Socio-Economic Analyst at West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP)

The West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) is a World Bank assisted Programme for member-countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), designed to make agriculture more productive and sustainable and also to enhance sub-regional integration. In Nigeria, WAAPP works towards achieving its objective of increasing agricultural productivity while promoting sub-regional integration along the value chains of its targeted commodities (aquaculture, cassava, maize; rice, sorghum, yam, poultry and fruit processing); while assisting in the realization of the Nation's Agricultural Transformation Agenda, this it does via four (4) components, which are:

• Enabling conditions for sub-regional cooperation in technology generation, dissemination and adoption;
• National Centre of Specialization and Excellence in Aquaculture;
• Funding of demand-driven technology generation and adoption;
• Project coordination, management, monitoring and evaluation.

WAAPP is coordinated at the sub-regional level by the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD). In Nigeria WAAPP is implemented by Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMA&RD) through a Project Coordination Office (PCO). WAAPP-Nigeria became effective in January 2012 and the first phase will close in 2016. The Project requires the services of exceptional and highly motivated professionals to fill the vacant position:

Job Title: Socio-Economic Analyst

Location: Abuja

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall supervision of the National Project Coordinator, and working in collaboration with other members of the Technical Team, the incumbent will contribute technical expertise to the Project's operational activities, especially relating to the planning, implementation and evaluation of socioeconomic analysis of the Project. The major duties and responsibilities will include;

• Lead in the preparation, processing and presentation of Terms of Reference (TOR) for various socioeconomic studies on Project interventions;
• Contribute technical inputs in the preparation of the Project’s national strategies, and portfolio reviews, baseline studies, quarterly and annual analytical reports, and technical monographs on the Project;
• Lead a team approach in planning and implementation of collection/analysis of Project data, and preparation of various technical reports as will be required;
• Lead in planning, conducting and presenting analyses of the Project's socioeconomic outputs, outcomes and impact on the intended beneficiaries of the Project;
• Preparation of periodic progress reports as may be required by the Project's management or Advisory Board;
• Maintain analytical macro and micro data pools on each of the Project's priority commodity chains (including rice, maize, sorghum, poultrç cassava, yam, horticulture and aquaculture), and be capable of providing these promptly when required by the Project’s management;
• Analyze situations and provide expert advice to the National Project Coordinator on appropriate priorities and levels of investments to deliver the Projects specific mandates;
• Plan and organize appropriate training on socioeconomic data collection and analyses, as part of capacity building of Project partners to achieve Project objectives;
• Serve as a technical specialist on socioeconomic aspects, working within a multi-disciplinary team approach to identify, prepare, appraise, launch, monitor, follow-up, supervise, and complete all missions that contribute to the delivery of the Project’s mandates;
• Work with partner national agricultural research institutes (NARIs) and other partner organizations on executing the mandates of the Project;
• Represent the National Project Coordinator, whenever delegated, at meetings with partner agencies within and outside Nigeria;
• Perform other duties assigned by the National Project Coordinator

Preferred qualifications
Candidates for the Socio-Economic Analyst position should possess:

• Nigerian citizenship;
• A doctorate in economics, agricultural economics or development economics, plus at least 7 years of relevant experience in a major donor-funded agricultural or economic development programme or project;
• A general familiarity with issues in Nigerian agriculture, with specific knowledge of the following agricultural commodity value chains: Aquaculture, Cassava, Yam, Sorghum, Maize, Mice and Poultry.
• Previous experience working in multi-lateral, financial institutions or similar large organisations, and performing such roles as project preparing, appraising, supervising or implementing donor funded projects;
• A broad knowledge of all agriculture sub- sectors, and with specific experience in implementation and management of donor funded projects in an African setting;
• Full understanding of the principles of project cycle and project implementation;
• Proven planning and organizational skills. Strong conceptual and research/analytical skills, with ability to think strategically and rapidly analyze and integrate diverse information from varied sources into conclusions and recommendations;
• Strong knowledge of social, cultural, gender and other development issues related to aquaculture in Nigeria;
• Ability to interact competently with the staff of Project partner-organizations, government and donor agencies to implement the Project;
• Competence in the application of various software (Word, Excel, Access, MS Projects, SPSS or other statistical packages, and PowerPoint);
• Ability to communicate and write effectively in English. A good working knowledge of French will be an advantage

Duration of Employment Contract
Duration of the employment contract will be 2 (Two) years for all positions (renewable, but based upon the incumbent’s performance and if the relevant project activities are continuing)

Remuneration
Package will be commensurate with professional experience and qualifications

Application Closing Date
13th November, 2014

Method of Application
Interested candidates should forward Ten hard copies of application letters together with ten copies of the their credentials to:

The Office of the National Project Coordinator,
WAAPP-Nigeria,
Project Coordination Office (PCO),
No. 2, Franca Afegbua Crescent,
Off Samuel Jereton Mariere Road,
Apo, Abuja.