Associate Business Advisor

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of business and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing...when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.

The Associate Business Advisor (ABA) will support in the implementation of the Smart Souks program activities in Addis Ababa and its environs. Working closely with the Program Manager, the ABA will be responsible for timely and effective implementation of project activities and achievement of the project’s goal.

The Ethiopia Smart Souks Initiative represents a significant evolution in the partnership between TechnoServe and the elea Foundation to strengthen the micro-retail sector in East Africa.

Smart Souks will build on the successes of the previous four phases of the Smart Duka program in Kenya, which have directly impacted over 57,000 micro-retailers (dukas); mobilized over $5 million in capital; fostered partnerships with more than 10 financial institutions and over 50 manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors; and established 58 business groups and 10 regional associations that forms the NDO membership. Through business groups, the micro-retailers have been able to aggregate fast-moving consumer goods products worth over $1M attracting an average of 2–5% quantity discounts.

Smart Souks’ vision for micro-retail is rooted in a long-term process of sector transformation strengthening systems through interventions that support commercialization, maturity, and sustainability. In Ethiopia, we aim to enter the market further along this pathway than we did in Kenya. Rather than starting with training individual micro-retailers, we propose a more advanced, collective approach—organizing micro-retailers into scalable clusters, serving selected high-density condominium communities in Addis Ababa, working through locally embedded Business Development Services (BDS) providers. This model is particularly promising in essential goods sectors like cooking oil, where early signals from government actors suggest strong alignment and interest.

The Associate Business Advisor will be responsible for the following duties:

• Implement the program activities and ensure achievement of deliverables, including specific outputs and outcomes laid out the program proposal

• Support the program in identifying, vetting and selecting the souks

• Lead the process of conducting baseline, midline and end line surveys

• Ensure training of souks is delivered in the specified curriculum and one on one coaching to the souks owners

• Work closely with souks owners to form business associations

• Through critical review of project activities in the field, work with the Program Manager to eliminate risks that may hinder effective implementation of the project

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with relevant stakeholders including government ministries, private sector companies, financial institutions, business associations and academic institutions

• Maintain project work plan and ensure timely project implementation

• Submit the weekly report on activities conducted and report on monthly/quarterly targets

• Understand, respect and promote TechnoServe’s values, vision, and strategy in the implementation of assigned duties

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Program Manager

• Bachelor’s degree in business related field such as Marketing, Business Administration, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Human Resources and MIS

• 2 years experience of consulting/working with micro-businesses in Addis Ababa

• Conversant with recent trends in the retail industry in the country

• Experience working with communities living on less than $2 a day and willing to travel frequently in the informal settlements

• Strong and demonstrable report writing skills

• Track record of building strong client and stakeholder relationships with government ministries, private sector companies, financial institutions, business associations and academic institutions

• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills a must

• Proficiency in MS Office especially Excel and PowerPoint

• Ability to generate innovative solutions in work situations and work with minimum supervision