Description

Background:   

Heifer International is a is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit international organization committed to end hunger and poverty around the world and to care for the earth. Since 1944, Heifer International has worked with more than 39 million families around the world to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way. Working with rural communities in 21 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, including the United States, Heifer International supports farmers and local food producers to strengthen local economies and build secure livelihoods that provide a living income. 

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability. 

Activity Summary:   

Heifer International is a partnering with Land O’Lakes Venture37 to oversee the USAID/Haiti Programme d’Appui à la Rentabilisation de l’Elevage (PARE) which will begin in January 2023. The project aims to advance livestock production (cattle, poultry, goats, sheep, eggs, and dairy) market systems and to diversify incomes to increase the resilience of communities in two Resilience Focus Zones (RFZ) - one is in the southern region (South Department) and the other in parts of the north (North, Northeast and Plateau Central Departments). The project will address key opportunities and constraints to increase livestock productivity, facilitate private sector engagement, and manage environmental and natural resource considerations. The Livestock Activity will build upon lessons learned from past USAID and other donor funded activities and will coordinate closely with existing and planned USAID and other development partner programs and will align with the Government of Haiti’s priorities.      

Function: 

The Private Sector Engagement Specialist will lead overall activities for objective 3 of the Haiti Resilient Livestock Market Systems Activity in the Southern Resilience Focus Zone based in Les Cayes. He / She will play a key role in developing and overseeing field activities in the focus zone that will align with the overall project work plan. Specifically, he/she will foster and facilitate private sector partnerships that identify incentives and to facilitate private sector investment in the livestock market system in southern Haiti. The Private Sector Engagement Specialist will collaborate with private sector partners and the project team to develop a pipeline of interested private sector partners to engage in co-design of activities. He/she will identify a range of opportunities in southern Haiti to engage with the private sector including intensifying production, strengthening existing private sector networks, fostering innovative input supply models, identifying last-mile input delivery solutions, and increase the volume of safe livestock commodities sold on both the informal and formal Haitian markets. He/she will foster new private sector investment and new market-based relationships that strengthen connections between private businesses and smallholders. The Private Sector Engagement Specialist will coordinate closely with private enterprise, industry associations, farmer-based organizations, local authorities, regional government offices, and other implementers to ensure coordinated and impactful activities. The Private Sector Engagement Specialist will report to the Southern RFZ Lead and will have a functional relationship with the Marketing and Private Sector Partnerships Lead based in Cap Haitian.  

Primary Responsibilities: 

 A. Technical implementation of marketing and private sector engagement activities. (90%)

• Drive technical implementation of marketing and private sector engagement activities in close collaboration with the Marketing and Private Sector Partnerships Lead, the Southern RFZ Lead, and other Objective Leads on the project. 
• Work closely with other team members to develop and execute project workplans and maintain technical oversight of all livestock production activities in the Southern region.
• Provide leadership, management, and direction to field-level activities in the focus zone, including engagement with local partners, as needed. 
• Support the design and implementation of a catalytic project grants under contract mechanism designed to spur private sector investment in the focus zone, incentivize the broad participation of livestock market systems actors, and facilitate entry of new actors and new investment into the livestock sector. 
• Establish productive partnerships with key private sector actors to increase the volume and sale of safe livestock commodities sold on both the informal and formal Haitian markets. 
• Design and implement activities that promote private sector engagement in the livestock market systems that results in new private investments and new market-based relationships between private businesses and smallholders.  
• Contribute to the oversight of project and activity level budgets to support cost control for the project.  

• Other duties as assigned by supervisor based on organizational need and availability.

Minimum requirements: 

1. An undergraduate degree (e.g. BA/BS) in livestock or animal science, agronomy, agribusiness, agricultural or rural development, international development, economics, or other relevant field. 
2. A minimum of 5 years of demonstrated senior technical experience on agricultural development programs with a focus on agribusiness, resilience, and livestock in Haiti.
3. Proven leadership ability and technical capacity to build and facilitate high-level relationships. 
4. Experience and/or technical knowledge in working and developing activities with the private sector, particularly related to livestock and agricultural productivity. 
5. Experience in fostering private sector engagement, co-creation, and co-design, particularly with local partners with a focus on economic growth and agricultural development. 
6. Experience in locally appropriate and climate smart livestock approaches including sustainable landscape management practices. 
7. Experience in facilitating new private investment and incentivizing market-based relationships between private businesses and smallholders that result in win-win partnerships between the private sector, emerging entrepreneurs, and smallholders. 
8. Experience with implementing activities in resilience programs in direct support of project beneficiaries and rural communities in Haiti. 
9. Proven capacity to collaborate across projects, be flexible, and creative and to successfully work with other team members in development and post-conflict contexts.
10. Ability to communicate effectively, instilling trust and confidence. 
11. Strong interpersonal and written and oral presentation skills.  
12. Fluency or proficiency in oral and written French.
13. Proficiency in Haitian Creole.
14. Functional oral and written English. 

1. An advanced degree (e.g. Master’s) in agribusiness, animal science, international development, economics, business management, agricultural or rural development or other relevant field. 
2. 8 years of demonstrated senior technical experience on agricultural development programs with a focus on resilience and livestock in Haiti or the Caribbean. 
3. Advanced oral and written English. 
4. Experience working in difficult and uncertain environments in developing countries.
5. Experience in a relevant technical area such as market systems development and strengthening, climate smart agriculture, value chain development, gender, and youth issues. Previous experience working in Haiti a plus.

Most Critical Proficiencies:

1. Knowledge and experience of USAID rules and regulations including FAR and AIDAR clauses and relevant other US government rules and regulations; knowledge of other international development agencies is a plus.
2. Ability to work in uncertain environments and maintain agility.
3. Fluency in Spanish a plus.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands:

1. Ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities in a rapidly changing environment. Must be flexible and able to improvise to handle a variety of situations.
2. Ability to effectively supervise, delegate, mentor, and train individuals and teams using participatory methodologies. Strong facilitation skills preferred.
3. Ability to build and maintain relationships remotely and work effectively with colleagues and stakeholders with limited opportunity for personal interaction.
4. Strong interpersonal skills in a changing environment, with the ability to challenge the status quo courageously and tactfully, and effectively influence improvement.
5. Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.
6. Constant sitting and working at a computer for extended periods of time.
7. Constant face-to-face and digital communication with colleagues and stakeholders.
8. Ability to accommodate flexible business hours across time zones.
9. Ability and willingness to travel internationally and domestically as needed; adequate physical condition necessary for travel to project sites in remote areas.