On-Farm Composting Expert: USAID & PepsiCo’s Investing in Women to Strengthen Supply Chains

WHO WE ARE

Come grow with us! If you are a passionate change agent who thrives in a collaborative, entrepreneurial and inclusive, culture committed to operational excellence, we would like to meet you. 

At Resonance, you get involved in the work, in the field, not just in the deck. Our teams are autonomous and self-sufficient. You get to weigh in with founders and leaders on how to drive change and grow the movement while growing the company. 

Resonance is an award-winning, Certified B Corporation consultancy that delivers market-based solutions to address the world’s toughest challenges. We enable a variety of donor, commercial, and investor clients around the world to catalyze lasting impact. Resonance seeks to catalyze large-scale social, environmental, and economic change by fostering new and dynamic forms of collaboration. We do this by fostering public-private partnerships, facilitating sustainable investment, and providing deep analytical insights in frontier markets. 

POSITION MANDATE

Investing in Women to Strengthen Supply Chains is a global partnership between USAID and PepsiCo to make the business case for Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE). This Global Development Alliance (GDA) will integrate gender-responsive approaches into PepsiCo’s supply chain management practices, leveraging demo farms, aggregators, and extension systems to improve opportunities throughout the supply chain. The project is working on three (03) farms in Punjab to introduce gender-inclusive practices. The project aims to develop an intervention to improve soil health at farm level through introducing on-farm compost preparation to pilot it, targeting PepsiCo suppliers (farmers). This intervention will bolster soil fertility using raw material at the farms, enhance productivity and reinforce women’s engagement hence enhancing opportunities for them, reducing gender disparities, and strengthening women’s agency.

The expert in composting will review project manual on compost and provide input on detailed compost preparation methods suitable at targeted farms and mechanisms (local context), training materials, tools, and templates that will help the GDA to successfully launch the intervention. He/She will also help with the site preparation for composting and the requirements for it. This is a consultant position, reporting to the Country Manager.

OUTCOMES / ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• In close collaboration with the Country Manager and team:
• Review and update the project’s draft manual for on-farm compost preparation. Draft manual is developed based on:
• Yearly crop cycle at each farm
• Availability of raw material
• Compost suitability for on-farm use and sustainability.
• Developing a business plan for activity.
• Development of design/layout compost site including the tools/equipment required.
• Support the Resonance team to design a field-based approach to pilot it.
• Serve as a resource on questions/queries as needed.
• Support in setting up activity at the farm level as per layout and requirements.

DELIVERABLES

1. Review and Update Compost Manual

• Review project manual and update it that contain detailed on-farm compost concept, prerequisites, compost types, step wise requirements to pilot and recommended method for each farm based on data available. Adding details to manual like raw material mixing, volume conversion between biomass & compost, tools/infrastructure required, farm layout, activity sustainability, implementation plan, and environmental impact . Add any info that is relevant to the manual.

1. Develop Business Plan

• Detailed feasibility, ROI and cost-effectiveness in comparison with inorganic fertilizer.

1. Finalize and submit all related materials and data for on-farm compost

• Finalize and submit all data after initial review and addressing queries/concerns from Resonance.

DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The assignment will be conducted within a period of 02 months. The expert may need to visit 03 farms located in Punjab. 

The expected start date is 15 December 2022.

TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA (100 POINTS TOTAL)

• Technical Proposal = 70 points
• 30 points – Demonstrated understanding of the assignment with clear methodologies of all relevant aspects of the Terms of Reference
• 20 points – Work Plan- schedule of activities with timeline
• 20 points – Demonstrated evidence of having previously conducted similar/related assignments, experience in field work and qualification
• Financial Proposal = 30 points
• 30 points – Cost and outline allocation to various actions clearly

EVALUATION OF TECHNICAL & FINANCIAL PROPOSALS

The total score will be calculated accumulative of both technical and financial score. The relative weights will be:

• Technical: 70%
• Financial: 30%

REQUIRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• University degree in Agriculture/economics or a related field
• 6+ years of experience in agriculture with prior experience in on-farm compost preparation.
• Practical experience in designing interventions at the farm level.
• Strong report writing skills and curriculum development.
• Strong communicator – both verbally and in writing.
• Proficient in Microsoft programs, i.e., Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.

PREFERRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Proficiency in the local language is preferred.
• A combination of field and office experience is a plus.
• Experience with milestone-based or pay-for-performance is a plus.
• Experience with USAID projects.
• Knowledge of field crops.

COMPETENCIES

• Demonstrated strong organizational, communication, cultural sensitivity, and analytical skills, and ability to work well on a team.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, integrity, diplomacy, and willingness to listen and demonstrate respect to others. Able to work effectively with diverse actors.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, complex environment.
• Flexible, willing to perform other duties to help accomplish intervention-related goals, and complete tasks on a timely basis.

TRAVEL EXPECTATIONS 

The expert must be able to travel within Punjab.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

This position operates in a professional office environment, and routinely requires the use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, printers, photocopiers, and filing cabinets. 

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 

As a part of the responsibilities for this job, the employee is required to communicate, detect, converse with, discern, convey, express oneself, and exchange information orally and in writing with others. The employee must be able to remain in a stationary position, sitting at a desk for prolonged periods, move or traverse inside the office and facilities; operate, activate, use, prepare, inspect, place, detect, or position computers and other office equipment, such as a calculator, copy machine, furniture, and computer printer. The employee must be able to make substantial repetitive motions of the wrists, hands and fingers. The employee must be able to lift and move up to 15lbs at times. 

WORK AUTHORIZATION / SECURITY CLEARANCE

N/A

SALARY RANGE

TBD

AAP/EEO STATEMENT

The Equal Employment Opportunity Policy of Resonance is to provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all associates and job applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation) parental status, genetic information (including family medical history) political affiliation, military service, age, veteran status, disability, or marital status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. These protections extend to all management practices and decisions, including recruitment and hiring, appraisal systems, promotions, training, and career development programs. Consistent with these obligations, Resonance also provides reasonable accommodations to employees and applicants with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs, observances, and practices.

Resonance believes that employees should be provided with a working environment which enables each associate to be productive and to work to the best of his or her ability. We do not condone or tolerate an atmosphere of intimidation or harassment based on any of the above-mentioned characteristics.

We expect and require the cooperation of all employees in maintaining a discrimination and harassment-free atmosphere.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. No phone calls or emails please.

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