Market and Product Development Officer

BACKGROUND

The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) is a State Corporation established under section 3 of the AFA Act No.13 of 2013. The mandate of AFA is to regulate the crops sector in Kenya, to ensure compliance with the regulatory framework, standards, and codes of practice. As a regulator, it fosters a thriving competitive environment where innovation, technological progress, order and quality flourish, for sustainable economic growth. The AFA Act provides for consolidation of the Laws on the regulation and promotion of Agriculture generally and makes provision for the respective roles of National and County Government in Agriculture and related matters in furtherance of the relevant provision of the fourth schedule of the constitution.

In line with the Authority’s mandate as stipulated in the AFA Act No. 13 of 2013, the Board of Agriculture and Food Authority is seeking to competitively recruit qualified Kenyan professionals to fill the under listed positions on permanent & pensionable terms for positions:

MARKET AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT OFFICER II, GRADE AFA 8 (1 VACANCY)

Job Responsibilities

This is the graduate entry level for this cadre. An officer at this level may be deployed in any of the following functional areas;

1) Market and Product Development
2) Market Research and Intelligence

In Market and Product Development duties and responsibilities will entail-

(i) Undertaking promotion of establishment of agricultural produce collection centres in viable areas;
(ii) Conducting market and product promotion activities in the local and international markets;
(iii) Building capacity of stakeholders on market potential and prospects of scheduled crops;
(iv) Implementing strategies for knowledge transfer and adoption of value addition technologies in scheduled crops;
(v) Organizing linkages between financial institutions and insurance service providers with value chain players;
(vi) Implementing market and product development policies, strategies and guidelines; and
(vii) Promoting the recognition of scheduled crops products in the international market through branding, mark of origin registration and packaging to ensure traceability.

In Market Research and Intelligence, duties and responsibilities will entail: –

(i) Undertaking market research on product and market trends, growth and opportunities for new and existing markets including diversification prospects;
(ii) Holding stakeholder forums to disseminate Market research findings;
(iii) Conducting domestic market price and food supply/demand survey;
(iv) Mapping relevant stakeholders for purposes of conducting market studies;
(v) Promoting, processing and value addition of scheduled crops;
(vi) Collecting and collating data on current and future production, prices and domestic trade, imports and exports;
(vii) Maintaining and updating a market information system on current and future production, prices and movement of scheduled crops during trade;
(viii) Preparing meeting reports during engagements between farmers and processors when aligning general industry agreements with the guidelines for scheduled crops; and
(ix) Preparing country position to advocate in trade and market access of scheduled crop during negotiations.

Person Specifications

For appointment to this grade, a candidate must have:

(i) Bachelor’s Degree in any of the following disciplines; Commerce, Business Management, Marketing, Agricultural Economics, Agriculture, Horticulture, Agribusiness Management, or an equivalent qualification from a recognized institution; and
(ii) Proficiency in computer applications

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Shortlisted candidates will be required to satisfy the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 by providing; Police Clearance Certificate from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations; Clearance Certificate from the Higher Education Loans Board; Tax Compliance Certificate from the Kenya Revenue Authority; Clearance from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission; Report from an Approved Credit Reference Bureau; and clearance from Commission for University Education for degrees obtained outside Kenya.