Youth Led Enterprise Development Officer at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) - Borno & Adamawa

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Working with various partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Youth Led Enterprise Development Officer

Ref: IITA-HR-NRS2019-030
Locations: Borno & Adamawa
Recruitment Type: National (2-year renewable contract)

Duties
Successful candidate will among other things perform the following duties:

• Lead trainees in the development of successful business plans
• Facilitate systemic, ongoing mentoring of entrepreneurs by peer and private sector mentors
• Facilitate and track the progress of funding applications to finance trainees
• Identify business opportunities and prospective and potential successful business alliance
• Participate in platform (establish these if needed) on the USAID NFO funded project value chains and establish business incubation partnership for sustainability; set up meeting with prospective partners and stakeholders in collaboration with other project staff
• Supervise and monitor developed enterprises alongside the M&E manager and the Youth and Gender facilitator
• Perform any other duties assigned, as may be occasioned by the exigencies of the service.

Qualifications

• BSc/HND or advanced degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Business Administration, or related field with at least three (3) years of relevant job experience from International organizations/NGOs/donors preferably linked to tropical agriculture or International development.

Competencies
The ideal candidate must:

• Be computer literate with a good working knowledge of computer-based control systems, shared network drives, and excel packages
• Have excellent communication, supervisory and leadership skills as well as communicate and write effectively in English
• Have understanding of youth empowerment and enterprise set up in target food shed
• Have deep understanding of the agricultural value chains
• Have understanding of developing business plans for agricultural enterprise
• Have experience of coordinating and supporting youth led enterprises and be able to efficiently conduct and support training for Agricultural enterprises during incubation and short-term trainings
• Have understanding of the approach to adopt in supporting growth of agricultural enterprises
• Have experience in working with youths and should be able to link them to private sector and finance partners for financial and enterprise development support
• Have knowledge of linking youths with Government officials and private sector to negotiate access to land and equipment for new enterprise development
• Be experienced in youth empowerment, enterprise set-up and establishing a mentorship program for youth entrepreneurs
• Be experienced in establishing and maintaining partnership with the private sector to contract youth entrepreneurs
• Have ability to communicate in one or more of northern Nigeria’s major languages is an advantage
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the supervisor

Remuneration
We offer highly competitive salary with equally attractive benefits and excellent working conditions in a pleasant campus environment.

Application Closing Date
6th September, 2019.

Method of Application
Interested applicants should complete the online application attaching detailed Cover Letter and CV 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 the applicant’s current or previous direct Supervisor, professional colleague and evidence of current remuneration package.

Click here to apply online

Click here for more Information (PDF)

Note: IITA is an equal opportunity employer and particularly welcomes applications from female candidates.