Agribusiness Development Advisor at Cuso International

 Start Date Jun - Aug 2017(flexible)

Length of Placement 6 Months

Language Requirements English

English Reading: Level 4, Writing: Level 5, Speaking: Level 4

Language Scale: http://www.cusointernational.org/languageratingscale

Open to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada only

The Volunteer’s Role
The aim of the placement is to enhance the entrepreneurship and business development services YouLead beneficiaries. The YouLead project stands for Youth Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Development. Our beneficiaries will be supported in establishing micro, small and medium (MSME) enterprises in the natural resource sector of agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, eco-tourism and renewable energy.ofAccess

The objective of this placement is:

• To apply knowledge and skills related to the concepts, principles, and methodologies of business development and value chain
• To apply higher order thinking skills (critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, complex problem solving) to “real world” situations
• To develop career awareness, direction and exploration of vocation
• To increase skills for understanding and working with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures and to work effectively within diverse environment

As a volunteer, you will:

• Organize workshops from time to time, business plan development and implementation for partners, and project structurestrain-the-trainer’s
• Provide support for strengthening of business management capacities and their business model
• Support internal market and end market assessment of identified value chains
• Support with the pre-design of a intervention based on each identified value chain product and highlight the available business opportunities for young women and men along the value chain of identified productsmarket based
• Provide Support /coaching and mentoring of community volunteers on how to support youth entrepreneurs
• Support business development for community volunteers
• Support partner banks to develop effective system to appraise loan applications and track repaymentmicro finance
• Support the YouLead on access to finance to secure grants and funding for startup and expanded businesses of YouLead beneficiaries.taskforce
• Provide support to the business development officer to develop tools for providing business development services youth enterprises.for

Essential Academic Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree or its /Equivalent in Business, Marketing, Development studies or related field

Support Package

• Modest monthly living allowance (varies depending country)
• Accommodation while in placement
• Return airfare and visa/work permit costs
• Cost of required vaccinations, antimalarial medication and health insurance
• Pre-departure training and in-country orientation
• Travel and accommodation for reintegration debriefing weekend
• Modest support for accompanying partners and dependents going on placement with you for 12 months or longer
• Access to Employee Assistance Program while in placement and upon return
• Cuso International assessment day (Candidates must cover the first $200 of the most cost-effective travel expenses and all accommodation costs).
• Travel and accommodation for the five-day pre-departure training course and for in-country orientation
• Demonstrated Business Development skills and Grants management working in the Natural Resource Sector

Essential Professional Background:

• 5 years’ experience in Business Development
• A good knowledge of business start-ups approach and practice
• Strong experience in end market assessment & analysis
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Experience with gender mainstreaming
• Good communication and interpersonal skills