Inclusive Agribusiness Specialist - Consultant at the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)

The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is an independent non-profit organization that combines innovative research, market systems development, and strategic partnerships to identify and scale sustainable soil solutions for improved food security and livelihoods around the world.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Inclusive Agribusiness Specialist - Consultant

Job ID: 20121200
Location: Ibadan, Oyo
Contract: Local half-years contract
Expected start date: October, 2023

2SCALE

• The 2SCALE program is designed to incubate and accelerate inclusive business development in African agri-food systems.
• 2SCALE works together with companies (African, Dutch, and other small and medium-sized enterprises - SMEs) and Producer Organizations (POs) to develop business and partnership models that promote inclusiveness, develop competitive edge, and have potential for scaling. These partnerships, also referred to as public-private partnerships (PPPs), are the core implementation modality to achieve the objectives of the program.
• Specifically, 2SCALE supports partnerships in target agri-food industries with significant potential to:
  • Improve food and nutrition security, both at grassroots level and at the consumer end of the value chain by serving local and regional markets (including Base-of-the-Pyramid – BoP - markets) with nutritious food products.
  • Improve the terms of inclusion of smallholder farmers and other micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the value chains.
  • Attract and employ the youth.
  • Engage and empower women.
• To strengthen PPPs, 2SCALE also collaborates with companies and organizations that provide specific expertise to support the target agri-food value chains or act as a major off-taker in the chain.
• 2SCALE is co-funded by the private sector and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS). Building on a first phase (2012-18), the current phase of 2SCALE runs from January 1, 2019, to June 30, 2024.
• It is awarded to a consortium led by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and comprising the Base-of-the-Pyramid Innovation Center (BoPInc) and the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV).

Position Summary

• The 2SCALE Inclusive Agribusiness Specialist is responsible for supporting the 2SCALE Country Team Leader in the coordination and implementation of 2SCALE-related activities in Nigeria.
• She/ he would support the management of lead partners (i.e., agri-food companies or professional organizations with strong inclusive business agendas) and accelerate the development and exit of the current transformative PPP portfolio.
• She/ he supports the 2SCALE Inclusive Agribusiness Advisors (IAAs) in the country, to design and implement, in close collaboration with private partners and other relevant stakeholders, interventions that accelerate and sustains inclusiveness in target value chains.
• She/ he facilitates, in close collaboration with the IAAs, private partners and other relevant stakeholders, all the interventions by 2SCALE at the levels of partnership, grassroots (i.e., agribusiness cluster), value chain and industry.
• She/ he also co-coordinates the support from business support services, consultants, and cross[1]cutting 2SCALE specialists to the PPPs under her/ his responsibility.

Main Task
Program management:

• Support the delivery of program targets set for Nigeria.
• Support the 2SCALE Nigeria Country Team based on an annually approved budget and plan. Ensures that all country activities are well coordinated, consistent, and focused. Anticipate corrective action if needed, to keep on track with the annual workplan of the country team.
• Support and assures that business support service (BSS) sub-grants and consultancy contracts are developed, signed and implemented and evaluated as per procedure. Monitors progress on PPP level and Portfolio/country level and anticipates corrective action if needed.
• Write and submit timely activity reports, as well as other technical reports and notes.
• Support the mobilization and reporting of private sector contributions related to the country PPP portfolio.
• Ensure that corporate social responsibility and environmental considerations are included in all program activities, and report on them in a timely manner.

Stakeholders’ engagement and communication:

• Support to ensure the visibility of the country’s PPP portfolio (achievements, challenges, lessons learnt), through outreach materials developed with support of the Communication Specialists.
• Ensure good working relationships with key regional and national partner organizations, including local authorities.
• Represent the program at relevant national events.

Leadership and development:

• Support the mentoring, coaching, and guiding to all 2SCALE staff, particularly with regards to 2SCALE vision and objectives.
• Support in the representation of 2SCALE in the partnership governance structure of target PPPs.

Partnership Facilitation:

• Support IAAs to collect and analyze market and industry information related to existing PPPs under her/ his responsibility.
• Design, formalize, implement, monitor and document PPPs with private business champions (companies or cooperatives) and other relevant private/ public partners:
• Support the IAAs to design and implement sustainable exit strategies for country PPP portfolio in with the partnership goals.
• Coordinate field interventions that fall under 2SCALE’s responsibility, in line with set targets, and in close collaboration with supporting 2SCALE cross-cutting specialists. These activities may include but not be limited to the following:
• Mobilization of actors around target agribusiness clusters and value chains.
• Profiling/ assessments of agribusiness cluster and value chain actors.
• Business connections of grassroots actors.
• Coordination of activities of connected local actors within agribusiness clusters, based on competitive strategies.
• Capacity building (technical, organizational) and empowerment programs.
• Promotion of innovations within agribusiness clusters and value chains.
• Capacity and trust building activities to improve efficiency and reduce transaction costs within value chains.
• Linkage of value chain actors to financial and other support services. o Monitor and document the progress of the PPPs in line with:
• PPP key performance indicators and markers for change.
• PPP action plans and cost-shared budgets.
• Facilitate the development of PPP strategies that are gender-transformative, foster youth inclusion, and are environmentally sustainable:
• Use a gender lens in every action, analyze gender-related constraints and ensure that proposed strategies are gender-sensitive and address key constraints faced by female stakeholders in each PPP.
• Analyze youth-related constraints (for both young women and young men) and ensure that proposed strategies improve youth employment and youth integration in PPPs and their value chains. o Lead the inclusion of environmental considerations in all PPPs, and in every pilot of a new technology/ practice, and design – if needed – capacity building activities to mitigate environmental risks.
• Ensure that business champions and other relevant private partners understand and adhere to commonly agreed standards of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Design – upon request – capacity building activities to deepen the design/ implementation/ monitoring of CSR policies.
• Write and submit timely activity reports, as well as other technical reports, notes and partnership profiles.

Other:

• The Inclusive Agribusiness Specialist may implement other tasks that the 2SCALE management deems necessary for the success of the program.

Supervision and team collaboration:

• The Inclusive Agribusiness Specialist is supervised by and reports to 2SCALE Country Team Leader and works closely with Inclusive Agri-business Advisors and Thematic Specialists based in-country and in other 2SCALE focus countries.

 Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Agricultural Sciences, Agribusiness, or Agricultural Economics, Development Studies, Business Studies, Economics Studies,
• At least 5 years work experience in agriculture and agribusiness programs in Nigeria.
• Experience of supporting, managing, inspiring and coaching staff with different disciplines and backgrounds.
• A good understanding of the cultural barriers affecting women efficacy and agency in developing countries.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, critical thinking, leadership, planning and coordination skills and; ability to operate effectively in an environment with multiple stakeholders and people from different cultures and backgrounds.
• Analytical capabilities, attention to detail and ability to successfully perform multiple tasks.
• Ability and willingness to travel within Nigeria.
• High level of initiative and enthusiasm, adaptability, and flexibility
• Strong communication (written and oral), presentation and report writing skills.
• Fluency in English is mandatory.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note: Women candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.