About US:
The Agricultural Business Initiative (aBi) Trust is a multi- donor entity jointly founded by the Governments of Denmark and Uganda to support private sector led agricultural development to achieve the objective of the Government of Uganda’s Competitiveness and investment Climate Strategy (CICS). The mandate of aBi Trust is to support the private sector actors to increase their contribution to the agricultural sector by increasing land and labour productivity, and market competitiveness thereby contributing to poverty reduction through economic growth, wealth, and employment creation. aBi Trust strengthens competitiveness of the Agricultural and Agro-processing sectors through two (2) interrelated components: Value Chain Development (VCD) including trade-related Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary and Quality Management Systems (SPS/QMS) and Financial Services Development (FSD).

Job Summary: The Chief of Staff will have the primary responsibility of ensuring that key workflows and deliverables, particularly those that are integrated or supersede the various aBi departments, are followed and brought to conclusion against set targets and deadlines. The Chief directly supports senior management and especially the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) and Chief Operations Officers (COOs) of aBi Trust and aBi Finance Ltd, in troubleshooting and paying attention to the daily needs of the organization.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Project Coordination:
Develop and maintain an inventory of critical path projects in which the GCEO and the COOs are especially interested and/ or for which his/her awareness and involvement is essential;
Work in consultation with the senior management team to align their actions and communications in support of agreed upon goals. COS’S role will be to co-ordinate with all staff to ensure that the GCEO’s and COO’s needs are conveyed, that progress is being made in a timely way, and that any demands on GCEO’s and COO’s schedules are understood and agreed upon. The COS will also work to ensure the management team’s needs are conveyed to the GCEO and COOs for consideration;
The incumbent should keep the senior management and the BOT and Board of Directors of aBi finance appraised of the status of key activities and variations from schedule or scope;

2. Leadership of Special Projects:
Scope, plan and execute multiple, often quick-turnaround strategic initiatives with minimal outside assistance;
Present ideas for special projects that might facilitate the GCEO’s leadership’s objectives;
Work in liaison with the appropriate stakeholders, including outside parties, to undertake analysis;
Present findings to GCEO, Senior Management or Board, as appropriate;
If necessary, oversee transfer of the project to other stakeholders within the organization;
Engage in root cause analysis—often without prompting from the senior management—on issues and opportunities that could impact the aBi’s overall objectives;
Confirm hypotheses through tactful and discrete engagement with the relevant parties;
Develop alternative approaches to addressing the problem or opportunity;
Succinctly update the GCEO and COOs on the issues, supported with facts and recommendations;
Actively engage in coalition building with strategic partners and large businesses in the Value Chains in support of aBi’s objectives as laid out in aBi’s strategy and business plan.

3. Other Responsibilities:
Organize Stakeholders Meetings and ensure they are adequately facilitated;
Work closely with Senior Management and GCEO’s Personal Assistant to remain apprised of/schedule of upcoming commitments;
Develop results based approaches and strategies to important meetings and assist in making these meetings highly effective and professional;
Render support to ensure participants are aware of and prepared for the meeting
Attend meetings, capture major action points, and work with management team to ensure follow up;
Actively monitor progress/achievement of next steps;

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
The ideal candidate for the Chief of Staff vacancy should hold a Bachelor’s degree required, MBA, MPA or related qualification in Management.
At least ten years’ work experience with proven track record of managing multiple priorities in a rapidly changing environment.
The role requires a highly resourceful individual with strong emotional intelligence, solid judgement self-motivation, and strong analytical skills
Applicable/transferable skills: private sector roles in agriculture or business strategy; public sector policy roles;
Good sense of self and strong personal presence Market research experience a plus
Willingness to work hard and take direction—but also creatively solve problems for which the answers aren’t always obvious
Working knowledge of aBi and key stakeholders desirable
The applicant should be willing to commit to a two year contract at least that would prepare the incumbent for a more general management role at aBi;

Personal Competencies:
Highly-developed communications skills (written/verbal) and interpersonal savvy
Results/action-orientation;
Project management skills
Organizational and political agility;
Highly developed negotiation skills
Unquestionable personal code of ethics, integrity, diversity and trust
Able to successfully navigate within varying degrees of ambiguity in a fast-paced environment Strong strategic/financial analysis skills
Possess the ability to exercise a wide degree of creativity and latitude
Strong results based orientation

How to Apply:
All suitably qualified and interested candidates should send their updated resumes with two career references including their contact numbers and copies of academic and professional certificates/ testimonials by email only to: recruitment@qsourcing.com.

NB: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.

Deadline: 10th July 2015.