Consultant, Agro-processing Investment Plan, Financial Modelling, and Business Advisory Services at Mercy Corps Nigeria

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action - helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within, now, and for the future.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant, Agro-processing Investment Plan, Financial Modelling, and Business Advisory Services

Location(s): Gombe State with the possibility of travel to neighbouring states
Clients: Centre for Microenterprise Development and Green Pal Global Ventures
Employment Type: Contract

Background

• The Centre for Microenterprise Development works with farmers and MSME cooperatives in the agricultural space. It provides credit, access to quality inputs, grains aggregation, training, and technical support to enable their growth and scale-up. Green Pal Seeds is a seed company, grain aggregator, and medium-scale livestock farmer. Both businesses based in Gombe are pursuing new lines of business in grain processing.
• On an annual basis, the two companies aggregate and trade 300 MT and 450 MT of dry grains, and they expect to grow their grain trade by 30% yearly. Access to quality and affordable nutritionally enhanced foods can influence household food and nutrition security and increase household well-being and income. Agro-processing plays a critical role in harnessing agricultural commodity upgrading. It encompasses all forms of transformation (space, time, and form) that convert agricultural commodities into consumable products.
• In addition, this result includes upgrading commodities to add value and quality. Both CMD and Green Pal are at the point of increasing upgrading of agricultural commodities in response to end-market/consumer requirements and preferences. In partnership with RRA, the two businesses are exploring investing in agro-processing facilities in Gombe. Currently, the two firms aggregate grains and sell them as quality raw materials to traders and processors. The investment plan, if developed, aids investment decision-making spaces, better management and record keeping for businesses, and access to finance and technologies, among others.

Project Description

• Mercy Corps is a thought leader on resilience, systems thinking, and food security in fragile and conflict-affected markets. Mercy Corps and its consortium partners, International Fertilizer Development Centre and Save the Children, are implementing the Feed the Future Nigeria Rural Resilience Activity (RRA) in Northeast Nigeria. This 5-year project will directly benefit more than 90,000 households.
• The project contributes to the economic recovery in the Northeast. This is based on the premise that by stimulating inclusive, resilient market systems that consider the challenges and constraints of the Northeast, moving individuals and households out of chronic vulnerability can transform the Northeast’s economy, setting it on a path for stability, resilience, prosperity, and inclusion for self-reliance.

Consultant Objectives

• Business advisory plays a crucial role in helping businesses to grow and become more effective in delivering services to their customers. To achieve this, Rural Resilience Activity seeks proposals from business advisors who can support CMD and Green Pals to improve its management, leadership, and institutional capacity, grow value-added services to customers, and reduce management costs by ensuring efficient operations.
• The objective of the assignment is to facilitate the development of the agro-processing business model and investment plan that will support an increase in revenues and service offering to customers and build a solid and sustainable agro-processing business for the two partners.

Scope of the Activities

• In response to this SOW, RRA seeks a Business advisory firm or individual with the motivation, business incentive, capacity, and knowledge to achieve the above objective. It is anticipated that the Activity will support one business advisory firm/individual for this assignment.

It is expected that the successful consultant will, among other things:

• Conduct an organizational capacity and structure assessment of CMD and Green Pal, examining their service offering and models, existing relationships, and strengths. Based on the findings, develop a comprehensive agro-processing investment plan.
• Together with the leadership of the two firms, develop a business model and product distribution channel that they will use to deliver to their customers.
• Develop/propose a competitive and sustainable supply chain relationship between the firms’ suppliers, traders, agents, and farmers to ensure the facilities' reliable supply of quality raw materials.
• Delivering business advisory, technical, and institutional strengthening support to the two businesses by organizing learning visits to expose the companies to similar businesses.
• Develop financial models, operational plans, and product distribution channels for the two businesses and advice the various packages and price points.

Consultant Deliverables:

• Inception Report. The Inception Report shall detail the approach, methodology, and realistic work plan for completing the assignment.
• Draft Assessment Report and Recommendations: The consultant will produce a comprehensive organization capacity and structure report of findings, as well as actionable recommendations which are organized logically and comprehensible to readers who may have a basic understanding of the issues.
• Conduct a feedback session with the partners to share findings and discuss the business model detailing the cost-benefit analysis, potential risk, market strategy, and sustainability plan.
• Organize business advisory/mentoring sessions and exposure visits: The consultant will conduct monthly business advisory/mentoring sessions and exposure visits to at least two agro-processing companies.
• Final Study Report. The Consultant will incorporate feedback from the findings’ dissemination meeting, finalize the report and business model of each partner and submit it to the Activity.
• Business Advisory services: The consultant will work closely with the Activity to offer advice for three months.

Timeframe / Schedule:

• The assignment timeframe will begin upon signing the contract for six calendar months, starting from March, 2023. Applicants shall adhere to this timeline while developing the work plan in the technical proposal.

The Consultant will report to:

• The Consultant will report to the Senior Intervention Officer- and DCoP Rural Resilience Activity
• The Consultant will work closely with the following:
• The consultant will report to CMD and Green Pal Management, and the Rural Resilience Activity on all aspects of processes and deliverables.

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

• University graduate in Social Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Economics, Law, or a related field (Ph.D. preferred) with 5+ years of relevant experience in Nigeria
• Work experience in agro-processing supply chain and business advisory services with proof of experience developing business models.
• Experience working collaboratively with institutional and private‐sector partners and stakeholders in Nigeria.
• Demonstrated knowledge of agricultural value chain development and understanding of the agribusiness-enabling environment.
• Excellent analytical, written, and oral communication skills in English are a top priority.
• Ability to work well in diverse teams and work productively as an individual with minimum supervision.
• Well organized, strong analytical skills, creative thinker, innovative, demonstrated personal initiative, with unquestionable integrity and ethics.
• The ability to communicate in Hausa is a plus.

Payment schedule will be based on the following:

Application Closing Date
6th March, 2023.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified consultants, consulting teams should send a Technical and Financial proposal to: [email protected] The financial proposal should include all the related transport, accommodation, and incidental costs, as Mercy Corps will not plan for the consultant.

In addition to the technical and financial proposal, expressions of interest should include the following:

• For consulting team, Consultant or individual:a company profile demonstrating relevant qualifications, skills, and experience of similar assignments conducted by the firm or CVs of individuals representing the consulting firm on this assignment. Please note that firms can collaborate with other firms to deliver this assignment. However, any services will be paid to one firm, not multiple.
• Samples of evidence of previous experience in conducting similar assignments
• A work plan showing an indicative timeline for each part of the assignment.
• Daily rate/fees, including travel plans, accommodations, incidentals, etc.