Project Officer – Agribusiness and Market Systems job at Catholic Relief Services ( CRS )

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion, or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.

CRS has been working in Uganda since 1965 and has a vibrant portfolio of projects. CRS Uganda implements its programs through partnerships with local organizations, including international and local NGOs, Ugandan government departments and ministries, the Catholic Church, and community-based organizations for maximum impact and sustainability.

Background:

The Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project (UCSATP) aims to increase productivity, market access, and resilience of selected value chains in 69 districts, including refugee-hosting areas, while strengthening capacity to respond to crises. Aligned with Uganda’s inclusive refugee policy and the CRRF, the program supports refugees and host communities through climate-smart agriculture, market development, and enhanced food and nutrition security. Interventions focus on improving yields, expanding sustainable land management, strengthening value chains, and creating livelihood opportunities across priority sectors such as crops, livestock, and apiculture.

Job Summary:

As a Project Officer – Agribusiness & Market Systems within the UCSATP project team, you will lead the implementation, monitoring, and reporting on all agribusiness and market systems-related UCSATP project activities in support of Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) work serving the poor and vulnerable. This includes supporting smallholder farmers and farmer groups to strengthen market-oriented production, aggregation, value addition, and access to markets through training, coaching, and facilitation of partnerships with buyers, financial institutions, and private sector actors.

You will strengthen farmer and partner capacity in agribusiness development, business planning, post-harvest handling, and collective marketing, while promoting inclusive and climate-resilient market systems that enhance income generation and employment opportunities, particularly for youth and women. You will also support farmer group development; facilitate linkages to financial services (e.g., VSLAs, SACCOs) and off-takers; and contribute to increased competitiveness and sustainability of targeted value chains.

Your strong technical expertise and results-driven approach will ensure the consistent application of best practices in market systems development, strengthening productivity, incomes, and resilience. Through proactive coordination, community engagement, and quality oversight, you will ensure that the project consistently applies best practices and constantly works towards improving the impact of its benefits to those we serve.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Support the coordination and implementation of all agribusiness and market systems-related project activities (e.g., value addition, aggregation, and market linkage interventions) as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Work closely with partner staff and community-based facilitators to support delivery of agribusiness and market systems activities, ensure alignment with technical guidelines, and strengthen coordination and consistency in field implementation.
• Monitor and report on any market-related challenges (e.g., limited market access, price fluctuations, post-harvest losses, or weak buyer linkages) and/or gaps identified to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. Assist partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences.
• Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and assisting partners in their efforts to collect and analyze market access, sales, and enterprise performance data per specified mechanisms and tools. Collaborate with local partner(s) to prepare reports per established reporting schedule.
• Collect information on staff capacity needs and technical assistance needs of partner organizations, particularly in agribusiness development (e.g., business planning, post-harvest handling, value addition, and collective marketing), and monitor capacity building and technical support activities to ensure effective impact.
• Complete project documentation for assigned activities. Assist with identifying information for case studies and reports on promising practices, including market systems approaches, enterprise development, and farmer business models.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Agribusiness and Agriculture Economics.
• At least five (5) years of progressive experience in agribusiness development, market systems strengthening, or value chain management, preferably in refugee or rural development contexts.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data preferred.
• Experience in participatory action planning and community engagement.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Proficient in using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Observation, active listening and analysis skills with the ability to make sound judgements.
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners and community members.
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
• Proactive, results-orientated and service-orientated.
• Required languages: English. Knowledge of local languages in the area of operation.
• Travel requirement: Must be willing and able to travel up to 30%.

Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, these practices create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and assist CRS in achieving agency goals. These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfil his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Personal accountability: consistently taking responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity: Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust: Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others: Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learning: Seek out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change: Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others: Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset: Understands the role of translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

Key Working Relationships

• Supervisory: To be determined.
• Internal: Head of Programming, Program Managers, MEAL Manager, Partnership Capacity Strengthening Program Manager, Operations colleagues.
• External: Donors, Government representatives, Church representatives, Private sector actors, local partners, peer agencies, and others.

Disclaimer:

This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

• Support the coordination and implementation of all agribusiness and market systems-related project activities (e.g., value addition, aggregation, and market linkage interventions) as outlined in the detailed implementation plan in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Work closely with partner staff and community-based facilitators to support delivery of agribusiness and market systems activities, ensure alignment with technical guidelines, and strengthen coordination and consistency in field implementation.
• Monitor and report on any market-related challenges (e.g., limited market access, price fluctuations, post-harvest losses, or weak buyer linkages) and/or gaps identified to inform adjustments to plans and implementation schedules. Assist partners in their efforts to reflect on project experiences.
• Support accountability through coordinating project evaluation activities and assisting partners in their efforts to collect and analyze market access, sales, and enterprise performance data per specified mechanisms and tools. Collaborate with local partner(s) to prepare reports per established reporting schedule.
• Collect information on staff capacity needs and technical assistance needs of partner organizations, particularly in agribusiness development (e.g., business planning, post-harvest handling, value addition, and collective marketing), and monitor capacity building and technical support activities to ensure effective impact.
• Complete project documentation for assigned activities. Assist with identifying information for case studies and reports on promising practices, including market systems approaches, enterprise development, and farmer business models.

• Proficient in using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Observation, active listening and analysis skills with the ability to make sound judgements.
• Good relationship management skills and the ability to work closely with local partners and community members.
• Attention to details, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
• Proactive, results-orientated and service-orientated.
• English. Knowledge of local languages in the area of operation.

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Agribusiness and Agriculture Economics.
• At least five (5) years of progressive experience in agribusiness development, market systems strengthening, or value chain management, preferably in refugee or rural development contexts.
• Experience monitoring projects and collecting relevant data preferred.
• Experience in participatory action planning and community engagement.