
interventions and delivery. Devise mitigations to address them.

Project Management and compliance

§
Prepare and submit
regular (monthly, quarterly & annual) progress reports on value chain
activities to the Project Manager

§
Stay abreast of
developments in youth employment, agribusiness, and agricultural value chain
policies and best practices.

§
Initiate and
develop project tools and guidelines, including PSA assessment criteria and
report templates, due diligence templates, and private benefit analysis
tools.

§
Advise procurement
committees on the acquisition of value chain-related goods and services.

§
Provide technical
guidance to cluster coordinators for effective PSA monitoring and reporting.

Value Chain
Analysis and Systems Strengthening

§
Conduct
comprehensive studies and reviews of livestock value chains to identify
Opportunities (viable, profitable, and sustainable options) to engage youth
and promote value addition and identify systemic constraints.

§
Design and
implement interventions to strengthen input supply systems, animal health
services, extension models, and aggregation structures.

§
Promote efficient,
market-driven service delivery mechanisms that improve productivity and
resilience.

§
Support development
of inclusive service models targeting youth, women, refugees, and
marginalized groups.

§
Analyze how
environmental sustainability can enhance value chain profitability and
competitiveness, supporting youth employment and the creation of bankable
Agri-enterprises.

§
Collect and analyze
data to inform investment in innovative agribusiness enterprises that can be
financed to drive youth employment and livelihood improvement.

§
Produce analytical
and knowledge resources (e.g., guidelines, case studies, technical notes)
that demonstrate the business case for value chains in the context of job
creation.

Private Sector Engagement & Market Systems Development

§
Build and maintain
partnerships with private sector actors including input suppliers,
processors, service providers, and aggregators.

§
Facilitate the
strengthening of market systems to ensure sustainable access to services and
markets.

§
Identify and
support scalable business models that enhance competitiveness within
livestock value chains.

§
Develop and
implement strategies to create an MSME ecosystem that supports sustainable
youth-led agribusinesses.

§
Identify new market
opportunities and lead the development of viable business models that secure
long-term private sector engagement for youth.

§
Facilitate
consortium workshops and provide consistent updates, market intelligence, and
stakeholder linkages to support hub operations

Financial Inclusion & Services Integration

§
Collaborate with
financial institutions to design and promote livestock-friendly financial
products (credit, insurance, savings).

§
Strengthen linkages
between value chain actors and financial service providers.

§
Promote integrated
service delivery models that combine technical, financial, and market
support.

Capacity
Building & Technical Support

§
Provide technical
guidance to consortium partners and service providers on value chain
development approaches.

§
Strengthen
capacities of local actors (e.g., vets, agro-input dealers, extension agents)
to deliver quality services.

§
Support training on
livestock productivity, service delivery models, and business sustainability.

Coordination
& Partnership Management

§
Work closely with
consortium partners to ensure coordinated implementation across sub-regions.

§
Foster
collaboration and alignment with consortium partners, local authorities,
Agro-processors, farmer/youth groups, and other stakeholders.

§
Participate in
joint planning and co-creation processes for programme activities.

§
Engage with
government agencies and sector platforms to ensure alignment with national
strategies.

Monitoring,
Evaluation, Adaptation & Learning

§
Conduct quarterly
field assessments, to monitor implementation, document best practices, and
support learning across the consortium.

§
Work with the MEL
team to establish measurable KPIs that track project impact and
sustainability. Keep track of data relating to all aspects of production and
marketing.

§
Define quality
standards for value chain development with value chain actors.

§
Organize regular
consortium leadership meetings, feedback sessions, raising issues and
proposing corrective measures as needed.

§
Support adaptive
management through evidence-based decision-making.

§
Prepare timely
technical reports and updates.

Innovation
& Systems Transformation

§
Identify, pilot,
and scale innovative approaches to strengthen livestock service delivery
systems.

§
Promote digital and climate-smart solutions
within livestock value chains.

Other duties

§
Ensure compliance
with Ripple Effect policies and all relevant legislation.

§
Act at all times
according to Ripple Effect’s values and in support of its Africa Forward
Together approach.

§
To undertake other
duties of a similar nature as reasonably required by the line manager.

Key Result Areas

§
Strengthened and
sustainable livestock service delivery systems.

§
Improved access to
quality inputs, services, and markets for youth.

§
Increased
productivity and competitiveness in livestock value chains.

§
Scalable and
inclusive service models benefiting women, refugees, and PWDs.

§
Strong private
sector participation in livestock ecosystem development

At Ripple Effect, we are
committed to creating a safe and rewarding environment for all of our people,
including staff, participants, partners, volunteers, children, and vulnerable
adults. It is a shared responsibility to ensure that everyone is treated properly
and protected from harm, exploitation, and abuse. To fulfil this commitment, we
have established a robust Safeguarding Policy that everyone working with us is
expected to follow, along with a confidential whistle-blowing procedure that
allows individuals to raise any concerns they may have.

Requirements

Person specification

§
A Master’s Degree in
Animal Science, Veterinary Science Agribusiness, Agriculture Economics, or any
other related field.

§
Project Management
certifications is a MUST. PMP certification, Project DPro certification, or
Prince2 certification is desirable