Program Description:
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN), Maputo through its Strengthening Food Systems and FNS in Beira Corridor program has given funding to Technoserve Mozambique for a regional food and nutrition security program (Manguana) for the period of 2023-2027. Agriculture is a critical pillar of the Mozambican economy, employing over 80% of the rural population and contributing to 25% of the national GDP. Small and medium farms account for 95% of agricultural production. Nonetheless, productivity is low for the majority of food crops. The project will complement other investments and coordinate with other programs in this sector to address productivity barriers in the Beira Corridor to improve FNS by increasing productivity, incomes, and jobs.
Specifically, the program aims to create:
- Increased sustainable productivity and income for small-scale food producers
- Increased mobilization of capital for a competitive local agricultural industry
- Increased capacity of key stakeholder institutions
- Improved policy and legal/regulatory enabling environment
- Inclusive and sustainable net job creation
- Improved climate resilience
- improvement of Household Food and Nutrition Security
Job Summary:
The Senior Private Sector Development (PSD) Grants Manager will be responsible for implementation of the program outcome focused on creating farming systems that are more remunerative, climate-resilient, and inclusive of smallholder farmers (including women and youth). This entails the strategic development and management of the program’s grants component with over $15 million in grant funding including core partners and includes a co-investment facility of approximately $6 million. The grants component is key to the success of the project and will include many beneficiaries at different levels of the value chain from small holder farmers to developed agribusinesses and finance institutions. The Senior PSD Grants Manager will oversee a team of 5 who will be responsible for issuing and managing the grants and delivering tailored technical assistance. The Senior PSD Grants Manager will be a strategic thought partner and support to the Program Director as one of the 4 outcome leads on the program and the most senior TechnoServe staff member.
Primary Functions & Responsibilities:
- Implement a grant program that supports key private sector market actors within the targeted faming systems to implement more profitable, inclusive and resilient business models.
- Improve and expand the financial and risk management services offered to smallholder farmers, small commercial farmers and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises through grants to de-risk new and expanded services.
- Work with small commercial farmers to strengthen their business models to provide service packages to smallholder farmers by assessing their obstacles to growth, developing customized training packages, and administering grants to address their logistical, financial and market-related barriers.
- Manage or support the provision of targeted and customized technical assistance to agribusinesses to strengthen their business model and ability to provide products and services to smallholder farmers and small commercial farmers.
- In Collaboration with consortium partners, strengthen the business model of large private companies to be more inclusive of smallholder farmers and generate more private investments into target value chains by providing technical assistance, and grants where needed.
- Collaborate with insurance companies to increase and improve products available to smallholder and small commercial farmers.
- In collaboration with consortium partners, promote small commercial farmers as a viable investment option to financial institutions and work with them to adapt their financial instruments.
- Oversee the financial and operational execution of the subawards and beneficiary grants to spur innovation, growth and sectoral transformation, and ensure compliance with the project grants manual.
- Manage and oversee the selection process for subaward partners and grantees from strategic distribution and promotion of grant opportunities, the development of inclusive criterion for recipients of grants, and a fair and transparent grant selection process.
- Oversee all grant functions including due diligence, award negotiations, performance review, and grant close out.
- Lead the process of drafting or review/adaptation of the Grants Manual in compliance with donor and TechnoServe guidelines
- In collaboration with Consortium partners, develop the Terms of Reference of the Grant selection committee
- Engage with TechnoServe Country Office, Region and HQ on Grants and Contracts related issues.
- Perform other duties assigned by the Program Director
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree and 10 years of experience or a Master’s degree and 7 years of experience in Business Administration, Finance, Law or other relevant field.
- At least 7 years’ professional experience in grants or contracts management for a large-scale, complex international development assistance program.
- Proven experience making recommendations on the scope, duration and amount of grants.
- Fluency in English and Portuguese.
- Detail orientation, including strong organizational, analytical, and quantitative skills.
- Excellent computer skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other administrative applications.
- Communicative and open to exchange and learning.