Kyrgyzstan: Technical Assistance to SMEs in Business Process Optimization and Sourcing - Dairy/Milk processing, Kyrgyzstan

Since 1963 and in 146 countries, ACDI/VOCA has empowered people in developing and transitional nations to succeed in the global economy. Based in Washington, D.C., ACDI/VOCA is a nonprofit international development organization that delivers technical and management assistance in agribusiness, financial services, enterprise development, community development and food security in order to promote broad-based economic growth and vibrant civil society. ACDI/VOCA currently has 49 active projects in 30 countries and total revenues of approximately $151 million.

Technical Assistance to SMEs in Business Process Optimization and Sourcing - Dairy/Milk processing, Kyrgyzstan

We are currently seeking a consultant for short term technical assistance assignment in Kyrgyzstan to provide technical assistance to SMEs in business process optimization and sourcing in Dairy/Milk processing for current 4-year, $22 million USAID funded project in Kyrgyzstan. The assignment is to start in April 2017 and will run until September 2017 with 60 days in duration.

The USAID Agro Horizon Project (Agro Horizon) promotes economic growth by increasing employment in the agricultural sector that contributes to USAID Kyrgyz Republic’s overall economic development program designed to accelerate diversified and equitable economic growth in Kyrgyz Republic. The purpose of the assignment is to provide technical assistance to 4 (four) SMEs engaged in processing of dairy/milk products. The STTA will analyze the business processes, including production and sourcing operations, identify sources of inefficiency and recommend an improvement plan to improve efficiency and optimize operations. These may include but not limited to conducting analysis and improvement of: 1) Production capacities and efficiencies; 2) Enterprise analysis due to processing and production complexity; 3) Technology/equipment adoption for dairy/milk processing; 4) Decisions regarding self-sufficiency vs. sourcing outside services (for example, custom work for all field work etc.); 5) Labor management; 6) Develop Key Performance Indicators for each partner SMEs; 7) Succession planning; 8) Consider other important aspects of dairy/milk processing that may vary from SME to SME. At the end of the assignment, the assisted partner SMEs should have more efficient business processes that would reduce cost/unit produce, thereby allowing them to be more competitive in the market.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct analysis of partner SMEs operation from sourcing to production, inventory (storage) and delivery and identify sources of inefficiencies;

• Develop options for each SME on how to achieve a more efficient operation based on the resource capacity of the SME;

• Provide comparative efficiency analysis of the current and alternative improvements in the business processes, including resources required to implement the alternatives;

• Assist the SME and the Agro Horizon Project in coming up with best alternative in improving the sourcing, production, inventory (storage) and delivery system taking into consideration factors such as labor, technology, management and other resource limitations;

• Recommend to the Agro Horizon Project next steps in implementing the selected business process improvement plan of each SME and obtain AH Project Management approval;

• Implement steps identified in #5 as approved by the AH Project Management.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in business or management and 10 years of relevant experience, with at least five years’ managing real businesses, preferably in agribusiness processing or manufacturing;

OR

Bachelor’s degree in business or engineering and 15 years of relevant experience, with at least seven years managing businesses, preferably in agribusiness processing or manufacturing;

• Must demonstrate good understanding of operational efficiency (theoretical grounding);

• Must demonstrate successful experience improving efficiency of business processes (must be able to cite these experiences);

• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills;

• Ability to travel frequently.

• Engineering background and familiarity with technologies in dairy/milk processing are preferred;

• Knowledge of Russian or Kyrgyz language is preferred.

Please send resumes to AGandilyan@acdivoca.org. No phone calls please. Only those candidates considered for an interview will be contacted. ACDI/VOCA is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities and people from diverse groups are encouraged to apply. ACDI/VOCA will never solicit a payment from any applicant.