Market Access & Value Chain Analyst at Synnefa

Role summary

You will discover and qualify buyers, run trials and samples, and test the unit economics of value chains so we know which crops, buyers and models actually work. You will translate buyer needs into operational rules, quality checks and simple commercial contracts that our field teams, authorised partners and FarmCloud can use.

Key responsibilities

Market Discovery & Buyer Research — Primary (~60%)

You will build a disciplined buyer pipeline and a buyer-requirements library we can act on.

What this looks like every day:


Find and profile buyers: local processors, traders/aggregators, institutional buyers, and export-adjacent firms.
Run structured conversations (we will give you templates). Capture exactly: crop types, quality specs, allowable moisture, packaging, traceability needs, indicative price bands (not negotiated prices), minimum and trial volumes, payment terms and buyer expectations.
Record everything in a buyer intelligence file: buyer name, contact, date, notes, and a short, factual summary of their requirements. No hearsay. No "I think". Only documented inputs.
Keep a buyer prioritization framework so we focus on buyers who can actually scale volume and pay on time.


Trial & Sample Coordination (~25%)

You will run the practical work that turns buyer interest into acceptance.

What this looks like:


Coordinate how samples are prepared (drying to agreed QA rules), packaged and delivered.
Use a structured feedback form to capture buyer responses and rejection reasons. Record exactly why a trial failed or passed.
Keep a clean pipeline: Leads → Active Trials → Trial Outcomes → Repeat Interest / Negotiation.
Make sure lessons from trials go straight to Field, Product and QA teams so we fix the real problems.


Unit Economics & Assumption Testing Support (~15%)

You will test whether buyer prices match the real costs and whether the value chain is financially viable.

What this looks like:


Work with the Grants and Partnerships Lead and the Business Growth and Enablement team to compare buyer price bands to real costs (drying, collection, packing, transport, commissions).
Tell us which value chains are viable and which are not, and why. Flag margin or payment risks early.
Build simple financial scenarios: break-even, sensitivity to price swings, and the impact of late payments. Keep models readable — not fancy, just correct and usable.


Other responsibilities


Map value chains (mango, chilli, ginger, onions, coffee, tomato, spices), identify bottlenecks, and propose operational fixes.
Define QA and traceability rules that use FarmShield logs as evidence for buyers. Work with Product to make FarmCloud support batch traceability, inventory, collection-scheduling and buyer orders.
Design aggregation models (hub, co-op, authorised partners, micro-collectors) that pool volumes, keep quality, and make payments traceable.
Lead buyer negotiations for MOUs/offtake terms that include price, quality, volume and payment timelines; operationalize KPIs and dispute rules.
Build partnerships with aggregators, financiers and government where needed to support buyer financing or advance payments.
Produce short, practical market briefs and dashboards we can act on.


What we are looking for (qualifications & experience)

Education


Degree in Agricultural Economics, Horticulture, Agribusiness, Supply Chain, Development Studies, or similar. Master's is useful but not required.


Experience


Good experience in the sector doing market access or value-chain roles. You should have worked directly with buyers, processors or exporters. A good fit would have 2 - 3 years experience.
Hands-on experience designing aggregation/collection models and negotiating MOUs/offtake agreements.
Field experience in East Africa and with crops like mango, chilli, coffee, tomato or spices is a big advantage.


Technical skills


We are AI first! You must be able to use AI tools such as ChatGPT or Gemini. We will provide premium account access to these tools to supercharge your role.
Strong Excel modeling. Comfortable with Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel is helpful.
Comfortable with value-chain methods: actor mapping, gross margin and cost-to-serve.
Experience with digital platforms or traceability systems is an advantage — we want someone who sees how software and sensors turn into commercial proof.


Practical traits


You travel to the field and get things done in dusty places.
You write clear notes and run tidy pipelines.
You can translate buyer requirements into SOPs and simple contracts.
You sense check your assumptions with AI and optimise your work with it.


Competencies & how you will operate


Practical analysis: you turn field facts into clear financial sense.
Negotiation: you close MOUs and make buyers reliable partners.
Delivery focus: strategy stops at the moment it becomes operational process and SOP.
Clear communication: short, factual reports and buyer summaries. No fluff.
Systems thinking: you will work with Product and Data so FarmShield and FarmCloud actually serve buyers.