Lead Developer, Artificial Intelligence at Babban Gona

Babban Gona is an award winning, high impact, financially sustainable and highly scalable social enterprise, part-owned by the farmers we serve. Babban Gona, was created to specifically attract youth to agriculture and away from the looming instability of extremist groups.

We accomplish this by franchising thousands of farmer cooperatives across Nigeria, dramatically increasing the profitability of the smallholder members 2.5 times above the national average. This dramatic increase in net income is accomplished by delivering an integrated holistic package of training, farm inputs and marketing services, on credit. Babban Gona has been able to deliver this credit while maintaining one of the highest repayment rates in the world, currently above 99%, leveraging our comprehensive 8 levels of risk mitigation.

We developed the model with our partners that include His Highness Muhammad Sanusi II, the Sarkin (Emir) Kano, Nestle, IITA, DfID, USAID, GIZ, AGRA, BMGF, Skoll, Kiva, FMCB, Mulago, GIF and Rockefeller Foundation amongst others.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Lead Developer, Artificial Intelligence

Location: Lagos
Job Type: Full time

Key Responsibilities
Technology Operations:

• Lead all tech operations on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
• Understand the business problem, challenge of existing technologies and areas of application for AI technologies.
• Identify and choose right AI or cognitive computing technologies for solving problems and formulate AI recipes for development.
• Develop required machine learning models or prototype applications applying formulated AI recipes and verify the problem/solution fit.
• Direct the design, planning, implementation, and maintenance of the computing infrastructure that supports the company’s operations and business applications.
• Design a comprehensive enterprise information security program to ensure the integrity, confidentiality and availability of relevant data.
• Identify emerging technology trends and ensure the company is leveraging them when appropriate to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and drive value.
• Prepare and monitor technology operational budgets that meet prevailing objectives and constraints.
• Ability to execute business-critical projects within agreed deadlines.
• Develop and execute an analytics program that will allow company business leaders to make data-based decisions.

Customer Focus:

• Carry out extensive research to identify needs that new or improved products can fulfill.
• Review research reports, analyze and compare competitors’ products, and meet customers to discuss their requirements.

Project Management:

• Bring product development to a successful conclusion -- on time and within budget.
• Develop schedules for each phase of the development program and monitor progress against targets. Set up reviews at each stage to ensure the program is meeting its objectives as it progresses from concept to specification, design, development and launch.

Communication:

• Liaise with the senior management team to agree strategic development objectives and gain budget approval for projects.

Reporting Line:

• This position reports to Head, Enterprise Systems Engineering.

Requirements

• Minimum of Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems or other related field.
• Implementing and Scaling Digital Transformations in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Experience building Artificial Intelligence Systems.
• Able to demonstrate the ability to work effectively in a team environment and deliver successful results.
• Able to develop schedules for each phase of the development program and monitor progress against targets.
• Ability to liaise with the senior management team to agree strategic development objectives and gain budget approval for projects.
• Programming: C/C++, Shell script, Python, Java and/or R.
• Development tools: integrated environments, continuous integration, etc.
• Familiarity with machine learning frameworks and libraries.

Start Up Environment:

• Thrives in a fast paced, start-up environment with dynamic business priorities.

Unlocking Potential of Team Members:

• Experience in managing multidisciplinary teams to meet strategic objectives is important.
• Extensive experience and passion for coaching/ mentoring a team.

Detailed Orientation and Managing Complexity:

• Extensive experience leading a complex organization and passion for getting into details to identify root cause of issues and create innovative solutions.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Health Insurance
• Pension
• Performance Bonus
• Annual paid vacation
• Group Life Insurance

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.