Background

Agriculture is a pivotal sector for attainment of Tanzania’s Development Vision 2025 and the Millennium Development Goals which aim for Tanzania to become a middle income country with positive social transformation for all citizens. As a foundation providing 25% of gross domestic product and over 75% of employment, the sector is an anchor for four of the five economic targets in Tanzania’s poverty reduction strategy, as well as several social and governance goals.

In 2012 extensive information gathering was conducted through; high-level Roundtable with 30+ stakeholders, cross-country stakeholder consultations, fieldwork observations and interviews gathered and several core constraints were identified at the levels of (i) national policy; (ii) regional and local implementation; and (iii) the foundation of farms, markets, and value chains, along with (iv) underlying gaps in capacity and performance at all of these levels.

On 1 June, 2013, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania established a President's Delivery Bureau (PDB) as an Independent Department under the President's Office. Its primary objective is to facilitate the Government undertake Performance Management and Delivery of results in the Big Results Now (BRN) National Key Priority Areas and as stipulated in the Five Year Development Plan (FYDP). In discharging its duties PDB will be working closely with Government Ministries. To kick start the BRN projects, the Government has started working on five priority areas in the sectors of Agriculture, Infrastructure, Water, Education and Resources Mobilization. Given the special nature of agriculture in livelihhods of majority of Tanzanians, an Agricultural Delivery Division (ADD) has been formed in the PDB to spearhead agricultural transformation in the country.

UNDP Tanzania in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through a project support titled “Catalyzing Agricultural Development in Tanzania - Agricultural Delivery Division (ADD) ” under the President’s Office, are providing assistance to ensure the Agricultural Delivery Division (ADD) is adequately equipped with the expertise and workforce to carry out its broad mandate. Through the project, ADD will be availed critical technical expertise and seed funding to jump start the establishment of the Tanzanian Agricultural Delivery Division (ADD) in the President’s Delivery Bureau (PDB).

UNDP Tanzania is assisting in the recruitment of suitable, high calibre and results oriented professionals to join the PDB Agriculture Delivery Division, which is supposed to spearhead the agriculture transformation in Tanzania.

Objective

The objecive is to support the establishment and capacity development of an agricultural institution that will strengthen coordination and enhance delivery systems within the agricultural sector in Tanzania. Specifically, the project will facilitate the establishment of the Agricultural Delivery Division (ADD) within the President’s Delivery Bureau (PDB).

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions:

Provide day-to-day management of specific projects under the Market Efficiencies Directorate as requested by the Director, including supervising and managing performance of personnel Assist the Director of Agriculture Productivity in the delivery of initiatives under their jurisdiction by coordinating initiatives related to production monitoring of prioritized crop and livestock value chains (e.g., the continuous and accurate reporting of total commodity output through the National Agricultural Census).

General Duties and Responsibilities

• To provide day-to-day management of the Productivity Directorate, including supervising and managing performance of personnel.

Support the Director of Market Efficiencies in delivering analytical support and recommendations to overcome key delivery challenges in projects, specifically:

• Monitor and provide implementation support to initiatives prioritized in the respective national key results areas;
• Managing national studies to better establish the status of value chains of the lead commodities and recommend strategies to ensure the value chains are efficient. Starting with maize and rice and gradually scaling up to other commodities;
• Manage undertaking of studies to establish the status of the input supply systems and impact on the efficiencies along the value chain, and make recommendations;
• Conducting a technical review of agricultural sector finance availability and adoption, with a focus on differentiating farmer and SME customer segments and a comprehensive product portfolio to address needs within priority value chains and beyond;
• Manage relationship with the relevant government ministries and support them to develop actionable sub-sector strategies and implementation plans based on data-driven studies and agricultural delivery labs;
• Facilitating and coordinating a robust evidence base for marketing decisions;
• Managing a study to evaluate the impact of national value-added taxes, local cesses, and export levies for net growth patterns as compared to sector potential and developing recommendations for reviewing/revising the taxation to ensure they support industry growth;
• Manage anchoring of marketing programme analysis and implementation, with particular focus on developing superior quality, data driven analytical work, in collaboration with other relevant actors, including MAFC.

Facilitate and participate in labs in the respective area:

• To manage activities for the Agricultural Delivery Labs relevant to crop and livestock marketing elements of the Agriculture National Key Result Area;
• To manage relationships among key public, private and NGO stakeholders to support the sub-sector strategies and implementation plans;
• To provide analytical support and recommendations to overcome key delivery challenges;
• In rare situations, manage catalytic incubation to jumpstart key initiatives.

Prepare and submit to the Director of Market Efficiencies performance reports in respective area.

Perform any other duties assigned by the Director Agriculture Productivity, Agricultural Delivery Division.

Impact of Results

The key results of the post will contribute to the PDB/ADD’s efforts to transform agriculture in Tanzania by enhancing efficiencies in the agriculture marketing systems in Tanzania by supporting stakeholders in the relevant government ministries to ensure achievement of deliverables on market access and agriculture marketing elements of the Agriculture National Key Results Area (NKRA).

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of the PDB/ADD;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly and without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Technical Expertise

• Good knowledge and advisory experience in the area of agricultural marketing and market access;
• Theoretical and practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development and agricultural value chains;
• Strong understanding of transformation dynamics in large and smallholder agriculture marketing in developing countries.

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Shares knowledge and experience and contributes to Practice Areas and actively works towards continuing personal learning and development;
• Ability to provide top quality policy advice services on electoral issues;
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to go beyond established procedures and models, propose new approaches which expand the range of programmes;
• Ability to apply theory to the specific country context.

Management and Leadership

• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback;
• Encourages risk-taking in the pursuit of creativity and innovation;
• Leads teams effectively and shows conflict resolution skills;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong writing, facilitation, and presentation skills;
• Builds strong relationships and networks with clients and external actors;
• Negotiation skills: capacity to work with diverse partners including government, donors and civil society;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Prior knowledge of Tanzania an asset;
• Strong analytical skills;
• Strong communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Masters degree from a recognized institution in Agricultural Marketing, Business Administration or any related business/agribusiness discipline.

Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of professional and practical experience including three (3) years in a managerial position;
• This experience should include provision of high-quality professional and technical advice, project oversight, and communications pertaining to value chain interventions;
• In-depth knowledge of the Tanzanian agricultural environment and context;
• Exposure to high-performance international environments a desirable.
• Proficiency in computers and Microsoft Office Suite is required.

Language Requirements:

• Fluent written and spoken English essential;
• Knowledge of Kiswahili an asset.

Other:

• Willingness to travel frequently in Tanzania.