About the Role

The Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) in collaboration with the Transforming Agriculture through Diversification and Entrepreneurship (TRADE) Programme, invites applications from qualified and experienced individuals to serve as Business Coaches to support Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs) across selected districts in Malawi.

The TRADE Programme is a six-year initiative co-financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID). The programme aims to improve the sustainable livelihoods of rural households by promoting agricultural commercialization, strengthening farmer organizations, and enhancing market participation among smallholder farmers.

Business Coaches will provide hands-on coaching, mentorship, and business development support to FBOs to strengthen their capacity to operate as sustainable and market-oriented enterprises.

FUM therefore seeks experienced Business Coaches to provide hands-on agribusiness coaching, mentorship, and capacity building to 44 Farmer Based Organizations (FBOs) across six districts. Coaches will strengthen FBO governance, business skills, market linkages, financial management, and access to finance, including ACIF grants. The role requires regular field presence and participatory facilitation.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct rapid organizational capacity assessments and develop coaching plans with measurable targets.
• Strengthen FBO governance, leadership, financial systems, share/membership growth, and service delivery.
• Facilitate 4P partnerships, contract farming, and market linkages with off-takers and processors.
• Support development of business plans, grant proposals, and application for ACIF financing instrument of the TRADE Programme.
• Promote inclusion of women, youth, and persons with disabilities in leadership and decision-making.

Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Development Studies, Agricultural Extension or related field.
• General Experience: Minimum 3 years in value chain development, adult learning, commodity marketing, and business coaching for FBOs/cooperatives.
• Specific Professional Working Knowledge (certification or proven experience required) in: FO Business Training & Coaching Cycle, SIYB, SME Loop, or SHEP Approach.
• Cross-cutting: Demonstrated experience mainstreaming gender, youth, nutrition, environment, and disability inclusion.
• Proof: Provide CV, copies of similar assignment contracts (title & signature pages), and Business Coaching Certification.
• Advantage: Good command of the local languages of the targeted districts.

Deliverables

FUM and successful Business Coaches will get into a performance-based contractual agreement that will focus on the following key deliverables: Inception report, rapid assessment, coaching plans, FBO Business Plans, monthly progress reports, and final report with annexed training modules. More importantly, the successful BCs will be required to demonstrate noticeable business transformation of the targeted FBOs that will go beyond mere training facilitation.

Submit a detailed Expression of Interest (EoI) including CV, relevant certifications, and proof of similar assignments to: info@farmersunion.mw and copy dkapolo@farmersunion.mw

• Conduct rapid organizational capacity assessments and develop coaching plans with measurable targets.
• Strengthen FBO governance, leadership, financial systems, share/membership growth, and service delivery.
• Facilitate 4P partnerships, contract farming, and market linkages with off-takers and processors.
• Support development of business plans, grant proposals, and application for ACIF financing instrument of the TRADE Programme.
• Promote inclusion of women, youth, and persons with disabilities in leadership and decision-making.

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Development Studies, Agricultural Extension or related field.
• General Experience: Minimum 3 years in value chain development, adult learning, commodity marketing, and business coaching for FBOs/cooperatives.
• Specific Professional Working Knowledge (certification or proven experience required) in: FO Business Training & Coaching Cycle, SIYB, SME Loop, or SHEP Approach.
• Cross-cutting: Demonstrated experience mainstreaming gender, youth, nutrition, environment, and disability inclusion.
• Proof: Provide CV, copies of similar assignment contracts (title & signature pages), and Business Coaching Certification.
• Advantage: Good command of the local languages of the targeted districts.