Business Specialist

Background

Agriculture is the backbone of Malawi's economy, employing over 70% of the population and contributing significantly to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (24.7%). Whilst subsistence farming has been the predominant practice, there has been a growing emphasis on commercialization to unlock the sector's full potential. Commercialization entails transitioning from traditional, subsistence-oriented farming to more market-oriented, profit-driven agricultural activities in line with the Government’s Agriculture, Tourism and Mining (ATM) growth strategy In Malawi, this transition is crucial for enhancing food security, increasing farmers' incomes, promoting rural development, and achieving broader economic growth objectives. However, achieving meaningful commercialization requires targeted interventions, supportive policies and a strong anchorage to private sector. Since 2014, UNDP has actively supported the private sector in advancing sustainable development through diverse initiatives and partnerships in the agricultural space in close collaboration with mainstream Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Through close collaboration with private sector entities building on relevant past experiences, the UCHI Strengthening Agricultural Commercialization Project will provide the technical expertise, resources, and networks required to effectively tackle challenges related to agricultural commercialization and generate market opportunities for smallholder farmers (SHF), advocating for market-oriented business practices and stimulating market and financial opportunities within priority value chains. Additionally, the Specialist is responsible for ensuring that project interventions are nutrition-sensitive and contribute to addressing under-nutrition and related challenges, in alignment with the objectives of the UCHI Nutrition Project. Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and in collaboration with Project Specialists and District Coordinators, the Specialist will provide expert guidance to farmer organizations (FOs) and Micro and Small enterprises (MSEs) on business pathways.

In a position that demands specialized expertise in business across value chains, the Specialist will serve as the primary contact for advancing business initiatives within the project. The Business Specialist plays a crucial role in facilitating market access for targeted Farmer Organizations (FOs) and Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), bridging the gap between producers and buyers in a profitable and sustainable manner. The Specialist will lead the development of business strategies and plans for selected value chains, ensuring alignment with geographical coverage and interconnections among value chain actors. The Specialist will support negotiations and contract agreements with off-takers, processors, and other market-related actors, ensuring profitability and compliance with quality standards. 

Furthermore, the Specialist will lead the design of business plans and growth plans for FOs and MSEs, integrating them with the UCHI Matching Grant Facility. The Business Specialist will also play a key role in due diligence processes, risk mitigation, and troubleshooting business challenges faced by FOs and MSEs. The position requires engagement with key stakeholders, including Growth-Oriented Firms, financial institutions, and government entities, to enhance the competitiveness and resilience of Malawi’s agricultural sector.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide technical advisory support, strategic planning, and implementation oversight for agribusiness and business development activities 

• Facilitate market access for targeted FOs and MSEs, ensuring clear communication and collaboration with buyers;
• Support negotiations and contract agreements with off-takers and market actors;
• Develop and implement business strategies for selected value chains, ensuring sustainability and market alignment;
• Lead the development of business plans and growth frameworks for FOs and SMEs;
• Provide input to ensure the UCHI Matching Grant Facility aligns with business principles and project objectives;
• Oversee the profiling of targeted FOs/MSEs, ensuring that grant allocation supports market-driven strategies;
• Support the development of tailored training programs to strengthen business management and entrepreneurship skills;
• Conduct due diligence assessments and risk analysis for MSEs and FOs;
• Identify key obstacles and opportunities in business development and implement innovative solutions;
• Work with MSEs and FOs to address business challenges related to finance, technology, and market access;
• In coordination with other specialists, ensure timely preparation and submission of quarterly, annual, and other required project reports. Lead the preparations of activity plans, review of budget and facilitates approval of national and district level activities

Provide Policy Support and Advises on UCHI Project 

• Lead inclusive, evidence-based discussions to build a shared understanding of UCHI’s agricultural commercialization goals within national and local contexts, and explore priority policy intervention areas in the business space;
• Assist the Ministry of Agriculture in developing and reviewing policies and strategies related to agriculture, food security, and commercialization to align with national priorities and through a business lens;
• Work closely with the UCHI implementation team and Government of Malawi counterparts—including the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade, and local entities—to define a policy agenda aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity, agribusiness growth, and private investment;
• Partner with local and international experts to review identified policy challenges, providing evidence-based recommendations to address constraints affecting agricultural commercialization.

Strengthen partnerships with off-takers, BDS Providers, Growth-Oriented Firms and other partners across the 10 Districts of UCHI 

• Act as a liaison between SMEs, FOs, Growth-Oriented Firms, Off-Takers, and market actors;
• Foster sustainable business relationships to promote economic growth and stability in the agricultural sector;
• Collaborate with financial institutions and development partners to improve access to capital for SMEs and FOs;
• Support the creation of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), partnership agreements, and other collaborative frameworks to formalize stakeholder relationships;
• Collaborate with BDS Providers to part-deliver Business Plans, Business Trainings, Growth Plans etc and prepare a Technical Business Scorecard for each individual FO/MSME supported under the UCHI.

Effective Knowledge Management

• Establish an efficient supervision system to monitor business performance and growth;
• Provide training and mentorship to FOs and SMEs on market trends, business processes, and compliance frameworks;
• Conduct market research and analysis to guide business-related activities and improve decision-making;
• Ensure accurate documentation, accessibility, and organization of program data, reports, and materials for stakeholders;
• Create high-quality briefs, reports, presentations, and other materials that support evidence-based decision-making, enhance program visibility, and promote private sector engagement in agriculture, productivity, and value chains;
• Leverage Lessons Learned and Global Knowledge Networks: Identify and incorporate lessons learned to drive program outcomes and actively facilitate access to global knowledge networks to inform and enhance local program delivery.

Capacity Building and Monitoring:

• Design and implement market access strategies tailored to selected value chains, including banana, honey, rice, soya, and aquaculture;
• Develop and roll out training programs in business management and entrepreneurship;
• Provide technical assistance to FOs/SMEs on regulatory compliance, quality standards, and market trends;
• Establish a knowledge-sharing system to enable continuous learning and adaptation among FOs/SMEs;
• Collaborate with the MEL department to design and implement monitoring and evaluation frameworks, track project progress, and assess outcomes. Monitor agribusiness operations to identify improvement areas and implement risk mitigation strategies;
• Collect and analyze data on project activities, impact, and effectiveness to inform decision-making and improve project outcomes;
• Conduct field visits, missions, and conferences to supervise activities and gather information for program dissemination and stakeholder engagement;
• Assist in preparing background materials for discussions, correspondence, and meetings with stakeholders to support effective communication and decision-making.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

Institutional Arrangement

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager UCHI and in collaboration with Project Specialists and District Coordinators, the Specialist will provide expert guidance to farmer organizations (FOs) and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) on best agricultural practices.

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results: -LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact 

Think Innovatively:-LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems 

Learn Continuously:-LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences

Adapt with Agility:-LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands 

Act with Determination: - LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results

Engage and Partner:-LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:-LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies 

Business Direction & Strategy- Strategic Thinking:- Ability to develop effective strategies and prioritize plans in line with UNDP’s objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, potential risks and opportunities, linking the vision to reality on the ground, and creating tangible solutions. Ability to leverage learning from a variety of sources to anticipate and respond to future trends: to demonstrate foresight in order to model what future developments and possible ways forward look like for UNDP

System Thinking - Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

Business Management:-Customer Satisfaction/Client Management - Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers' needs. 

• Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy
• Look for ways to add value beyond clients' immediate requests.
• Ability to anticipate client's upcoming needs and concerns.
• Project Management :- Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Partnership management:-Relationship Management - Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding

2030 Agenda: Prosperity Inclusive Growth 

• Local Economic Development
• Economic Diversification

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Minimum  Education requirements

• Advanced university degree (master's degree or equivalent) in Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Agronomy, International Development, Economics, Business or related field is required. Or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

Minimum years of relevant work experience   

• Minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant work experience in economics, agriculture, agriculture economics, agribusiness, environment management, climate change, private sector development is required.

Required  skills

• Progressive and professional experience in the relevant field in programme or project management in the context of agribusiness development or private sector development is required; 
• Relevant experience  at a senior level with the private sector, non-governmental organizations and/or international organizations in Malawi or a similar country in the sub-Saharan Africa is required.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section

• Background experience in working with UN Organization is an asset;
• Proven familiarity with and contributions to business development in the agricultural space, preferably in the banana, rice, honey, aquaculture, and soy value chains, and advisory functions involving government counterparts;
• Proven experience and knowledge of the country’s institutional framework and policies on agriculture commercialization, value chain development preferably in the banana, rice, honey, aquaculture, and soy sectors;
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of private sector development, the global agriculture landscape, international trade of agricultural commodities.

Required Language(s)

• Fluency in English and Chichewa (as national language) is required. 

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.