Business Advisor 1- Horticurity project

Job Title: Business Advisor- Horticurity project

Location: Kaduna & Delta State, Nigeria

Grade: 6

Reports to: Project Manager

Number of positions: 2

About TechnoServe:

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of businesses and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing...when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off. 

Job Summary:

The Business Advisor will work under the supervision of the project manager to provide capacity building and aftercare coaching support to the businesses and other participants. S/he will facilitate business linkages, gather market intelligence and monitor performance. It should be understood that the tasks outlined below are the key responsibilities, but the employee will be expected to perform any tasks that are necessary within the context of the evolving needs of the project.

Program/Practice/Department Overview:

The Horticurity project seeks to increase the accessibility, and availability of fruits and vegetables while improving the resilience to climate and economic shocks, of low-income communities of Delta and Kaduna States. The project will deploy a combination of innovative pilots and scale up already proven solutions to address the food security challenges in the project states by improving access to, availability and affordability of nutritious foods for select low-income communities in the project states while improving their incomes building their resilience to price and climate-related shocks and stresses..

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

Project Inception Phase

Area mapping, mobilization and recruitment of program beneficiaries using set criteria. Support the project manager and MEL in developing the project work plan and MEAL tools Support the rapid assessment and baseline evaluation activities. Identify local community trainers in the assigned communities.

Project implementation

Lead on community sensitization, mobilization and enrollment of smallholder farmers and micro retail vendors playing in the fruit and horticulture value chains. Supervise the local community trainers and ensure that their capacity is deepened through train-the-trainer sessions, and green and brownfield days. Support the project manager in developing training materials for the production cycle of the focus value chains in fruits and horticulture. Support the LCTs during step-down training and monitor attendance according to the program guidelines. Lead on the implementation of simple storage technology such as the zero-energy cooling chamber (ZECC) and other simple innovative technologies. Support the enrolled micro retailers in completing the online modules and graduate them into the aftercare phase. Support the PM in identifying online market platforms that connect producers to off-takers and onboard the agreed number of beneficiaries on the platforms. Monitor all innovative pilots and ensure data quality Support the PM in identifying private-sector organizations that would partner with the project Support all monitoring and evaluation activities, surveys and reporting as well as develop success stories and lessons learnt. Understand, respect and promote Techno Serveâs values, vision, and strategy in the implementation of assigned duties. Perform other duties in line with the evolving needs of the program.

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent in Agronomy, Agribusiness, and Agric Economics with minimum of 2 yearsâ experience working with rural communities and supporting producers and micro retailers in the fruit and /or horticulture value chain in Nigeria. Alternatively, 4 yearsâ experience. Demonstrated understanding of the fruit and horticulture value chains in Nigeria Ability to engage and advise a broad range of stakeholders, including senior management of private sector companies, community leaders, and others; Demonstrated experience in data collection and analyses. Demonstrated experience with digital training and delivery mechanisms. Demonstrated experience in report writing. Demonstrated ability to communicate and train in the Hausa or Igbo language.

Preferred Qualifications:

Ability to engage and advise a broad range of stakeholders on the field. Must have strong interpersonal skills. Proven skills with Microsoft Office software (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). Knowledge of the use of Comcare, KoBoCollect will be an advantage. Excellent communication skills.

Required Languages: Excellent written and spoken English Language, Proficiency, Hausa a plus.

Travel:  Long distance travel is not anticipated

Supervisory Responsibilities â Local Community Trainers

Closing Statements:

This position is contingent upon full confirmation of award. We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.