Value Chain Development Lead at Alan & Grant

Alan & Grant - Our work is focused on creating innovative HR and Organizational Development Solutions aimed at Performance Improvement & Business Growth. We currently serve clients across various sectors of the Economy in from locations in Jos, Port Harcourt and Lagos.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Value Chain Development Lead

Location: Abuja
Industry: NGO/Social Services

Job Description

• The Value Chain Development Lead will be assigned to work with the Office of the Vice President to map the priority value chains , understand political economy constraints, identify contraints, gaps and opportunities along the value chain and propose practical, market and government systems solutions to these constraints.
• He/she will work closely with the Head of the Unit, Lead Delivery Advisor and other experts including the Mechanisation, Processing and Good Agronomic Practices Leads; supporting them and key states and ministries alongside the delivery advisors to facilitate the development of the priority value chains and agricultural markets.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Have an in-depth understanding of agricultural market systems
• Develop detailed mapping along the value chains for the selected market systems, including of their political economy
• Conduct analyses of the market systems, including supporting functions (e.g. information, training, finance, inputs) and rules and regulations to identify constraints along the value chain and solve them
• Understand market dynamics – consumers, competition, major players – to inform recommendations made for improvements along the value chain
• Understand drivers for value chain development – system efficiency, product quality, product differentiation, social and environmental standards, business environment (including regulation)
• Implement market-driven sustainable solutions built around local market realities to remedy bottlenecks in the value chain and its underlying constraints that hinder participation
• Develop good monitoring and results measurement system, to measure the success of implemented interventions and provide feedback on what needs to be done further
• Work across different stakeholder groups in the wider market system – BDS providers, government institutions, NGOs
• Understand private agro processing
• Create market linkages with priority placed on local market
• Prepare detailed 5 year and annual work plans and progress reports on value chain components

Requirements
Experience, Qualification and Skills:

• At least 8 years of market-systems and value chain developmentexperience managing complex projects or businesses in areas such aslivelihood diversification, value chain, rural business development and agricultural marketing, preferably in fragile or conflict affected states
• Advanced university degree in agricultural economics, agribusiness management, rural development or related field, with postgraduate qualifications preferred
• Experience in conducting politically smart value chain assessments and determining appropriate interventions to enhance agricultural productivity and market access for farmers, agro-pastoralist and pastoralist
• Experience in designing and implementing projects aimed at improving agricultural value chains and linkages with markets
• Strong working experience with key value chain stakeholders (producers, traders, enterprise groups, rural financing institutions/banks, and research/policy associations)
• Strong knowledge and demonstrated ability to nuture and/or build effective partnerships with the stakeholders within and outside the agricultural sector
• Knowledge of the use of ICT and eCommerce in agricultural value chains is desirable
• Excellent communication skills, especially written communications and group facilitation skills.
• Significant Africa experience with a strong preference for Nigerian contextual experience
• Strong administrative and organization skills, commitment, attention to detail and strong forward planning skills
• Hands on approach to work, with the ability to deliver on deadlines in a fast-paced and fast-changing environment, with minimal or no supervision
• Exceptional oral and written communication and interpersonal skills
• Effective inter-personal and leadership skills with an ability to develop and foster relationships across a wide range of diverse and senior stakeholders
• Ability to operate and succeed in a highly political environment;
• Strong analytical and management skills, including sound knowledge of strategic planning and project management tools;
• Ability to use own initiative and actively look for opportunities to have an impact rather than simply be reactive
• A decent understanding of how governments, businesses and international development organisations operate and how to succeed in them
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office products Word, Excel and PPT and other relevant  software and tools
• Exceptional oral and written communication and interpersonal skills
• Effective inter-personal and leadership skills with an ability to develop and foster relationships across a wide range of diverse and senior stakeholders
• Ability to operate and succeed in a highly political environment;
• Strong analytical and management skills, including sound knowledge of strategic planning and project management tools;
• Ability to use own initiative and actively look for opportunities to have an impact rather than simply be reactive
• A decent understanding of how governments, businesses and international development organisations operate and how to succeed in them
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office products Word, Excel and PPT and other relevant  software and tools.
• The role will require travel across Nigeria.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.