We are hiring: business development and operations officer

Terms of Reference Business Development and Operations Officer

Status: This is a full-time position.

Location: Kampala, Uganda, with up-country travel

Level: Entry-level

Reports to: Collage Team Leader

About Collage

Collage is a hybrid enterprise that supports local creators and producers to enhance their competitiveness. Competitiveness to us means improving product quality, embracing innovative processes to reduce costs and realize efficiency, continuous learning, and business professionalism. We use three core strategies namely: driving market access through online and offline platforms where we showcase products of local creators; bespoke training initiatives and one-on-one mentoring and hand holding, and collective credit resources (through clusters).

We started full operations in January 2019 and have been intentionally seeking out young makers who are often unable to raise enough capital to rent traditional shops. Another key demographic that we target is stay at home moms who are interested in earning a side income to complement their families’.

Our Big Picture

We want to see a Uganda where the full potential of local producers and creators is fully harnessed towards economic transformation.

Our Intervention:

• Builds their capacity to produce products or services that are competitive.
• Increases their access to market and changes the narrative around locally made products.
• Avails shared learning opportunities. Producers and creators are able to learn from each other through clusters. Also, through their clusters, they can benefit from the advantages that come with collective purchase of raw materials, collective bargaining and they are more attractive to creditors.
• Influences policy reform by ensuring that the voices of local producers and creators is heard.
• Provides a pathway to formalization of businesses.
• Plugs the small people into the global economy through online marketing platforms.

Role Summary

The Business Development Associate will work closely with the Team Leader to consolidate gains made in:

• Producer recruitment and engagement
• Reseller recruitment
• Building Collage operational systems and processes
• Building the company’s brand and market base

Key Responsibilities

1. Business Development

• Expanding existing revenue streams including through:

• The implementation of the reseller strategy

• Building a customer base for our marketing, branding and training programme

• Streamlining our micro-loans programme

• Supporting direct sales through offline and online promotion

• Conduct periodic market research to identify demand gaps for business products and services and keep up to date with business development practices and industry trends.

• Sourcing new local and international revenue streams, including through subscribing to popular offline and online selling platforms and through cultivating of corporate partnerships and partnerships with small-scale sellers.

• Developing grant proposals and participating in relevant entrepreneurship competitions. The Associate will develop a calendar of grants, training programmes, accelerators, and competitions and will work with the rest of the team to develop winning concepts.

2. Operations

• Support the Team Leader to finalize and implement the Collage 2021/23 strategy. The strategy is the overarching framework and will determine business direction until 2023.

• Work closely with the sales and operations coordinator to streamline operations including coordination of producers.

• Develop monthly plans and subsequent financial and narrative reports on company progress in as far as working towards set monthly targets.

• Work with the Team Leader to develop and institutionalize business processes aimed at ensuring effectiveness and efficiency.

• Be a Collage Ambassador by ensuring effective representation at relevant platforms and through sharing Collage work online and offline.

• Support the capacity development of team members in new business development and operations.

• Perform any other relevant duties assigned by the Team Leader.

Skills and Competencies

• A bachelors degree in business administration and management, marketing, economics or related field.
• A diploma in the afore mentioned fields with up to three years’ relevant experience is also acceptable.
• At least a year of professional experience in areas relating to marketing, SME business development or experience working in a StartUp.
• Excellent computer skills including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel, and use of social media platforms.
• Ability to write and communicate clearly and analytically with excellent spoken and written English.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to work under pressure, with minimum supervision.
• A great team player that is open to working in a multi-cultural setting.

To Apply

Applications should be sent via e-mail to rhelmzrt@gmail.com with Business Development and Operations Officer as the subject.

Deadline: 18^th June 2020