Cooperative Strategic Planning Expert, UCCCU Strategic Plan and Member Engagement Support, Uganda

Cooperative Strategic Planning Expert, UCCCU Strategic Plan and Member Engagement Support, Uganda

Project Background:

Uganda Crane Creameries Cooperative Union (UCCCU) is one of the unions receiving support under Land O’Lakes International Development Cooperative Development (CD3) project which is supporting selected vertically integrated dairy cooperatives in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Rwanda. Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the 5-year project, which runs until September 2015, is designed to increase access to self-reliant cooperative enterprises that meet the needs of their members and contribute to improved quality of life for members. Among the activities in support of the cooperatives’ enterprise management is the implementation of innovative solutions that will spur higher levels of profitability that will stabilize or increase farmer prices and/or reduce cost of production at the farmer level thus increasing farmer income and improving farmer engagement.

The CDP project is testing the development hypothesis that dairy cooperatives that achieve and leverage economies of scale through horizontal and/or vertical integration increase their commercial viability and competitiveness, and provide greater socio-economic returns to farmer-members, especially women farmers.

The project has two primary indicators, one for cooperatives and one for cooperative members. The primary indicator to measure progress benefiting cooperatives is change in sales revenue for participating cooperatives. Our target is:

Scale and integration will enable cooperatives to become and remain competitive in the marketplace and retain member loyalty by increasing socio-economic returns to members, particularly women. Our primary indicators and target for tracking benefits to cooperative members of scale and integration is:

Increased cooperative revenues by 25% over life of project

Increased cooperative member income by 20% over life of project

Assignment Objectives

The consultant will work with the board and management of UCCCU to help them develop strategic business plans to guide their operations /expansion activities and provide a roadmap for organizational growth in order to realize positive business performance and ensure sustainability.

Key activities of the assignment will focus on:

• The consultant will use existing analysis and conduct an initial appraisal of existing strategic and member engagement plans and provide feedback on gaps and identify opportunities for further development of a strategic business plan.


• Provide templates and identify key information required in each component of the strategic plan. Provide guidance on process and structure to allow UCCCU to fully develop and own all input and decisions that go into strategic plan.


• Facilitate strategic planning exercise with management teams at UCCCU.


• Assist UCCCU in writing their strategic plan and review the final plan to ensure clarity and no gaps.


• Facilitate member engagement planning exercise, development and finalization of the member engagement plan.

Qualifications

The consultant is expected to have the following skills and qualifications:

• Educational Background: Advanced degree in business or agriculture or another related field with practical experience working with cooperatives.


• At least 10 years of technical field experience working with small growing businesses in emerging markets. Good report writing and computer skills


• Physical fitness: Sufficiently physically fit to be able to endure multiple visits to a variety of producers.


• Currently residing in Uganda and significant previous experience and knowledge of the dairy industry in Uganda preferred.


• Available for assignment as soon as possible.

Deliverables

The consultant will work with UCCCU and develop a strategic business plan in collaboration with the management team.

Deliverable 1- Report highlighting outputs of the strategic planning sessions

Deliverable 2- Draft Strategic Plan

Deliverable 3- Final strategic plan

Deliverable 4- Final Member engagement plan