Agro-Processing Lead at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change we are dedicated to making globalisation work for the many, not the few. We do this by helping countries, their people and their governments, address some of the most difficult challenges in the world today – beginning with those where we think we can break new ground, offering leaders new thinking and new approaches. Our staff – over 200 of them, based all over the world – are working on some of the most intractable problems around issues of co-existence, governance, the peace process in the Middle East and renewing the centre.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Agro-Processing Lead

Job Reference: tbigc/TP/132/48
Location: Abuja
Contract Type: Fixed Term/Full Time
Working Hours: 35 Hours per week
Job Category: Advisory
Business Area / Division: Advisory - Africa

Focus of the Role

• Our Governance (Africa) pillar supports the governments and leaders of developing and emerging states to enhance their effectiveness. We are focused on helping governments and leaders make their vision for the development of their country a reality. We work in the centre of government and key line ministries and our work is shaped by national priorities.

Job Introduction

• Following the recent Presidential election, the Federal Government of Nigeria has set agriculture transformation as a top priority. It is establishing an agriculture coordination secretariat in the Office of the Vice-President, with responsibility for the coordination of the implementation of two flagship programmes: the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) and the Green Imperative (GI) - a partnership with Brazil to improve access to mechanization and technology in Nigerian agriculture.
• The Agro-Processing Lead will be assigned to work with the Office of the Vice President to help to establish enterprises for agro-processing and provide technical and business development services to service centre operators and cooperatives to ensure they are functional, sustainable, and able to meet food safety and regulatory standards. The role will work closely with the Mechanisation Lead and the Good Agronomic Practices Lead and will report to the Mechanisation Lead.
• The role will require travel across Nigeria, and potentially to a few international locations.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop recommendations for how to increase investment in agro-processing in the targeted value chains and states based on knowledge of industry and market needs, present and future to support crop production
• Promote agro-processing investment by the private sector in the targeted value chains and states; including post-harvest handling, aggregation, storage and certification.
• Develop guides / templates for service centre operators on packaging and presentation of products based on industry knowledge
• Support the smooth and effective rolling out of the programme to secure private investors in the service centre operators and assembly plants under the Green Imperative
• Work with industry to understand how post-harvest products can be converted to value
• Ensure a strong market link between agro-processors and input providers (farmers)
• Ensure a supportive business development eco-system for service centres to perform market-oriented processing for value addition of target commodities
• Assist service centre operators, including farmers’ organisations, in identifying and applying appropriate value addition and processing technologies
• Ensure a supportive eco-system of support for strengthening of community-based groups, associations, cooperatives, and enterprises for processing

Person Specification
Experience and Qualifications:

• Undergraduate degree in Business, Management, Agriculture, Food Sciences, Nutrition, Food Engineering, or Food Technology, Agricultural Economics, or related disciplines
• Master’s degree in, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural mechanisation, Business, Management, Finance or related disciplines
• Ideally 8 years’ professional experience in agribusiness market systems, agro processing and supply chain management, food safety, preservation and storage, agriculture, and/or fortification including deep private sector experience, including in a manufacturing setting, preferred
• Deep understanding of the agro-processing sector, with knowledge of relevant topics, such as: food production and processing, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), worker safety, finance for growing businesses, and food systems value chain development
• Firm knowledge and experience of Quality management systems certification such as ISO
• Experience setting up agro-processing businesses
• Proven track record in providing technical and/or business solutions to agro-processors, with experience implementing or advising on smallholder sourcing models
• Excellent understanding of value chain analysis, development and Good Agricultural Practices
• Strong project management, construction coordination and analytical skills preferred
• Proven track record in planning, implementing, and promoting farm mechanisation projects, plans or programs
• Strong team leader with proven field operations management 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.

Essentials Skills:

• 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

Personal Specifications:

• Drive, motivation and ability to consistently achieve results in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience of living and working in developing countries is desirable but not essential.

Salary
Competitive

Application Closing Date
18th August, 2020.