Head of East Africa Job Vacancy – Business Lab Uganda
Job Title: Head of East Africa
Organisation: Business Lab Uganda
Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda
Start date: Immediate
About US:
Business Lab Uganda is a trade support organization that, together with other frontrunners in Uganda, develops value chains and connects local producers to international markets in order to create business and job opportunities for women.
Job Summary: The overall responsibilities of the BLU Head of East Africa is to provide leadership, vision and guidance to the BLU Uganda Team, agri-processors within the BLU network and BLU partners and potential partners.
The Head of East Africa will manage the day to day aspects of BLU specifically in the delivery of the Jackfruit value chain in ensuring that the product is sourced and produced in line with our buyers requirements while creating business opportunities for local partners that match demand in Europe.
We are in full production of dehydrating jackfruit from Uganda and Kenya, which our clients in Europe use to produce vegan meatballs, burgers, curries, etc.
Currently, we source around 30k fresh JF per week in Uganda which is then sent to our processing partners to produce dehydrated and canned JackFruit across Kenya and Uganda.
The Head of East Africa must have a versatile professional background, and be highly capable in driving the business and responsibilities which can range substantially across operations and execution, strategy, marketing, business development and stakeholder management, finance, project management, and innovation.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Build and Guide the Team to Success
- Motivate and guide team to achieve results and ensure they are supported, have the necessary autonomy, mastery and purpose at BLU
- Ensure every BLU employee is an effective project manager
- Guide teams to operate effectively, efficiently and practically at a project level
- Ensure priorities are executed and in line with the BLU roadmap and strategic direction
Implement scalable systems and processes to maximize efficiency and action
- Processes: Defines, creates, oversees the creation of efficient processes that simplify day to day responsibilities across finance, project management, operations, stakeholder management, M&E, Agronomy, etc
- Identifies the best systems and connects them: to benefit BLU and its network; build a strong system of organizations, individuals and networks continuously
- Ensures that partner organizations are developed
- Looks after day to day management of BLU Uganda as needed
Jackfruit Sourcing & production
- Lead the BLU team to effectively build partnerships with Sourcing and production
- Drive the sourcing of the FJF in line with the demand, ensure support and training is given
- Effectively plan the supply and demand to forster good working relationships with all partners
- Ensure that production is meeting QC standards and manage respectively
- Ensure that I2H and BLU app is capturing data for traceability
- Leads and supports the commercialization processes of JF products within Uganda and globally
Provide Strategy & Direction
- Oversees the creation of a budget, budget system and ensures adherence to this monthly, quarterly and annual budget
- Think beyond the day to day to create new ideas and adjust direction as needed
Business and social impact: scaling up and out
- Creates structures and approaches to new and/or existing areas that support scale and efficiencies. This can include, but is not limited to, supply chain and distribution (collection centers of the future), business opportunities (value chains expansions), product / service innovation, beneficial partnerships, etc
- Raises the BLU profile through relevant innovations/technologies
- Builds and maintains relevant networks within the agri-business community and beyond. Maintain a strong rapport with these stakeholders to further BLU priorities.
- Creates the business case, verifies the business case and ensures there is a business case for all that we do at BLU that is scalable
- Plays a key role in successful execution on the ground in order to prove the Trade, not Aid concept
- Stays abreast new ideas, industry trends, opportunities for BLU and the BLU network and shares ideas based on the triple scan
Reporting and Relationship Management
- Oversees the development of major projects being designed and developed by the Team, ensures compliance with donor obligations and internal standards
- Relationship-building and customer care: Builds relationships and ensures current stakeholders/BLU Companies are up to date on key information informally and/or through monthly/quarter
BLU Ambassador
- Ensures the strategy and direction is clear and concise for the BLU team so that they are engaged and can represent the brand and organization positively
- Establishes a content plan and ensure BLU team buy-in to raise the profile of BLU and its brands
- Ensures the BLU team assists in content creation to better promote BLU and BLU’s brands (Product reviews, newsletters, blogs, promotion through their own communities)
What we offer:
- A key role in our fast-growing business with which you will on one hand create economic opportunities for especially women and on the other hand contribute to the protein transition
- Working with a diverse and international team of a/o. Serial entrepreneurs, food experts, product engineers, impact entrepreneurs
- An interesting salary package
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The ideal applicant should have relevant qualifications, skills and experience
How to Apply:
All suitably qualified and interested applicants should send your CV to info@blu.ug
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