Business Development Officer at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Working with various partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Business Development Officer

Ref. No: Ref: IITA-HR-NRS2020-015
Location: Abuja
Recruitment Type: National (2-year renewable contract)

Duties

• Lead the development of training content and tools for agribusiness management and coordinate their delivery through the state coordinators and training officers in three states in Nigeria.
• Conduct geographical agribusiness value chain analysis for the project’s target value chains and work with the state coordinators to identify business opportunities for entrepreneurial-track youth to develop business models.
• Lead the efforts of the state coordinators in guiding entrepreneurial-track youth todevelop and implement fund-worthy business plans
• Lead all efforts directed towards attracting funding for young agripreneurs, work with credit institutions to design youth-sensitive financing instruments for business start-up and expansion.
• Coordinate the day to day management of pilot learning enterprises through the state coordinators in three states in Nigeria, ensuring the effectiveness of the learning experience they are to provide.
• Coordinate the efforts of identified project partners in providing mentorship, business support and advisory service to young entrepreneurs. Ensure compliance of partners with all deliverables.
• Assist in development of bankable business plan and recommendations for funding linkages.
• Develop and nurture a network business partnership with private sector companies and associations that entrepreneurial-track youth can leverage on to grow and improve their businesses. Maintain an updated data base of these partners
• Provide monitoring of the businesses established and identify challenges to be addressed / provide the required advice.
• Provide technical support to the trainees and assist them while they are starting their business and ensure smooth business take off.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications

• BSc/HND in Economics, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship or related discipline with minimum of five (5) years’ related experience performing related role.

Competencies:
The ideal candidate must:

• Show ability and strong experience in the development of viable business plans
• Be computer literate with a good working knowledge of computer-based control systems, shared network drives, and excel packages
• Have practical experience in agribusiness, business management especially working with youths
• Have good understanding of marketing linkages and strategies in agribusiness
• Have excellent communication and supervisory skills.
• Show ability for efficient and harmonious team leadership
• Be able to mentor budding entrepreneurs to build relevant entrepreneurial skills.
• Be able to link youths to private sector and finance partners for financial and enterprise development support.
• Have good understanding of the Nigerian financial system for entrepreneurs
• Have experience working with private sector agribusiness partners.

Remuneration

• We offer highly competitive salary with equally attractive benefits and excellent working conditions in a pleasant campus environment.

Application Closing Date
29th June, 2020.

Method of Application
Interested applicant should forward their Applications include Covering Letter which should address how the candidate’s background/experience relates to the specific duties of the position applied for, Curriculum Vitae, names and addresses of three professional referees (which must include either the Head of the applicant’s current or previous organization or applicant’s direct Supervisor/Superior at his/her present or former place of work).

Click here to apply online

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