Agribusiness Development Specialist at Finpact Development Foundation (FINDEF) - 2 Openings

Finpact Development Foundation (FINDEF) is an indigenous non-governmental organization. Our focus is on delivering lasting value through the work we do, making us trusted advisors to all our partners. We are actively involved in the food security, livelihood and education projects, as well as government-led NGO coordination committee platform. Our local presence, capacity, experience, relationships, understanding of local culture and context are all major factors that enable us deliver humanitarian response. We are guided by humanitarian principles and our working philosophy with partners includes commitment to transparency, accountability, shared goals, honesty and trust. We keep a fast paced environment where self-motivated and independent Individuals who are looking to constantly develop themselves thrive well. We pride ourselves in working at hard to reach communities while maintaining keen focus on culture and management structures that support excellent interaction with partners and stakeholders.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Agribusiness Development Specialist

Locations: Sokoto and Zamfara
Employment Type: Full-time

About the Project

• We are seeking a skilled and experienced Agribusiness Development Specialist to support  the "Strengthening Food Systems to Promote Increased Value Chain Employment Opportunities for the Youth in Nigeria" project.
• The project aims to create sustainable job opportunities and income generation for young women and men in the agribusiness sector, focusing on sorghum, millet, groundnut, soybean, and horticulture value chains.
• It is providing capacity building and training in business development, financial literacy, and technical skills, empowering participants to become successful entrepreneurs and leaders in their communities.

 Key Responsibilities

• Conduct value chain assessments for sorghum, millet, groundnut, soybean, and horticulture.
• Identify key constraints and opportunities within the value chains to enhance productivity and market access.
• Develop and maintain relationships with market actors, including buyers, processors, input suppliers, and financial institutions.
• Facilitate the establishment of partnerships and contractual agreements between smallholder farmers and off-takers.
• Provide technical assistance and training to project participants on best practices in agribusiness, including production, processing, and marketing.
• Develop training materials and modules tailored to the specific needs of different value chain actors.
• Support the development and strengthening of agribusiness enterprises, including cooperatives and youth-led enterprises.
• Advise on business planning, financial management, and entrepreneurship, helping enterprises to scale and access finance.
• Promote the adoption of innovative technologies and practices that enhance value chain efficiency and sustainability.
• Introduce appropriate technologies for post-harvest handling and value addition.
• Provide ongoing advisory support to project participants on agribusiness development issues.
• Offer expert insights on emerging trends and challenges in the agricultural sector, particularly related to youth employment and entrepreneurship.
• Design and implement strategies to ensure the sustainability of agribusiness initiatives and long-term impact on participants.
• Promote environmentally sustainable practices and climate-smart agriculture within the value chains.
• Document best practices, lessons learned, and success stories for dissemination and scaling-up.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, or a related field. A Master's degree is preferred.
• At least 5 years of experience in agribusiness development, with a focus on value chain enhancement.
• Strong knowledge of the agricultural sector in Nigeria, particularly in the targeted value chains.
• Experience in market analysis, business planning, and financial management for agribusinesses.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a multicultural and diverse environment.
• Fluency in English; proficiency in local languages is an advantage.

Application Closing Date
23rd August, 2024.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and a cover letter detailing their relevant experience and qualifications to: [email protected] using the job title as the subject of the email.

Note

• FINDEF does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. FINDEF's recruitment process is transparent, and merit based. Lobbying of any form is not allowed and can lead to disqualification.
• FINDEF has zero tolerance to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of beneficiaries. Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) is everyone’s responsibility, and all staff are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct, that enshrines principles of PSEA, at all times (both during work hours and outside work hours).
• Familiarization with, and adherence to FINDEF’s Code of Conduct is an essential requirement for all staff, in addition to related mandatory training.
• Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.