AGRI Export Partnership Specialist

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support
04 November 2024

Kyiv

ERA BACKGROUND 

Ukraine’s efforts to win the future – emerging from Russia’s full-scale war ready to accelerate its development as a sovereign, independent, democratic, and prosperous state – require a dynamic, inclusive economic recovery. Through partnerships with the government and robust private sector engagement, ERA has supported economic growth and resilience in Ukraine since 2018. Following Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and subsequent occupation of the part of Ukraine, ERA shifted from its focus on Eastern Ukraine to cover development priorities across the country that address Ukraine’s urgent needs in export logistics and infrastructural improvements.

AGRI-UKRAINE GRAIN EXPORT LOGISTICS

USAID’s Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) is one of USAID’s core partners implementing the $350 million Agriculture Resilience Initiative – Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine) that was established in 2022 to bolster Ukrainian agricultural exports and alleviate the global food security crisis exacerbated by the war. Under AGRI-Ukraine, ERA partners with public and private companies to complement and leverage urgently-needed grain transportation and transshipment investments.

INFRASTRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS

ERA also directly supports the Government of Ukraine, including the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine (SARDI), the State Customs Service and Ukrainian Railways, to upgrade 42 of Ukraine’s border crossing points (BCPs). Modern and more efficient border infrastructure and customs procedures will reduce export costs and increase export capacity, enabling Ukraine to scale trade and advance its path to EU integration.

ENERGY AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE (EER) SUPPORT

As one of USAID’s most flexible activities that responds to emerging and/or emergency needs, ERA is expanding its interventions that assist Ukraine businesses, communities or individuals in the fall and winter (September 2024-December 2025). The goal is to minimize the impact on the Ukrainian people and economy given recent power deficits. This is an adaptive component and ERA may also need to respond to other emergency needs in the face of ongoing Russian aggression and attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.

About the Job

AGRI Export Partnership Specialist will be responsible for coordinating and providing necessary data and information to support colleagues in developing effective market linkages between Ukrainian Agriculture Commodity exporters and international commodity buyer. This role is focused on enhancing export performance and productivity. The AGRI Export Partnership Specialist will assist to develop and coordinate capacity building interventions in collaboration with Technical and Operations teams. The role ensures that all activities are implemented according to schedule, with accuracy and to high quality standards, and for monitoring and reporting on their progress. The AGRI Export Partnership Specialist is based Kyiv and reports to International Market Linkages Senior Coordinator.

Responsibilities:

Export Capacity Enhancement:

  • Liaise with the Supply Chain and Logistics Lead and other colleagues to maintain up-to-date market and activity information,
  • Analyze the private agricultural market and propose partnership strategies with selected beneficiaries,
  • Contribute to project planning, monitor progress, and ensure objectives are met within budget and time constraints,
  • Determine content adoption metrics and define marketing and trade enablement best practices,
  • Provide analysis and technical input on solutions developed for implementation of international programs and market linkages initiatives,
  • Verify potential reputational and compliance risks (Know-Your-Client) from the open sources,
  • Manage the repository of sales, trade, and marketing enablement content to ensure easy accessibility.

Content Management, Knowledge and Capacity Building:

  • Conduct field visits or other business trips within Ukraine for due diligence, visibility check, preparation of USAID meetings and other request,
  • Communicate with stakeholder to understand and respond to their needs in international trade training programs, with particular focus on supply chain development, and commodity sales and marketing,
  • Develop customized marketing materials designed for publication and distribution within Ukraine and internationally to stakeholders in the global agricultural commodity marketplace,
  • Assist to organize and launch marketing campaign aiming to enhance export sales, marketing, and trade performance for Ukrainian agricultural commodities,
  • Develop success stories, case studies, and guides on marketing and trade,
  • Lead the organization of events for USAID ERA beneficiaries and participate in various international trade shows to maximize market linkage opportunities.

Job expectations:

In this position, you are expected to share the DAI four core values:

  • Integrity: commit to civil and ethical behavior, play by the rules, and do the right thing;
  • Responsibility: be accountable to clients, partners, grant recipients, beneficiaries, colleagues, and communities where we work. If you fall short, you own up, fix the problem, and get it right the next time;
  • Excellence: adhere to the highest technical and professional standards in innovation, learning, and service;
  • Global Citizenship: respect the cultural diversity and treat everyone everywhere with professionalism and dignity to make the world a better place.

About you:

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Project Management, Economics, Sales and Marketing, or related fields.
  • 6+ years private sector experience supporting sales and marketing or project coordination or management.
  • Excellent professional communications and negotiation skills and ability to work with people at all levels of an organization.
  • Ability to work both independently and in close cooperation with a remote team. Ability to work cross-functionally and internationally.
  • An energetic, forward-thinking, and creative individual with high ethical standards and an appropriate professional image.
  • A well-organized and self-directed individual with sound technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment, and strong operational focus. Ability to plan and meet specific deadlines.
  • Holder of a valid travel passport and able to travel in Ukraine, and out of Ukraine to potentially attend international export and trade events as needed.
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills in both English and Ukrainian. Fluency in any other international languages relevant to the target geographies of AGRI’s market export initiatives is a plus (e.g. Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Italian or Spanish).

WE OFFER

Contract length: 12-month employment agreement with a possibility of extension.

Start date: December 2024.

Benefits Package:

  • 28 calendar days of annual leave
  • 10 days of internal well-being paid leave per year
  • Medical Insurance for ERA staff and their families
  • Life and Injury Insurance for ERA staff
  • Full coverage of all business trip related expenses.

Application process

All applicants must send a cover letter and updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English to ukraine@dai.com .

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or status as a protected veteran.

Closing date for applications: December 25, 2024.  

For further information about DAI GLOBAL LLC, please consult our website https://era-ukraine.org.ua/en/

USAID Improves Grain Transportation Capacity for Ukrainian Medium-Sized Agri Firms 

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support
25 October 2024

USAID’s Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) provided five telehandlers to members of the Ukrainian Agrarian Council, Ukraine’s largest public association of more than 1,200 small and medium-sized agribusinesses from across the country. 

These telehandlers will bolster operations at Agrofirma Dzvony, Kushpit, AGRO-ORMS, Agroco, and Kischenzi. The equipment will accelerate elevators operations and increase the grain transportation capacity of these medium-sized firms to 185,130 tons annually. 

Agrofirma Dzvony, a family-owned enterprise, expects the modern telehandler to optimize overall work at the elevator and amplify its transportation capacity by 150%. The company will use the telehandler to load trailers under the canopy during harvest, transport grain, and fill big bags with grain. Dzvony specializes in growing wheat, corn, soybeans, rapeseed, and sunflowers.  

Another beneficiary of the USAID-provided telehandler is Kushpit, a family-owned business that anticipates improvements in grain storage facility operations with the new equipment. Two of the company’s three telehandlers are outdated, impacting overall efficiency. While telehandlers are utilized across various operations, Kushpit plans to use the new equipment to expedite transportation at the elevator. The existing telehandlers will be repurposed for land plot afforestation, grubbing, and chip overloading related to these reforestation efforts. 

AGRO-ORMS, an agri firm, plans to increase its grain transshipment capacity and optimize logistics costs with the new telescopic handler. Due to the dispersed locations of its shipping points, the company currently rents an additional telehandler to supplement its own. AGRO-ORMS expects that utilizing two telehandlers will enable simultaneous shipment from two warehouses, ultimately doubling the speed of grain trailer loading. It will decrease downtime and expedite delivery to ports or borders, potentially leading to a 250% increase in exports.  

Furthermore, USAID ERA provided a telehandler to Kischenzi, a diversified farm, that integrates agricultural, dairy, vegetable, and pig farming operations. The company will utilize the USAID-provided telehandler to manage grain movement within storage warehouses and facilitate loading onto vehicles for further transshipment to Ukrainian ports. With the new telehandler, Kischenzi anticipates a 50% increase in grain loading capacity, enabling it to handle up to 4,500 tons of grain daily.  

Lastly, USAID ERA provided a telehandler to Agroco, a diversified agri enterprise. Founded in 2001, Agroco cultivates corn, soybeans, sunflowers, and wheat while operating a dairy farm. The new telehandler will enhance the company’s grain handling efficiency at the elevator. Previously, relying on shared equipment from their livestock operations, Agroco expects to double their daily grain loading capacity from 500 to 1,000 tons with the telehandler. This improvement will accelerate technological processes and reduce costs associated with loading rented rail wagons. 

Background: Assistance to agricultural producers and infrastructure companies is part of the Agriculture Resilience Initiative (AGRI) – Ukraine, implemented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It aims to help Ukraine increase its capacity to produce, store, transport, and export grain.       

USAID-provided Pilot Boat Speeds Export Operations in the Danube Ports 

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support
22 October 2024

In May 2024, the state enterprise, Ukrainian of Sea Ports Authority (USPA) received a pilot boat from the USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) to strengthen the export capacity of seaports, by transporting maritime pilots between land and inbound/outbound ships, impacting logistical efficiency of cargo and export processing. 

Since July 17, the Ukrainian flag raising ceremony symbolized placing the Hennadii Zhuravkov pilot boat into service, delivering pilots to facilitate commercial shipping on the river and sea ports. During the three months of active use (July-September), the team on Hennadii Zhuravkov, delivered pilots to more than 400 jobs, accounting for 20% of all pilot services. 

On board Hennadii Zhuravkov there are usually two people, a captain and a sailor, working an 11-hour shift, and it generally takes 1 hour 7 minutes to complete one pilot delivery operation. This is 33% faster than on previous pilot boats that took 1 hour 40 minutes. In total Hennadii Zhuravkov processed 417 vessels, 57 in July, 203 in August, and 157 in September. 

“Most of the ships where we delivered pilots by boat, are dry cargo ships that mainly transport grain cargo for export from Ukraine, as well as construction materials and livestock,” says Oleksandr Holodnytskyi, Head of the Delta-Lotsman branch of USPA. “The new pilot boat ensures uninterrupted operations in the seaport, which is very important for the Ukrainian economy during the war. This has a positive effect on the growth of the seaport’s logistical capabilities, avoiding delays in the pilot service work, and increasing the port’s potential daily throughput capacity. It was with clear and convincing calculations that USAID ERA provided us with such a valuable pilot boat built for our needs, and we are grateful for that!” 

Recently, the second pilot boat USAID is building for USPA, named Pilot Cheberiakov, successfully completed sea trials. In total, USPA will receive three pilot boats to further strengthen the export capacity of the Ukrainian economy on the Danube and Black Sea ports.  

Background: Assistance to agricultural producers and infrastructure companies is part of the Agriculture Resilience Initiative (AGRI) – Ukraine, implemented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It aims to help Ukraine increase its capacity to produce, store, transport, and export grain.

USAID ERA builds new strategic partnerships to develop the agricultural sector’s export potential 

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support
21 October 2024

In September, the USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) formalized partnerships with the Ukrainian Club of Agrarian Business (UCAB), Ukrainian Grain Association (UZA), and Spike Marketing LLC. The signed memorandums outline plans to participate in international conferences and export exhibitions in and outside Ukraine, extend invitations to key buyers to visit Ukraine to familiarize themselves with the market, hold B2B meetings in potential markets, as well as improve the skills of employees of Ukrainian companies in the agricultural sector. 

  • The Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UCAB), a business association, will develop market connections and new opportunities for exporting agricultural products, improve employee qualifications within agricultural companies, and inspire younger generations to get involved in agriculture. 
  • The Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA), a business association, will focus on developing export sales and connections with international markets for grain and oil crop exports. 
  • Spike Marketing LLC, who specializes in logistics and agricultural exports, will increase the export potential for farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). 

These strategic partnerships will contribute to increasing Ukrainian producers’ competitiveness in the global market and contribute to making Ukraine an attractive market for future business opportunities.

Background: Assistance to agricultural producers and infrastructure companies is part of the Agriculture Resilience Initiative (AGRI) – Ukraine, implemented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It aims to help Ukraine increase its capacity to produce, store, transport, and export grain.

Ukrainian Grain Traders Explore Export Opportunities with Top Irish and European Importers 

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support
10 October 2024

From September 16 to 19, USAID’s Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), in partnership with the Ukrainian Club of Agrarian Business (UCAB), visited Ireland with 9 representatives of UCAB’s member companies to explore and expand agricultural commodity export opportunities. With close to five million tons of imports annually, Ukrainian grain traders were able to identify strong market opportunities for export to Ireland during the meeting with TOP 3 commodities importers in Ireland and continental Europe, including R&H Hall, Cefetra, and ADM. The Waterford Port visit provided the delegates with an understanding of the port operations dynamics in Ireland and highlighted specific opportunities for handysize combi-load shipments to Ireland. The delegates attended fruitful meetings with SFSI, Teagasc and got valuable insights into global agri-food best practices, sustainability trends and evolving market requirement needs within the European Union.

USAID ERA Helps Companies Adjust with Alternative Exporting Options 

AGRI-Ukraine Export Logistics Support
16 September 2024

On September 3, USAID’s Economic Resilience Activity (ERA) delivered the last 3,000 flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC) grain bags (big bags) to the agricultural exporter, Grain Alliance. This was the final delivery of the 70,000 big bags bulk purchase. 

A big bag is a soft, pliable, container made of polyethylene, which carries 1 to 2 tons of grain (corn, wheat, soybeans). The advantage of big bags is that they protect the grain from rain and snow during road or rail transportation.  

These versatile big bags offer 70,000+ tons of storage capacity and allow Grain Alliance to be more adaptable with its supply chains. Big bags transport grain in open trucks and wagons while maintaining the grain’s high quality. Conveniently, big bags also offer the opportunity to transport cargo back to avoid returning empty. Lastly, big bags can be used as a short-term warehouse option in case the Black Sea ports are blocked again. 

Currently, Grain Alliance uses the USAID-provided big bags to store seeds. The exporter also plans to use the big bags to transport grain from their elevators in the central regions. Should another forced logistics strategy change happen again, Grain Alliance will have the option to transport grain by trucks via the Western border with the big bags to continue their export operations uninterrupted.  

Grain Alliance is among the top 20 agricultural companies of Ukraine. 

Background: Assistance to agricultural producers and infrastructure companies is part of the Agriculture Resilience Initiative (AGRI) – Ukraine, implemented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It aims to help Ukraine increase its capacity to produce, store, transport, and export grain.