Position Title: Growth Center and Partnerships Manager
Location: Economic Growth Center Office (Nepalgunj, Butwal or Dhangadhi)
Reports To: Regional Agribusiness Director

Background:
The new five-year Feed the Future Nepal USAID Agricultural Transformation (“USAID Agricultural Transformation”) aims to catalyze the transformation of Nepal’s agricultural sector required for long-term inclusive economic growth. USAID Agricultural Transformation is implemented by Winrock International in collaboration with Center for Environmental and Agricultural Policy Research, Extension and Development (CEAPRED), Forum for Rural Welfare and Agricultural Reform for Development (FORWARD), CrossBoundary, Banyan Global, and the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS). USAID Agricultural Transformation’s working area will include 26 districts across six provinces, with the goal to reach more than 500,000 farming households.  Building on successful Feed the Future (FTF) investments in Nepal, USAID Agricultural Transformation will apply a refined evidence-based market systems development approach that empowers Nepali private and public actors to identify, design, implement, and own solutions that address root causes of market inefficiencies across five target value chains (fine rice, industrial maize, lentils, high-value vegetables, and goat) through four interrelated objectives:

Objective 1: Agricultural productivity, competitiveness, and diversification increased 
Objective 2: Enabling environment for private sector investment in agriculture and equitable access to market systems improved 
Objective 3: Climate and economic resilience of women, youth, and marginalized communities enhanced 
Objective 4: Capacity of national agricultural research institutions and extension systems strengthened. 

USAID Agricultural Transformation will place women, youth, and marginalized populations at the center of intervention design to strengthen their economic participation and address underlying constraints to accessing productive resources, markets, and information. Strategic facilitation pathways will catalyze new investment in inclusive business models, facilitate adoption of climate smart practices, technologies, and services tailored to the diverse needs of users, and strengthen the Government of Nepal (GON) at all three tiers.

Position Description:
The Growth Center and Partnership Manager will be responsible for managing the operations of USAID Agricultural Transformation within the Economic Growth Center. S/he will be working under the supervision and guidance of the Regional Agribusiness Director and in collaboration with both regional and central teams. The role will primarily focus on improving agricultural productivity, strengthening market systems, and establishing sustainable partnerships with stakeholders at local and provincial levels. S/he will lead strategic initiatives aimed at transforming Nepali agriculture, empowering farmers, encouraging private sector investment, and promoting climate resilience and inclusion within agricultural systems.

Essential Responsibilities:

A. Technical

• Lead /guide opportunity mapping and partner scoping within the Growth Center (and adjacent areas).
• Analyze and identify potential market opportunities and engage strategically placed private sector actors that translate into shared benefits to incentivize new investment in market systems (this also includes promoting/facilitating strategic public private partnerships).
• Support Grants under Contract concept note development, working with selected grantee businesses.
• Coordinate closely with Objective leads for technical guidance/collaborative strategizing and oversee field implementation of capacity support initiatives for private sector, farmers groups and local government.
• Coordinate closely with business development service (BDS) providers.
• Prepare strategies to meet the cluster-level participant targets and facilitate the district team accordingly.
• Design and implement interventions that connect farmers and agribusinesses for services they need to be able to improve quality and produce competitive products for end markets.
• Coordinate with Business Literacy Program (BLP) service provider to ensure quality implementation and to support linkages for BLP participants to access opportunities (from USAID, other donors, GON, etc.).
• With technical input from Business and Market Systems Managers oversee activities related to enhancing financial services, digital services, markets, supply chain and market infrastructure as well as climate-smart technologies in selected market systems.
• Frequently visit the field and monitor activities implemented by the private sector/grant partners while also providing technical assistance. 
• Provide strategic technical support to the district team(s) for program implementation. 
• Ensure the quality of the program and data quality as reported by the private sector partners.
• Document and report on technical matters and financial progress as per reporting schedule and the need of the program.
• Coordinate with and execute strategies to mobilize resources from local and provincial governments, cooperatives, and leading companies for specific market infrastructure and services, including storage/warehousing, equipment, processing, mechanization services, grading, testing, standards compliance, market information, and business and training support etc. 

B. Management and operations

• Manage all operations within designated Economic Growth Center.
• Manage Economic Growth Center/district-level staff and provide guidance for the successful implementation of all activities.
• Oversee the execution of market systems development approaches with implementation focused on competitiveness, diversification, and resilience.
• Monitor project progress, evaluate outcomes, and support adjusting strategies as necessary.
• Oversee budgets allocated for the Economic Growth Center and ensure compliance with USAID, Winrock and CEAPRED regulations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders including government agencies, private sector partners, NGOs, farmers as well as other development partners/projects and local resources (e.g., academia, FTF Innovation Labs, NARC field stations etc.).
• Participate in and contribute to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives.

Other:

• Serve as Economic Growth Center focal person and support the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) team in collecting and entering data into the MEL database (including facilitation of MEL surveys).
• Contribute to ensuring a safe and equitable workplace, especially for women and those from disadvantaged groups.
• Support and collaborate with other USAID-funded activities. 
• Undertake other related tasks assigned.

Qualifications and Requirements:

Education: Minimum bachelor’s degree in agribusiness, agri-marketing, agri-economics or related field. Master’s degree in related field will be an advantage.

Required Experience:

• Minimum of five years of experience in agricultural development, agri-marketing, or related field with a focus on agricultural competitiveness, diversification and resilience.
• Experience in market systems development, private sector engagement and enhancing value chains (including forming strategic partnerships and public private partnerships).
• Business development skills to assess feasibility of partnership opportunities; ability to conduct market research; and identify/support design of innovative business models for private sector co-investment.
• Experience collaborating with financial institutions, business networks and BDS providers. 
• Familiarity with digital agricultural tools and resources (e.g., for research, extension, finance, marketing etc.).
• Proven ability to work with government counterparts (local level). 
• Experience working with private sector partners and ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience monitoring activities and progress against project targets.
• Excellent communication, coordination and interpersonal skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Demonstrated cultural competence, organizational skills and experience working in diverse, multi-disciplinary teams and environments. 

Language: Fluent Nepali and English, including excellent report writing and English communication skills, with the ability to deliver high-quality reports/technical documents is required.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessability (DEIA):  
CEAPRED seeks to cultivate an environment where all candidates relish equal employment opportunities devoid of discrimination, misconduct, fraud, and abuse. Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) and Localization guides our practices not just in hiring, but also in staff retention, growth, and policy implementation. This commitment signifies that we value diversity in all its forms including age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, and cultural background. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, recognizing the rich tapestry of the communities in which we live and work. 

We highly encourage women and people from marginalized communities to apply.

Disclaimer:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further selection process. The organization reserves the right to reject any/all applications without assigning any reason whatsoever. Canvassing at any stage of the process shall lead to automatic disqualification of the applicant.