Agribusiness Specialist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

IITA is an international non-profit agricultural research-for-development (R4D) organization established in 1967, governed by a Board of Trustees, and a member of the CGIAR Consortium. Our R4D approach is anchored on the development needs of the tropics. We work with partners to enhance crop quality and productivity, reduce producer and consumer risks, and generate wealth from agriculture. We have more than 100 internationally recruited scientists from about 35 countries and 900 nationally recruited staff based in various stations across Africa.

We invite applications for the internationally recruited position of:

Job Title: Agribusiness Specialist

Ref No: DDG-R4D/ABS/SARD-SC/06/15
Location: Abuja
Report to: The SARD-SC Project Coordinator.

Background and Responsibilities

• The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) (the Executing Agency) and its partners Africa Rice Centre and the International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (the Implementing Agencies) has received a grant from the African Development Fund (ADF) to finance the Multinational-CGIAR Project on Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops in Africa (SARD-SC).
• The overall objective of SARD-SC is to enhance food and nutrition security and contribute to poverty reduction in Bank’s low income Regional Member Countries (RMCs). Its specific objective is to enhance the productivity and income of four CAADP’s priority value chains (cassava, maize, rice, and wheat) on a sustainable basis.
• IITA, the Executing Agency for the SARD-SC, wishes to use a portion of the grant to engage the services of an Agribusiness Specialist.

Responsibilities
The Agribusiness Specialist will undertake the following activities:

• Organize and facilitate location specific activities to strengthen small holder capacities in quality management of cassava and maize processing and utilization.
• Link cassava and maize producers to identified markets and help organize producers to meet demands of the identified markets.
• Collect and analyze cassava and maize marketing and utilization information to help guide activity re-planning.
• Develop baseline information for enterprise beneficiaries as basis for monitoring and evaluation of enterprise development progress in target sites.
• Provide timely response to enterprise-related project concerns noted during monitoring and evaluation.
• Propose technical resources and partnership opportunities that hold promise to solve priority problems affecting cassava and maize enterprises and utilization.
• Help strengthen the functional relationship between IITA and GOs and NGOs working on the promotion of cassava and maize production, processing, and utilization technologies.
• Increase local/public awareness of the various processed cassava and maize products, their uses, and their actual and potential impact.
• Provide information and data required to develop project proposals to further promote cassava and maize production, commercialization and utilization.
• Develop, mobilize and disseminate cassava and maize enterprise information resources.
• Prepare national project technical and progress reports.
• Participate in resource mobilization.
• Any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor

Qualification and Experience

• The candidate should have a Post graduate degree (MSc or PhD) in Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Business Management, or a closely related field from a recognized University and more than 7 years’ cognate experience in the field of Agribusiness.

Core Competencies:

• Good knowledge of the Cassava and/or Maize Value Chain.
• Experience with project activity implementation and monitoring.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent spoken and written English; knowledge of French would be an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to write and publish articles in peer reviewed international journals.
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional, and multi-cultural environment.

General Information

• We offer highly competitive salary with equally attractive fringe benefits and excellent working conditions in a pleasant campus environment.
• The contract will be for an initial period of two years with possibility of renewal based on performance and continued availability of funding. IITA offers internationally competitive remuneration package paid in U.S. Dollars.

Application Closing Date
26th June, 2015

Method of Application
Interested applicants should forward their applications with detailed curriculum vitae saved with their names in Microsoft word format. The application must include the names and e-mail addresses of three professional referees which must include either the Head of applicant's current or previous organization or applicant's direct Supervisor/Superior officer at work and evidence of current remuneration package.

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