Position: Product Lead (Krishala / Dairy)

Employment Type: Full-Time

Work Station: On-Site / Kuleshwor, Kathmandu

Offered Monthly Salary: 25,000/- to 30,000/-

Working Hours: 9:30am to 5:30pm / Sunday – Thursday

Application Deadline: 20^th January, 2025

About the Role: 

An exciting new opportunity awaits you as we are hiring a Product Lead for Krishala Product at Aloi Private Limited. Krishala focuses on developing and expanding financing access for agricultural value chains. You would be mostly working from our office in Kuleshwor, Kathmandu and go on field visits as necessary.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Assisting in the planning, development, and implementation of Green sector related project activities. 
• Coordinating on logistic management, training and workshops facilitation and training material preparation, counseling to cooperative sector members and stakeholders. 
• Maintaining accurate records of project related documents and programs, compiling reports summarizing training outcomes, participant progress, feedback, challenges and any relevant documentation.
• Preparing the monthly report of the project accomplished milestones & KPI and forecasting the future deliverables to achieve target milestones.
• Assess product risks and issues and provide solutions where applicable.
• Coordinating with different stakeholders like cooperatives, vendors, buyers and borrowers. 
• Loan process implementation, pre loan and post loan using digital technology. 
• Identifying priority interventions in resource management, technology support, market access and financial management. 
• Preparing contracts, agreements documents, budget and itinerary relevant to respective stakeholders
• Providing guidance and support to participants regarding credit-related queries or procedures and addressing participant concerns when necessary
• Planning and executing the market ecosystem for value chain based enterprises. 
• Documenting and following up on important actions and decisions from meetings.
• Preparing necessary presentation materials for meetings and training sessions
• Providing administrative support as needed.
• Leading and facilitating meetings where appropriate and distributing minutes to all team members.
• Managing team and the staffs for on time implementation and project achievements 
• Undertaking any ad hoc tasks as required.

Required Skills and Qualifications: 

• Master’s degree in Business Management, IT, or relevant discipline (Bachelor degree with minimum 2 years of experience in project implementation are encouraged to apply). 
• Experience in project development, planning and implementation. 
• Prior experience of working with donor agencies, INGOs, funders and partners is an advantage. 
• Experience in developing business plans and business enterprise models. 
• Experience in screening, scoping and assessment of development projects or enterprises. 
• Proficiency in documentation, proposal writing, report writing and excellent communication skills. 
• Smooth adaptation ability to new technologies. 
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. 
• Abilities to handle multiple tasks at a time. 
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills in both Nepali and English. 

Interested candidates can share their CVs at careers@aloi.global.

Location: Kathmandu, Nepal	Type of Contract: Consultant
Post Level: Senior	Starting Date: 15th August 2024
Contract Duration: 8 months	Payment: Negotiable
Application Deadline: 5th August 2024

About Company

Aloi is a software platform for digitally monitoring loan expenditure and repayment through verified merchants and deposit points. Like an automatic audit, we track financing flows using simple phones and without mobile internet.

Background

Aloi, with the support of the GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications), has embarked on a significant initiative in collaboration with CDCAN to enhance the dairy value chain through Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) training and digital adaptation. This project aims to conduct a series of training sessions and onboard dairy cooperatives to adopt Aloi’s innovative digital technology. The overarching goal is to improve financial literacy and operational efficiency among dairy farmers.

The project will be implemented across five districts in Nepal: Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Kavre, Makwanpur, Chitwan, and Tanahu. These regions represent key areas of focus for enhancing the dairy sector, which is a strong revenue-generating industry for small-scale farmers. Despite its importance, there is considerable room for improvement in streamlining production processes and adopting advanced technologies.

Aloi has been actively involved in the dairy value chain and various agricultural sectors across the country. Through Aloi’s software, the project aims to digitize the financial transactions within the agricultural value chain, thereby enhancing transparency and efficiency. This digital transformation is expected to significantly benefit agricultural entrepreneurs by making processes more efficient and financially viable.

Duties and Responsibilities

• The primary objective of this consultancy is to provide expert guidance and support in the optimization and enhancement of agricultural value chains to improve productivity, profitability, and sustainability.
• The consultant will be expected to perform the following tasks:
  • Conduct comprehensive assessments of current dairy value chain practices in the targeted locations. 
  • Prepare a comprehensive working modality for the dairy value chain. Evaluate the existing systems, processes, and technology used by cooperatives and other stakeholders.
  • Prepare a wholesale and retail lending model and pricing strategy. 
  • Assess the user experience and functionality of the Aloi platform to pinpoint areas for enhancement. Design relevant business models that addresses identified gaps and improves the user performance. 
  • Design a scalability plan to ensure the solutions can be rolled out to a larger number of cooperatives effectively.
  • Filter out the dairy cooperatives to adapt the Aloi system for loan and daily income tracking after we receive a list from CDCAN. 
  • Analyze financial data to understand profitability, cost structures, and financial risks in the agri value chain.
  • Coordinate with local government and private sectors for collaboration opportunities.
  • Develop strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project, focusing on continued digital adaptation.
  • Besides dairy the consultant is also expected to give insights and guidance on other current or future agriculture value chains depending on his work prioritization. 
• The consultant will be expected to provide the following deliverables by the end of the contract:
  • Onboard more cooperatives with better/relevant system features.
  • Insights on better management for the dairy value chain aiming at farmers and dairy cooperatives.
  • Clear and actionable roadmap for stakeholders to follow for improvements.
  • A structured model detailing wholesale and retail lending mechanisms suitable for the dairy sector, including risk assessment and mitigation strategies. 
  • Comprehensive pricing strategies for digital adaptation
  • Improved user experience and functionality of the Aloi platform. 
  • Streamlined implementation process with pre-selected and new cooperatives.

Reporting: 

• The consultant will report to the Chief Product Owner (CPO) and Manager and will work closely with the agriculture department of Aloi.

Required Qualifications and Skills:

• Advanced degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, or related field.
• At least 5-7 years of professional experience in agricultural consultancy, with a strong focus on value chain development.
• Proven experience in conducting value chain analyses and developing strategic plans for agricultural projects.
• Experience working with local government bodies and have been part of agriculture projects.
• Excellent knowledge of agricultural practices, market dynamics, and the socio-economic aspects of agriculture.
• Utilize previous experience with local government bodies and leverage their networking capabilities for this project.
• Strong facilitation, training, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Excellent communication and report-writing skills.

Application Process:

Interested candidates can share their updated CVs at careers@aloi.global by 5th August 2024.

Application Deadline – July 20, 2024

Background

An exciting new opportunity awaits you as we are hiring an Associate Product Lead for Krishala Product in a rapidly growing fintech company, Aloi Private Limited. Krishala focuses on developing and expanding financing access for agricultural value chains. Aloi Private Limited is a technology company that builds loan insight software for the wise utilization of resources from different financial institutions. You will primarily work from our office in Kuleshwor, Kathmandu, with necessary field visits.

Main Responsibilities

• Assist in the planning, development, and implementation of dairy sector-related project activities.
• Provide logistical support for project activities, including scheduling and coordinating events.
• Help coordinate logistics management for training sessions and workshops.
• Assist in the preparation of training materials and facilitation of workshops.
• Provide counseling and support to dairy sector farmers and stakeholders as needed.
• Maintain accurate records of project-related documents and programs.
• Assist in compiling reports summarizing training outcomes, participant progress, feedback, and challenges.
• Document and follow up on important actions and decisions from meetings.
• Support coordination efforts with different stakeholders such as dairy cooperatives, vendors, buyers, and borrowers.
• Help prepare contracts, agreements, documents, budgets, and itineraries relevant to respective stakeholders.
• Assist in assessing product risks and issues, providing input for potential solutions where applicable.
• Contribute to identifying priority interventions in resource management, technology support, market access, and financial management.
• Assist in planning and executing the market ecosystem for dairy-based enterprises.
• Provide administrative support as needed, including preparing necessary presentation materials for meetings and training sessions.
• Provide guidance and support to participants regarding credit-related queries or procedures.
• Address participant concerns when necessary, escalating issues to the Product Lead as needed.
• Assist in managing the team and staff to ensure timely implementation and project achievements.
• Maintain open communication with team members and stakeholders.
• Undertake any ad hoc tasks as required to support the Product Lead and project goals.

Qualification and Other Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Agriculture, Environmental Science, IT, or a relevant discipline.
• 1+ years of experience in project implementation.
• Prior experience working with donor agencies, INGOs, funders, and partners is an advantage but not mandatory.
• Preferable to have experience working with dairy sector stakeholders and farmers.
• Experience in business plan development and enterprise model creation.
• Proficiency in documentation, proposal writing, report writing, and excellent communication skills.
• Smooth adaptation ability to new technologies (tech-savvy is preferred)
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills in both Nepali and English.

Remuneration will depend on your experience level, ranging NRs. 20,000 – 25,000/- per month. The employment period starts as soon as possible. 

Send us your CV and cover letter at careers@aloi.global. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.