Job Title: Blueprint for VA Model (firm or individual) – Palladium Uganda Jobs 2021
Organization: Palladium
Duty Station: Kampala
Palladium Profile:
About Palladium – Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 3,000 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies and, most importantly, people’s lives.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.
Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com
Roles and responsibilities:
BACKGROUND
1. Overview of the NU-TEC MD Programme
NU-TEC MD (Northern Uganda – Transforming the Economy through Climate Smart Agri-Business Market Development) is a component of a seven-year FCDO-funded programme that aims to increase the incomes and climate resilience of poor men and women in Northern Uganda (NU) by
(a) stimulating sustainable, pro-poor growth in selected agricultural markets; and
(b) improving the position of poor men and women within these market systems by making the market systems more inclusive for poor people.
Funded by the UK Government, and implemented by Palladium, NU-TEC Market Development (MD) provides expertise and consulting services to innovative businesses and shifts agricultural market dynamics in a way that supports triple bottom line; economic, social and environmental improvements; in firms and market performance.
NU-TEC MD brokers relationships and works with private sector firms in agricultural markets to identify, attract and support investments that drive growth and increases in income and climate resilience for smallholders in Northern Uganda. NU-TEC MD will support pioneering firms to navigate the constraints of operating in the agri-economy of Northern Uganda and co-develop and pilot inclusive business models that generate economic, social and environmental returns.
The Commercial Village Agent Model
Since 2015, NU-TEC MD has been investing in innovative business models with private sector companies in the north. In the past 6 years, the Commercial Village Agent Model (CVAM) has proved to be cost-effective to establish while providing high returns on investment. Village Agents offer embedded services that benefit not only themselves but also companies and smallholder farmers by ensuring a significant increase in the volume and quality of products produced and aggregated.
Results from NU-TEC MD pilot companies indicated that within twelve months of adopting the Commercial Village Agent Model, the companies on average increased their sales by up to 76%, doubled the quality of raw materials sourced and increased volume of raw materials sourced by up to 34%. This has had significant benefits to several businesses in Northern Uganda. NU-TEC MD now wants to share this business model with other companies in order to benefit as many businesses and farmers as possible.
Objectives of the Assignment
NU-TEC MD is looking to hire the services of a communications firm or consultant to develop a “how-to” guide, or a blueprint for how to establish the VA model into a company’s operations, for a variety of products: dried grains, oilseeds, honey and other products. This will be a practical guide for companies and business associations to establish the VA model and will include practical examples from companies implementing the VA model in NU. The blueprint will be for a business audience, visually based, and easy to read and follow.
Scope of the Assignment
This blueprint may incorporate the following elements; however, this will be determined together with the NU-TEC MD team:
Introduction
Overview of the benefits of the model
What are the benefits for companies?
What are the benefits for VAs?
What are the benefits for farmers?
Cost-benefit analysis
Costs to set up the model, per agent
How many agents per company (size of company)
Benefits: volumes of grain, sales, VA benefits specifically, farmer benefits specifically
2. Step by step of setting up a VA model
How to set up the model: offtake, quality assurance
• Identification of VAs, success (what works, what does not work)
• Selection of VAs
• Selection criteria of VAs (network of farmers, transport means, basic finance, access to storage)
• Women VAs (benefits of using female VAs)
• Youth VAs (benefits)
• Champion VAs (box, for when it makes sense, etc.)
• Training of VAs
• Functions of a typical agent (communication of demand and price, payment for grains, aggregation, adequate storage, transportation)
• Training on the offtake business and other services
• Product training (how to source, store, transport, quality parameters)
• Service training (extension, financing, mechanization etc.)
• Additional revenue and service offerings for VAs (specific info and examples)
Extension
• Input sales (seeds, fertilizers, animal feed sales, apiculture inputs)
• Financing of VAs
• Mechanization services
Factors to successfully operationalize the VA Model
• Need for contracts between VAs and companies
• Success factors for VAs (e.g., transportation, financing, storage, communication)
• Review of how a season has evolved, identify the challenges, successes of the agents
• How to provide additional support to VAs to grow their operations
• Revenue model of VAs
• How the VA model fits into existing procurement operations of companies
• Existing network of extension officers and farmer groups
• Existing networks of aggregation centers
• Others TBD
• Handout Tools
• A series of visual handouts for VAs
• A series of visual handouts for companies
Deliverables
• Proposed methodology
• First draft of deliverables in multi-format
• Second and final draft of deliverables in multi-format including a PowerPoint presentation of the VA model, an illustrative blueprint, a how-to-video and other creative-user tools.
TIMING OF THE ASSIGNMENT
• The consultancy will begin at the end of June 2021 and a first draft will be presented to the NU-TEC MD team by the mid of August 2021.
• Once the first VA blueprint draft is approved, the supplier will deliver the final version in multiple formats including video and a PowerPoint summary deck. The final version of the blueprint and the PowerPoint will be delivered mid-July.
Qualifications
• Be a firm or individual having the expertise and qualifications in communications and illustrative writing with demonstrable prior experience.
• Have a readily available team of diverse skills able to collaborate and deliver the assignment in multi-format as per these terms of reference.
• Experience in communications in East African countries, in Uganda would be preferred but not required.
• Experience capturing information from companies, staff and others and putting down concisely on paper. Firms that also run
• Experience designing and implementing strategies targeting private sector audiences
• Understanding and experience of the agri-business sector required, and an understanding of international development projects desirable.
• Demonstrable experience coordinating and building networks amongst senior colleagues and across a variety of organizations.
How To Apply for Palladium Uganda Jobs 2021
If you believe you have what it takes to deliver original and exceptional work, please email your professional profile, a sample of or a link to similar work previously done, alongside a technical and financial proposal to http://thepalladiumgroup.com/jobs
Closing Date: 28th June 2021
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