Access to Markets Associate

Duties & Responsibilities

Links to markets and & sales Conversion: Provide technical advisory services to drive end-to-end market access and sales outcomes for youth-led enterprises by working with local organizations to:

• Develop, maintain, and continuously update a reliable production database capturing quantities, product types, seasonal availability, and production capacity.
• Map where participants (young people) positions within value chains and identify high-value market opportunities with the greatest income potential. Align participant production with market demand (quantity, quality, timing).
• Use production and market data to inform buyer targeting, aggregation planning, and supply-demand alignment.
• Identify, engage, and secure commercial agreements with off-takers and buyers across priority value chains as appropriate. The goal is to ensure at least 70% of participants are linked to at least one viable market channel and meet buyer requirements.
• Build and manage a live pipeline of buyers, segmented by value chain and absorption capacity.
• Support aggregation models to meet buyer requirements on volume, consistency, and quality.
• Facilitate direct transactions between youth enterprises and buyers (beyond introductions).
• Support deal structuring, including pricing, delivery schedules, and quality specifications.
• Build partnerships with off-takers, aggregators/Distributors, platforms (digital and physical marketplaces). Prioritize partnerships that result in confirmed purchase commitments and scalable demand pipelines.
• Work closely with the Partnerships Manager to support entrepreneurs in structuring and formalizing their commercial relationships with buyers, including the development of collaboration or purchase agreements directly between the parties.
• Troubleshoot last-mile barriers to closing sales (e.g. logistics, cold storage, coordination, quality issues).
• Track and drive key performance outcomes, including sales revenue growth, volumes sold, repeat orders, and contract stability.
• Local Organization Support
• Activity Planning & Execution: Support local organizations to design and implement structured market access activities within their work plans, including information sessions on market requirements, buyer engagement forums, market exposure visits, and participation in trade/
• Work with local organizations to ensure technical and business training is directly linked to market demand : This includes guiding training content and delivery so that it translates into production that meets buyer requirements on quality, quantity, standards, and timing. The aim is to ensure that capacity building is not standalone, but results in market-ready products and services that can successfully compete and secure consistent sales.
• Product Quality & Market Readiness
• Ensure youth enterprises meet buyer specifications and regulatory standards. This includes supporting enterprises to attain certification as and when required.
• Work with local organizations to address quality gaps impacting sales and strengthen consistency and reliability.
• Support introduction of market-driven product improvements
• Data Tracking & Performance Management
• Work with the project indicator monitoring function to track performance against key outcomes e.g.:
• % of participants accessing structured markets
• Increase in sales revenue and volumes
• Number of active buyers engaged
• Revenue consistency (repeat transactions)
• Maintain a real-time market linkage tracker/dashboard as needed.
• Cross-Pillar Collaboration for Market Outcomes: Work closely with other key pillars leads (Enterprise Development Advisors) on the program to ensure the access to markets component is complementary to interventions that enable young entrepreneurs to start, grow, and sustain viable businesses.
• Access to Finance: work with the Access to Finance pillar to ensure that financing (including BBCF and alternative financing mechanisms) is directly linked to market opportunities. This includes aligning financing to invest in productivity and quality improvements, and scale production in response to secured or potential buyers.
• Enhanced Leadership & Agency: Collaborate with the Enhanced Leadership pillar to strengthen the agency of young entrepreneurs, ensuring they can make informed business decisions, negotiate effectively with buyers, and advocate for enabling policies and regulations that support their participation in markets.
• Communications: Work with the Communications pillar to identify and showcase successful enterprises, market linkages, and income growth stories. Ensure that evidence of impact is documented and shared to attract partners, inspire participants, and strengthen the program’s visibility and credibility.
• Digital & Technology Integration: Partner with the Digital inclusion pillar to promote the use of technology and digital tools (e.g. AI) to improve market penetration, efficiency, and access to information. This includes supporting linkages to e-commerce platforms, digital marketplaces, and tools that enhance marketing, customer acquisition, and sales tracking.

Required Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Agribusiness, Economics, or related field or 2+ years experience in sales, market linkages, or business development
• Proven ability to close deals and manage B2B relationships
• Strong understanding of value chains and market systems
• Experience working with SMEs, youth enterprises, or producer groups