Sr Project Officer: Enterprise & Market Development

Description

BACKGROUND:

Passing Gifts Private Limited (PGPL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Heifer International USA and it provide services in educating, consulting, training, advising, and providing professional and technical services to individuals, associations, and entities in India and abroad, particularly those who support or are working in the areas of social advancement and sustainable development. This position may also require service agreements, secondment agreements, between entities, etc.

Function

The Sr

Project Officer – Enterprise & Market Development

will provide strategic and operational support to strengthen FPOs as sustainable, member-owned and commercially viable enterprises. The position will lead the development and implementation of FPO business and growth plans, strengthen member engagement and governance, identify and manage viable business opportunities, develop market and buyer linkages, and support aggregation, value addition and quality management. The role will also facilitate access to finance, government schemes and relevant public and private sector services.

The position will work closely with FPO Boards of Directors, FPO staff, producers, partners and other stakeholders to strengthen business decision-making, monitor financial and operational performance, and build institutional and managerial capacities. The role will also support the design and implementation of business prototypes for value-chain upgrading, develop strategies for scale-up, and establish forward and backward linkages across product, input and service markets for the wider benefit of PGPL project beneficiaries and sub-sector development.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DELIVERABLES: (including approximate percentage effort)

• Enterprise & Business Development – 30%
• Strengthen farmer and Producer Group ownership of FPOs and promote democratic, transparent and accountable governance.
• Develop and implement FPO business and enterprise plans, including business plans for new and existing enterprises, and facilitate access to finance and business services.
• Conduct market research, value-chain and feasibility assessments to identify viable business opportunities.
• Identify opportunities for product diversification, value addition, innovation and scale.
• Develop, pilot and scale innovative business models for value-chain development.
• Market Development & Linkages – 30%
• Strengthen transparent systems for aggregation, quality management, sales, order fulfilment and delivery.
• Develop sustainable linkages with buyers, traders, processors, retailers and institutional markets.
• Facilitate B2B engagements, buyer interactions, market exposure and commercial partnerships.
• Support pricing, negotiation, supply arrangements and customer relationship management.
• Strengthen forward and backward linkages with public, private and producer organisations.
• Develop and promote opportunities for youth entrepreneurs to support FPOs in production, aggregation, value addition and marketing.
• Establish systems to minimise distress sales and maximise the sale of members produce through the respective FPOs.
• Branding, Promotion & Value Addition – 10%
• Develop and implement FPO branding, product promotion and market-positioning strategies.
• Support packaging, labelling, quality standards and regulatory compliance.
• Identify and promote opportunities for value addition and product diversification.
• Promote FPO products through exhibitions, institutional markets, local channels and digital platforms.
• Market Intelligence & Business Planning – 10%
• Track market prices, demand, competition and emerging business opportunities.
• Provide market intelligence to FPO Boards and management for informed business decisions.
• Support pricing, sales forecasting, production planning and investment decisions.
• Maintain appropriate product-price-market information systems and buyer databases.
• Capacity Building & FPO Strengthening – 10%
• Build the capacity of FPO Boards, CEOs, staff, Producer Groups and implementing partners in enterprise and market development.
• Provide coaching and mentoring on business planning, governance, leadership, negotiation, sales and customer management.
• Facilitate relevant training, exposure visits and B2B learning opportunities.
• Promote farmer-centric and climate-smart enterprise development.
• Monitoring, Reporting & Learning – 10%
• Monitor enterprise, market and sales performance against agreed plans and targets.
• Track FPO aggregation, sales, profitability, market linkages and farmer price realisation.
• Ensure timely MIS, reporting, documentation and programme reviews.
• Document successful models, innovations and lessons for learning, replication and scale-up.
  
  

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Rural Development, Enterprise Development or a related field, with 6–7 years of relevant experience.
• Strong understanding of FPO development, enterprise management, market systems and agricultural/livestock value chains.
• Experience in business planning, market development, stakeholder engagement and project implementation.
• Knowledge of programme planning, monitoring, evaluation, reporting and proposal development.
• Understanding of relevant government schemes, programmes and services for farmers, FPOs and rural enterprises.
• Strong analytical, data interpretation, problem-solving and strategic planning skills.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement innovative and scalable business solutions.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, facilitation and relationship-management skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to provide leadership and technical support to project teams and implementing partners.
• Knowledge of grant/project management will be an advantage.
  
  

Essential Competencies

• Basic knowledge of financial controls and systems. Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, database and electronic mail software (Microsoft preferred).
• Strong Odia and English language skills, both oral and written.
• Demonstrate a high degree of honesty and integrity.
• Willingness to work flexibly outside normal working hours.
• Ability to foster and maintain a spirit of unity, teamwork and cooperation.
• Motivated to work responsibly with little supervision.
• Sensitivity in working with multiple cultures and beliefs, and to gender equity.