Advisor - Value Chain Development and Agribusiness Promotion at Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

The Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Agency for International Cooperation) is an international enterprise owned by the German Federal government, operating in many fields across more than 130 countries.

In Nigeria, GIZ's portfolio includes among others, a programme to support the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in its regional integration goals. The programme aims to strengthen sector-specific capacities in the areas of Peace and Security, Customs and Trade as weir as Strategic Management and Organizational Development in the ECOWAS Commission.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Advisor - Value Chain Development and Agribusiness Promotion

Vacancy No: 042
Location: Abuja
Organization: GIZ Nigeria, Agriculture Value Chain Facility (EU-VACE)

Responsibilities
The Advisor - Value Chain development and agribusiness promotion support the emergence of new and growth of existing agribusiness with innovative business models contributing to climate change adaptation. The responsibilities include:

• Developing and implementing technical packages for the improvement and expansion of production volumes in selected value chains based on business modalities
• Providing technical backstopping for private sector partners during the phase of implementation
• Supporting strategy development for the expansion of the chain and creation of new/green jobs
• Promoting nature-based/climate-smart solutions and innovations
• Supporting activities in developing climate-smart concepts for various agricultural value chains and agroecological zones in Nigeria

Tasks:

• Supports the identification of MSMEs / inclusive business and other partners for engagement by the project.
• Supports in conducting assessments among MSMEs and businesses to establish gaps and opportunities while incorporating inclusivity approaches.
• Coordinates and assists with capacity development for MSMEs and other businesses based on the gaps identified.
• Supports in data building for business decisions of beneficiary MSMEs in basic financial and economic analysis regarding factors of production accommodating as much financial detail as possible.
• Supports the planning, identification and implementation of proof of concepts around agroecology, regenerative agriculture and agroforestry compatible with the selected value chains.
• In collaboration with other advisors, support beneficiary MSMEs to participate in scenarios to promote matchmaking and investment opportunities to improve their businesses.
• In collaboration with other advisors and beneficiaries, supports preparing, implementing and documenting training events, workshops, forums, team meetings and other programme activities

Networking and cooperation:

• Helps identify the needs of government ministries, departments and agencies, private sector, NGOs and other identified stakeholders relating to their role in improving the Agricultural value chains.
• Assists on aspects relating to incentives and business/climate-smart innovations promotion initiatives.
• Supports in Identification of partners for Public Private Partnerships, networking support of SMEs and working closely with other advisors to leverage investments, climate change adaptation etc in to the agricultural value chains.
• Supports in identification of the needs of government ministries, departments and agencies, private sector, NGOs and other identified stakeholders relating to their role in improving the agricultural value chain.
• Supports in identification of the relevance and opportunities represented by other projects and accommodate them, where possible, to bolster any business opportunities and models created.

Knowledge management:

• Collects, processes and distributes relevant information, monitors communication and interaction between government institutions, partners, NGOs and other project beneficiaries through analyses of the media, direct dialogue, participation in meetings and seminars, etc.
• Develops and maintains contact with all important stakeholders
• Provides relevant information to the project management and other advisors as required.
• Develops and maintains database(s) of all beneficiary MSMEs, climate adaptation innovations as well as other innovations implemented by the project and records documentation regarding them.
• In collaboration with the other advisors, disseminate success stories through existing platforms.
• Provides technical inputs on reports and activities as required by the project.
• Regularly provides the required data for monitoring, evaluation and other requirements.

Project management tasks:

• Coordinates relevant activities in collaboration with other advisors and project head as well as in cooperation with the project beneficiaries to ensure efficient implementation and organisation of the project
• Prepares input for project/programme reports and draws up documents in accordance with project standards on communication and presentation
• Participates in formulating programme action plans and helps synchronise the planning and budgeting system with counterparts in the project.
• Administers all project related documents in accordance with the project financial systems ensuring the integrity of the project is upheld through proper accountability and accuracy in documentation.
• Performs any other job-related task as may be assigned.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
Qualifications:

• University Degree in Business Development, Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Rural Development or related field, if possible, with a specialization in climate and sustainability topics.
• In-depth knowledge of working with and promoting small and medium-sized growth-oriented companies and cocoa value chain expertise is a must. Knowledge and experience in dairy, ginger and tomato are a plus.
• Demonstrated excellent understanding of strategies for how to help businesses grow, with expertise in one or more of the following areas: business finance, business planning and strategy, sales and marketing, product development, or human resource management.
• Good overview knowledge of climate change adaptation/resilience concepts.

Professional experience:

• Minimum 5 years professional experience in agribusiness market systems, agro processing and supply chain management, food safety, preservation and storage, agriculture, and/or fortification including private sector experience, a manufacturing experience preferred. preferred
• Demonstrated and verifiable experience in delivering business development services in West Africa in the agricultural sector.
• Minimum of 5 years of expertise working with inclusive business approaches
• Deep understanding of go-to market and growth strategies for businesses in climate-adaptation-relevant sectors in accordance with project goals
• Ability to strategically build and maintain networks in the private sector including processors, aggregators and others
• Ability to produce business and financial models and to assess business models.
• Previous coaching, teaching, training, or facilitation experience preferred.
• Good networks in climate adaptation-relevant sectors (like e.g. agriculture, food, water) with public institutions, research organisations and private sector in Nigeria.

Other knowledge and additional competencies:

• Have passion for and excellent understanding of the West African entrepreneurship ecosystem
• High motivation to work at the interface of climate change adaptation and the private sector
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English. Additional Nigerian languages would be an added advantage
• Excellent team spirit and networking capacity
• Highly motivated to work in a multicultural environment
• Strong organizational competence
• Proactive, independent and flexible working style
• Willingness to travel to project sites in Nigeria
• Strong awareness and passion for gender and other inclusivity considerations.

Salary
According to GIZ Salary Scale for Band 4.

Application Closing Date
31st March, 2025.