Nigeria Country Director at One Acre Fund

One Acre Fund, Founded in 2006, supplies 1 million smallholder farmers with the agricultural services they need to make their farms vastly more productive. Our 8,000+ team is drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. With operations across six core countries in Africa, we make farmers more prosperous by providing quality farm supplies on credit, delivered within walking distance of farmers’ homes, and agricultural training to improve harvests. On average, the farmers we serve harvest 50 percent more food after working with One Acre Fund.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Nigeria Country Director

Location: Abuja (FCT)
Preferred Start Date: As soon as possible

About the Role

• The Country Director will directly manage all operations in Nigeria and grow the number of farmers we serve from about 120,000 in 2023 to over 1 million farmers by 2030. In addition to generating rapid growth in our existing programs, the Country Director will develop new opportunities for impact and revenue, while also having the Nigeria program break-even over time.
• Our vision is to build a presence across the country, and to diversify our portfolio with new programs that help us serve as many farmers as possible in Nigeria in a financially sustainable way.
• You will report to a Senior Director in the Growth Unit and liaise with top leaders across the organization.

Responsibilities
Build Vision and Oversee Operations to Serve 1 Million Farm Families by 2030:

• You will work with senior leaders, both in-country and on global teams, to develop and refine a long-term vision for how we can serve over 1 million farmers across the country by 2030
• You will rally the team behind that Vision to build support for the program. This would include a Vision document, long term financial model, and OKRs
• You will oversee all field programs via a Deputy and hit annual targets
• You will revise our strategies and operations to produce impact and financial results
• You will specifically focus on financial sustainability and ensure that the country program breaks even in the next 5 years.
• You will also identify near term and long-term risks which could affect our ability to achieve our goals. You will work with your deputies and other leaders to craft creative and thoughtful mitigation strategies.

Develop and Scale Operational Foundation to Achieve Impact Goals:

• You will manage all back-end Systems via a Deputy and oversee the development and deployment of new processes to lower costs and improve execution.
• You will pay attention to Systems and Controls to ensure that the program is ready to grow rapidly in the coming years, with a much lower risk of leakage and fraud.
• You will lead new investments in Tech to maximise our ability to expand our programs, improve our data quality, and simplify operations for staff.

Develop a Strong Team of Leaders and Build Partnerships:

• You will directly manage a team of 3-6 strong deputies who oversee Program execution, Systems, People, and Expansion. You will invest in the development of these key deputies and other rising leaders on the team.
• You will build our recruitment capacity to find great people to fill open roles - the workforce will likely triple in size in the next few years.
• You will prioritize investments in our team and culture, especially as we grow. You will oversee the creation of new development programs, cultivate a productive and positive working environment, and invest in deepening team cohesion.
• You will also supervise our external relationships across the country. You will manage our Government/Partnership work streams and work with leaders across the team to strengthen our important strategic relationships.

Career Growth and Development

• We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance.
• We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications
Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:

Leadership Experience:

• 10+ years of dynamic professional experience, with considerable exposure to rural development
• 7+ years experience managing senior staff
• Experience producing results
• Experience launching new investments or building successful partnerships
• Vision and ability to identify opportunities and the right partners to take advantage of those

People Development & Management:

• Experience coaching other leaders
• Great collaborator and team member who can engage with different people, from rural farmers to high-level executives
• You will communicate with executives across One Acre Fund and with high-level leaders in other organisations

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving:

• Capacity to both develop high-level strategies and work with others to develop detailed operational plans
• Ability to drive towards results in a dynamic and fluid work context
• Experience working with budgets and financial models
• Comfort and experience using data to make decisions
• Ability to identify risks and develop thoughtful mitigation strategies

Other requirements:

• University or Advanced Degree in relevant fields
• Business English required
• Ability to travel to Minna and other areas outside of Abuja up to 40% of the time

Eligibility

• One Acre Fund can support a work permit for this role. However, nationals of (or those with an extensive professional background and work history in) our countries of operation are preferred.

Benefits

• Health insurance, housing, and comprehensive benefits

Application Closing Date
26th September, 2023.