Position Description

Honey and Shea Product Development and Marketing Expert
City/Country Location Details South Sudan
Employment Status
Job Type Project
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                                                           SCOPE OF WORK

   USAID RESILIENCE THROUGH AGRICULTURE IN SOUTH SUDAN (RASS) ACTIVITY 

Position:

Honey and Shea Product Development and Marketing Expert

Location:

 

South Sudan – Yambio, Nzara, Rumbek Center, Wulu, and Budi Counties, with some regional travel for trade shows and industry meetings

Contract Name:

USAID Resilience through Agriculture in South Sudan (RASS) Activity

Type:

Short Term Technical Assistance (STTA)

Period of Performance:

o/a  May 01, 2024 – April 30, 2025

LOE

180 days

Position Reports to:

Chief of Party or designate    

 

Activity Overview

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Resilience through Agriculture in South Sudan Activity (RASS Project) is a four-year activity led by prime Contractor, DAI Global, LLC. and two partners: CARE International, and International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC). The RASS Project’s objective is to improve food security and community household recovery and resilience in 13 counties in Western Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, Jonglei, Western Equatoria, Lakes, and Eastern Equatoria States in line with USAID strategic partnership framework with the Republic of South Sudan. To achieve this goal, the RASS Project, working with partners, employs a “resilience pathways” approach to achieve three objectives: improve the effectiveness of local systems and strengthen capacities to sustain gender-responsive, diversified, and market-sensitive agricultural production; increase the availability of, access to, and use of diverse, safe, and affordable diets; and expand opportunities for sustainable, locally driven livelihoods. The work aims at improving food security and community household recovery and resilience, thereby transitioning communities from humanitarian assistance to inclusive development assistance and economic growth.

Duties

  • Develop a timed and deliverable-based work plan for the execution of this technical support to the honey and shea butter Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) for effective and efficient technical assistance
  • Work with RASS Activity product development and marketing partners to conduct market research on current market trends, best practices, and consumer preferences
  • Collaborate with RASS Activity partners in the development, review, and implementation of the Honey and Shea nut product development, quality assurance, and marketing plans and strategies
  • Interact closely with customers to assist pricing and help producer groups on contracting with the off-takers; where possible, assist producer groups in negotiating for contract production
  • Coordinate closely with the groups during processing to help them ensure that facilities, equipment, processes, products, and recordkeeping comply with standards required by the industry
  • Link the Honey and Shea producers to local, regional and other international markets, ensuring that producer groups understand how to produce and deliver products that meet those markets’ regulatory and industry standards
  • Collaborate closely with the Producer Groups marketing teams to develop and execute strategic marketing campaigns and initiatives that enhance brand visibility, drive product sales, and engage business target audience
  • Assist in the development and creation of various marketing materials, including brochures, flyers, banners, posters, product catalogs, videos, and digital content, maintaining consistent honey and shea products brand identity of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
  • Assist the RASS supported honey and shea butter MSMEs in drafting social media product development and marketing content presence to engage the online clientele
  • Identify/Organize/Participate in events such as trade shows, conventions, conferences, and collaborating with the producers to showcase the RASS supported Honey and Shea Nut products, and capturing marketing insights and lessons learned from such events
  • Monitor the market, including coordinating and documenting regular competitive pricing, to identify opportunities for product improvement or new products
  • Support the honey and shea butter MSMEs in advocacy against internal trade barriers and excess costs as a strategy to boost product competitiveness locally and regionally
  • Collect and analyze data to track the value and volume of sales from marketing campaigns to promote current products and to advise the producer groups and off-taker/seller/exporters on adjustments to their marketing and sales strategies
  • Work with RASS MEL/CLA to collect and analyze key performance metrics and develop reports and communication products as necessary
  • Any other role delegated in line with the Honey and Shea nut quality assurance and marketing

Place of Performance and Reporting

Honey and Shea Product Development and Marketing Expert will be based in South Sudan and will report to the Chief of Party or designate. The incumbent will collaboratively engage with relevant DAI/RASS technical personnel including the Market Systems Technical Lead, the Producers Groups Specialist, County Managers, and partners’ staff in their respective counties of assignment.

Qualifications

  • At least a Diploma in Marketing, Communications, Business, or a related field
  • 5 - 10 years of proven experience in marketing and marketing strategy development in the honey and shea industry
  • Experience in product development, collaborating with producers, consumers, and other off-takers in the honey and shea industry
  • Proven record in linking Honey and Shea producers to local regional and other international markets
  • Detail-oriented mindset, ability to multi-task, and work as part of a team
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
  • Proficiency in digital marketing tools, social media platforms, and e-commerce marketing and order fulfillment platforms
  • Basic graphic design skills is an added advantage
  • Ability to work in remote areas with producer groups and individuals within South Sudan
  • Willingness to travel as needed, and occasionally for trade shows and industry events with producer group representatives to help with market research information and generating media content

Submission

To apply, please send your complete and updated CVs/resumes of the proposed experts, technical and financial proposals detailing methodology, work plan, required resources, and budget; and previous reports as one single document to: rass_procurement@rassactivity.org.  Please DO NOT submit any other recruitment documents currently. In the subject line, please indicate the following: “STTA for Honey and Shea Product Development and Marketing.” DAI/RASS encourages applicants to submit their applications electronically. Only shortlisted candidates who meet all the minimum qualifications will be contacted. The deadline for submissions is Monday, April 12, 2024 at 05:00 PM (17:00) CAT.  Kindly be reminded that DAI does NOT tolerate canvassing and will not answer questions via phone calls.

DAI Organization and Values

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work.  DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner. DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

DAI is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. 

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