ABOUT IMPULS AFRICA

Impuls Africa is a Zambian-registered company that specializes in delivering agricultural consultancy and implementation services in the SADC region. Owned by a cooperative of over 100 farmers and a seasoned agri-entrepreneur in Zambia, the Impuls team brings more than 75 years of combined expertise in agriculture and livestock services. Our portfolio includes conservation-aligned projects such as rangeland rehabilitation, agroecological and biodiversity assessments, and climate-smart livelihood initiatives implemented with partners like The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, Frankfurt Zoological Society and Conservation Lower Zambezi. We specialize in providing services to both donors and the private sector, offering everything from one-off consulting assignments to long-term project implementation and management. Our primary focus is on providing solutions for regenerative agriculture, in which we excel at delivering a diverse range of short- and long-term assignments. Our services are tailored towards specific client needs and include conducting needs assessments to determine capacity and opportunity gaps within rural communities, market analysis as well as facilitation of market linkages, development of value chains using the market-based approach, feasibility studies, training and capacity building, and strategy development. These services are underpinned by data-driven monitoring, quality assurance measures and adaptive management.

1. Project Overview -

The TiSUNGE – Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Uptake and Postharvest Loss Reduction & Empowerment project is a three-year initiative implemented by ADRA Zambia in partnership with Impuls Africa and AgLeaseCo under the RE-GAIN Programme. The project aims to strengthen the climate resilience of smallholder farmers by promoting widespread adoption of Food Loss Reduction Solutions (FL-RS), improving access to finance, and strengthening market systems.

Within this integrated, market-driven agricultural transformation programme, the Senior Business Advisor plays a central, catalytic role—serving as the technical lead for enterprise development, market systems strengthening, and private-sector engagement across both demand- and supply-side interventions.

Position: Senior Business Advisor – Food Loss Reduction Strategies (FL-RS) Service Provision Ecosystem

Duty Station: Central/Eastern Province

Duration: 24 months (renewable subject to performance and funding)

Reports to: Managing Director

3. Key Responsibilities

Planning & Coordination

• In collaboration with lead partners, develop and manage detailed annual and quarterly work plans and budgets.
• Align activities with implementing partners and ensure seamless collaboration.

Programme Implementation & Technical Oversight

• Lead profiling, selection, and training of MSMEs, cooperatives, and women/youth-led service providers in business management, governance, financial literacy, and technical skills (equipment installation, maintenance, safe operation).
• Oversee delivery of business development services including bankable proposals, costing/ROI models, risk assessment, and market intelligence for maize and soybean value chains.
• Facilitate multi-stakeholder agreements and market linkage events with financial institutions, suppliers, agro-dealers, and farmer groups.
• Ensure effective capacity building on inventory management, customer service, product maintenance, and digital transactions.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting

• Track progress against plans, budgets, and performance indicators.
• Contribute to monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
• Consolidate partner documentation, training reports, and evidence of results.
• Collaborate on the development of case studies, lessons-learned, and knowledge products.

Stakeholder Engagement & Representation

• Build and maintain strong relationships with government ministries (MoA, MoLF, local authorities), private sector, financial institutions, and beneficiaries.
• Represent the project in technical forums, stakeholder meetings, and field events.

Financial Management & Compliance

• Monitor budgets and ensure cost-effective use of resources.
• Enforce compliance with donor regulations, procurement rules, and organizational policies.

Risk Management & Safeguarding

• Proactively identify risks and implement corrective measures.
• Maintain an updated risk log and ensure safeguarding, environmental, health & safety (EHS), and gender-equity standards across all activities.

4. Required Qualifications & Competencies

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Project Management, Economics, or related field (Master’s degree an advantage).

Experience

• 3-5 years of business advisory in donor-funded agricultural programmes (USAID, EU, Mastercard Foundation or similar experience preferred), program management is an added advantage.
• Proven work with MSMEs, cooperatives, and rural service ecosystems.
• Track record in market-systems approaches, or agribusiness development, experience in agriculture mechanization an added advantage.
• Experience coordinating managing teams.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong expertise in business development services, value-chain coordination, market linkages, M&E, and reporting.
• Budget management and donor compliance.
• Excellent leadership, negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office and project management tools.
• Ability to deliver under pressure in complex, rural environments while upholding integrity, gender sensitivity, and inclusion.

• Planning & Coordination: In collaboration with lead partners, develop and manage detailed annual and quarterly work plans and budgets.
• Align activities with implementing partners and ensure seamless collaboration.
• Programme Implementation & Technical Oversight: Lead profiling, selection, and training of MSMEs, cooperatives, and women/youth-led service providers in business management, governance, financial literacy, and technical skills (equipment installation, maintenance, safe operation).
• Oversee delivery of business development services including bankable proposals, costing/ROI models, risk assessment, and market intelligence for maize and soybean value chains.
• Facilitate multi-stakeholder agreements and market linkage events with financial institutions, suppliers, agro-dealers, and farmer groups.
• Ensure effective capacity building on inventory management, customer service, product maintenance, and digital transactions.
• Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting: Track progress against plans, budgets, and performance indicators.
• Contribute to monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
• Consolidate partner documentation, training reports, and evidence of results.
• Collaborate on the development of case studies, lessons-learned, and knowledge products.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Representation: Build and maintain strong relationships with government ministries (MoA, MoLF, local authorities), private sector, financial institutions, and beneficiaries.
• Represent the project in technical forums, stakeholder meetings, and field events.
• Financial Management & Compliance: Monitor budgets and ensure cost-effective use of resources.
• Enforce compliance with donor regulations, procurement rules, and organizational policies.
• Risk Management & Safeguarding: Proactively identify risks and implement corrective measures.
• Maintain an updated risk log and ensure safeguarding, environmental, health & safety (EHS), and gender-equity standards across all activities.

• Strong expertise in business development services, value-chain coordination, market linkages, M&E, and reporting.
• Budget management and donor compliance.
• Excellent leadership, negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office and project management tools.
• Ability to deliver under pressure in complex, rural environments while upholding integrity, gender sensitivity, and inclusion.

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Project Management, Economics, or related field (Master’s degree an advantage).
• 3-5 years of business advisory in donor-funded agricultural programmes (USAID, EU, Mastercard Foundation or similar experience preferred), program management is an added advantage.
• Proven work with MSMEs, cooperatives, and rural service ecosystems.
• Track record in market-systems approaches, or agribusiness development, experience in agriculture mechanization an added advantage.
• Experience coordinating managing teams.