KickStart International Regional Manager (Central Province and Lusaka) Job in Zambia

KickStart is an award-winning, global nonprofit social enterprise that develops and mass-markets low-cost irrigation solutions that are bought by thousands of small-holder farmers in developing countries and used to increase their income by up to a factor of ten, enabling them to lift themselves sustainably out of poverty. 

Using an entrepreneurial business model, KickStart has proven its cost- effective solution to poverty in Kenya, Tanzania, Mali and Burkina Faso, as well as in a dozen of other African countries where, over recent years, it has developed strategic partnerships through its Global Institutional Partnership Division (GIP).

KickStart plans to expand our activities in Zambia through our program, “Optimizing the supply chain and seeding the market in Zambia and surrounding countries for sustainable poverty reduction and transformational changes in family livelihoods”.  

Job Title: Regional Manager - Central Province and Lusaka 

Function: Partnerships & Sales

Location: Central Province and Lusaka or Copper Belt
 

Grade:  3

Type of Contract: Open Ended 
 

Role Purpose: The Regional Manager for Partnerships & Sales will be responsible for sales in their region through partnership development with all relevant organizations, farmer’s cooperatives, NGOs, government extension staff and micro finance institutions.   

He/she is also responsible for developing sales and agro training strategies to achieve the regional set targets in getting more people out of poverty.   

The main activities support the primary goal of getting people out of poverty in the assigned region, by promoting the sales and usage of KickStart’s Money Maker branded irrigation pumps and services.

Reports to the: Country Director

Staff directly reporting to this post: Field agents

Works with: Partners with the relevant institutions, NGOs, Farmer’s Cooperatives, Micro Finances and Extension staff of the Ministry of Agriculture & cooperatives and the Ministry of Gender in Development.

Key Areas of Accountability:

• Identifying and create partnership with the relevant institutions, NGOs, Farmer’s Cooperatives, Micro Finances and Extension staff of the Ministry of Agriculture & cooperatives and the Ministry of Gender in Development.
• Actively create awareness and promote Moneymaker products and services through demonstrations and training. Carry out joint demonstration strategies with partners to increase word of mouth awareness creation and adoption of Moneymaker pumps and other KickStart Agricultural Water Management Solutions.
• Identify the current and future KickStart dealers, train and equip them with the necessary skills and engaged them to participate in sales and marketing strategies to provide better services to farmers including back up services. 
• Regular market assessment and pro-active development of region specific sales and marketing plans with distributors to maximize sales and impacts in the region.  This includes sales plans, pricing policies, and promotional plans for each distributor
• Prepare monthly work plans and strategies to meet the monthly and yearly target.
• Plan and manage healthy and productive partnerships to accelerate growth
• Perform the due-diligence to understand the market potential and opportunities for MoneyMaker products and services in the region
• Create the business, market development and sales plans for the region, and lead and manage the implementation of the plan to ensure growth in sales, social impacts, market share, and profitability to rural farmers. 
• Recruit, manage, coach, and develop capacity of Farmer /Field Agents  to be based in the region. 
• Coordinate with the sales manager on both strategic (program design and implementation) and tactical issues.
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting of KickStart’s activities, finances and social impacts.
• Document case studies and list of entrepreneurs using moneymaker solutions in the region.

Key Performance Criteria

• Creation of successful partnerships for improved impact and sales targets
• Cost –effective route plans and effective management of budgets.
• A self-motivated team that is ethical and high performing.

Principal Accountabilities

• Regular market assessment and pro-active development of region specific sales and marketing plans with distributors to maximize sales and impacts in the region. This includes sales plans, pricing policies, and promotional plans for each distributor.
• Actively create awareness and promote Moneymaker products and services through demonstrations and training for distributors, customers, thought leaders, and influencers.
• Develop and manage the operations budget for this program and provide monthly updated sales and forecast.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and support to the staff based in the Region.
• Coordinate with the sales manager on both strategic (program design and implementation) and tactical issues.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor degree required in Sales & Marketing / Business Administration / Agriculture or any related field
• 7 years of sales experience. Both private sector and social sector experience preferred.
• Good understand of the agricultural market in Zambia
• People Management 
• Experience in working with partners 
• Experience in Sales & marketing
• Experience with private sector and social business would be a strong plus. 
• Has shown motivation towards social impact
• Experience working with rural farmers and understanding group dynamic s
• Strong managerial and human development skills. 
• Managed a team of people and able to build capacity and competency among the team.
• Able to think strategically yet able to be very hands-on an get into the details
• Ability to operate effectively and efficiently in a start-up, unstructured environment
• Able to operate with minimum guidance
• Strong analytical skill and possess strong process/systems experience and skills
• Experience in agronomical practices a plus.

Skills and Behaviours

• Strong customer focus
• Results/Performance Orientation – proven “self-starter” who is flexible and adaptable
• Able to work effectively in an unstructured and fast moving environment
• Able to work effectively with limited guidance and oversight
• A can-do entrepreneurial spirit
• Excellent personal communication & negotiation skills
• Strong analytical abilities and detail oriented
• Shares KickStart’s values and believe in its Mission
• Fluency in English and other local languages required
• Willingness to travel for up to 75% every month
• Commitment to KickStart’s core values. 
• Possess a valid driving License

If you possess the above skills and believe you are the right candidate for this position, e-mail your application and CV with the position title on the subject line to our HR Director at: hr@kickstart.org no later than COB Tuesday, 22nd April 2014

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

For more information about KickStart visit our website:www.kickstart.org