Role Overview The Senior Manager – Food Processing Expert in Agriculture Supply Chain will lead the food processing and agri-supply chain vertical within the Project Management Unit (PMU) at SERP. The role is central to driving key initiatives under the Indira Mahila Shakti (IMS) Program, focusing on supporting SHG-based microenterprises across the food processing value chain—right from production planning to marketing. The incumbent will be responsible for optimizing production processes, enforcing quality and food safety standards, enhancing market linkages and strengthening overall supply chain efficiency for products manufactured by SHG-led enterprises. The position reports to the Director, PMU – IMS and collaborates closely with the branding, enterprise and sectoral teams. Mode Of Employment Contractual appointment for a fixed term of three years. Remuneration A consolidated monthly remuneration in the range of ₹1,00,000–₹1,25,000, depending on experience and qualification. Qualifications Postgraduate degree in Agriculture / Food Technology / Agri-Business Management / Rural Management / Supply Chain Management / allied fields. Preference will be given to candidates with certifications or training in food safety, quality control, agri-value chains, enterprise development etc. Experience Preferably 10 years in agri-business, food processing, or agriculture-based supply chain management, including at least 5 years in managerial roles. Preference would be given to candidates with experience in promoting SHG-led enterprises or experience in working with FPOs. Job Roles And Responsibilities Key responsibilities include: Lead the identification, design, and implementation of scalable SHG-based food processing units and value chains focused on local produce. Ensure food safety, quality compliance, and statutory certifications (FSSAI, AGMARK, BIS) across all SHG processing enterprises. Facilitate backward and forward linkages including procurement, aggregation, grading, logistics, and direct market access through e-commerce and agri-tech platforms. Support district teams and SHG entrepreneurs through technical inputs, training modules, and capacity building in food processing and packaging. Enable convergence with government schemes and financial institutions for infrastructure, credit access, and capital support for SHG-led processing units. Programmatic & Technical Support Lead identification and promotion of SHG-based food processing units (e.g., spices, pulses, oilseeds, millets, fruits, vegetables, dairy, etc.) with special emphasis on local produce and cluster based value-addition Design and implement end-to-end food processing models from procurement to marketing. Ensuring quality and safety compliance for all processing units, facilitating adherence to statutory standards like FSSAI, AGMARK, BIS etc. Provide technical inputs for business planning, food safety, statutory compliances and packaging. Support district teams in identifying viable food processing models based on local resource availability and demand trends. Guide collective procurement, aggregation, grading, sorting and pre-processing operations to improve margins and reduce wastage. Facilitate convergence with line departments (Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Industries) and schemes (PM-FME, NRLM) to mobilize infrastructure and subsidies. Facilitate partnerships with e-commerce channels, wholesalers and agri-tech platforms for processed product marketing. Work with Branding and Marketing teams to ensure processed SHG products meet market expectations in terms of packaging, labelling and value perception. Track enterprise viability, unit productivity, compliance, and sustainability through a structured monitoring and reporting framework. Promote adoption of innovations, mechanization and low-cost technologies in SHG units. Supply Chain Development & Market Linkages Map agricultural produce district wise and identify key bottlenecks in the supply chain. Develop logistics and cold chain models for perishable produce. Facilitate partnerships with agri-tech platforms, FPOs and buyers to enable direct market access for SHG products. Support standardization and certification processes to ensure product consistency. Access To Finance & Resource Mobilization Support credit-linked projects through DPRs and techno-economic feasibility assessments. Facilitate convergence with NABARD, SFAC, banks and other financial institutions for capital subsidies and working capital. Monitoring & Capacity Building Provide continuous handholding and mentoring to district-level technical teams and SHG entrepreneurs. Support development of training content and delivery of capacity building modules in food safety, processing techniques and packaging. Track key KPIs related to food processing enterprises and suggest course corrections. Administrative & Coordination Support Work closely with other specialists of the PMU, district teams and thematic experts in designing and monitoring food processing initiatives. Preparation of Annual Action Plans (AAPs), review reports and policy briefs. Represent the program in sectoral forums, industry conclaves and knowledge-sharing events. Involves extensive coordination with district teams. Show more Show less