Value Chain Specialist - DevWorks International

DevWorks International, formerly known as SNV USA, was founded in 2011. DevWorks brings together a core team of solutions-oriented development professionals with expertise across technical areas and geographies. Our approach is grounded in private sector engagement and improved service delivery, while building local capacity through ongoing partnerships. We deliver market-based solutions across five areas: agriculture, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), natural resource management, governance, and youth.

Job Description

DevWorks International (DevWorks) is recruiting for a full time Value Chain Specialist for the USAID-funded Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity (GFRA). The purpose of GFRA is to prevent the collapse of the small pelagic fishery sector and establish a durable basis for its ecological recovery, while enhancing the socio-economic well-being and local resilience of artisanal fisherfolk and their communities.

The activity will seek to improve supplemental livelihoods and resilience measures for fishing communities, particularly for women and youth; facilitate private sector engagement and market linkages in the fisheries sector; strengthen government capacity in policymaking, regulation, and enforcement; strengthen improved science and research, including data for policy and management decisions; and empower key stakeholders to affect change.

The Value Chain Specialist will provide technical support for interventions to increase the quality and value of artisanal fish products to maintain household income and enhance availability of nutritious foods for local and regional markets. Specific responsibilities will include:

• Conducting a fishery value chain analysis for specified small pelagic fishery chains to identify market demands and requirements, value chain inefficiencies (e.g., post-harvest losses and marketing issues), and priority opportunities for value addition and new market penetration.
• Supporting businesses that sell artisanal fishery products to access financing to grow their operations and enhance the quality and value of their products.
• Providing technical assistance to fishery businesses for seafood product value-addition.
• Identifying and preparing businesses to access new inland, regional, and/or premium market opportunities for certified and high-quality artisanal seafood products.
• Supporting social behavior change communications (SBCC) interventions (e.g., SBCC publications, radio programs, and TV advertisements) to facilitate awareness and demand for healthy and high value fish products.
• Coordinating with stakeholders such as fish processors, local associations, National Fish Processors and Traders Association (NAFPTA), National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI), Food Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-FRI), Fisheries Commission of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD/FC), Food and Drug Authority (FDA), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), financial institutions, business development service providers, and others.

Required Skills or Experience

• At least 6 years of experience conducting value chain analyses and strengthening fishery and/or other agricultural value chains.
• In-depth understanding of small pelagic fishery value chains and prior experience working with fish processors.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing training programs and interventions related to post-harvest value addition and marketing.
• Demonstrated experience facilitating access to finance for businesses through financial institutions, village savings and loan associations (VSLAs), and other methods.
• Experience working on donor-funded international development projects of similar scope, complexity, and size; experience with USAID-funded projects is desirable.
• Master’s degree in agriculture, fisheries and aquatic sciences, business administration, or a related field.
• Fluency in English.