Cooperative Assistant at Nuru Nigeria

Nuru Nigeria is a local NGO with affiliates in the US, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Our mission is to build resilience corridors of strong, locally owned farmer cooperatives driving profitable livelihoods in vulnerable communities of the Northeast. Nuru Nigeria prioritizes the smallholder farmers it serves and works to cultivate lasting meaningful choices through a community led, community driven and community sustained livelihood programs across the agriculture value chain.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Cooperative Assistant

Job Code: NNJ.2021.03
Location: (Michika and Hong), Adamawa
Employment Type: Full-time
Career Level: Mid-Level
Start Date: As soon as possible

Organization Background

• Nuru Nigeria is a local NGO with affiliates in the US, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Our mission is to build resilience corridors of strong, locally owned farmer cooperatives driving profitable livelihoods in vulnerable communities of the Northeast.
• Nuru Nigeria prioritizes the smallholder farmers it serves and works to cultivate lasting meaningful choices through a community led, community driven and community sustained livelihood programs across the agriculture value chain.

Position Description

• The Cooperative Assistant will support the strengthening of local systems for building community resilience and livelihoods through the establishment of farmers cooperatives and implementation of agricultural intervention.
• He/she will provide technical expertise in management of the established farmers cooperatives to deliver resilient agriculture with special focus on improved agricultural production practices (for maize, cowpea, soybean and groundnuts), agribusiness & value chain development and smallholder farmer financial inclusion.
• He/She must have an extensive experience in management of farmer organizations, farmer training and extension services.
• The cooperative assistant role will be community based in the assigned Nuru intervention areas to implement all Nuru field and agricultural related activities in tandem with the other Nuru teams to the deliver Nuru’s vision in the rural communities.
• He/she shall ensure integration and promotion of the Nuru’s do-no-harm principles, conflict sensitivity, trauma awareness, social cohesion and inclusivity in all program activities.

Core Responsibilities
Farmers’ Cooperative Management:

• He/She will be responsible for the setting up of farmers cooperatives by leading the cooperative establishment process in Nuru intervention communities.
• Lead the establishment of leadership structure among established cooperative as well as providing coaching and mentorship to cooperative executives.
• Work closely with the impact manager to drive the registration process of established farmers’ cooperative with appropriate government authorities.
• Drive business engagements among established cooperatives through commercialization of farm enterprises and setting up of other income generating activities to ensure profitability of the cooperative enterprise.
• Lead the field team to support to the cooperatives in setting up of all internal processes such as legal systems(constitution/bye-law), Accounting (Record keeping) & financial systems, Marketing among others.
• Set up all financial inclusion systems among the established cooperatives ensuring savings and loan activities are carried out consistently.

Capacity Development:

• Support in the development of cooperative management training curriculum together with the curriculum designing team to ensure the build out of all technical component of farmer organization training curriculum.
• Provide training to farmer cooperatives on group dynamics, enterprise management, marketing basics and other key technical areas such as GAP to ensure profitability of cooperative enterprise and strengthening of social cohesion among cooperative members.
• Lead in adaptation and growth of all established cooperative by facilitating the establishment of a farmer business school (FBS) for training on cooperative business management and enterprise development among groups to fast-track development of the cooperative enterprise.

Program Sequence Implementation:

• Deliver agricultural inputs on credit to farmers cooperatives, provide community guidance on aggregation of produce, market linkage activities and facilitate timely loan repayment.
• Work with the impact team to deliver one-on-one agricultural extension services to farmers as well as other on-farm advisory support services through periodic farm monitoring and assessment of farmers registered under the Nuru intervention to ensure farmers adopt technologies and processes that will guarantee increase in yield.
• Ensure the establishment mobile money service point and use of mobile money system in all established cooperative for group financial activities to increase access to safe and affordable financial services in the local communities.

Other Responsibilities:

• Work closely with the M&E team to monitor and assess the performance of the farmers’ cooperative using various platforms as well as supporting the team in conducting surveys, and other monitoring activities to ensure intervention is on-track for progress and increased impact.
• Maintain successful relationships between Nuru Nigeria and farmer cooperatives, community leaders, and other key stakeholders in the intervention communities.
• Provide weekly field reports, contribute to monthly Activity Progress Reports, document and share lessons learned, success stories as well as general situation and community updates and feedbacks.
• Exemplify the servant leadership philosophy of Nuru Nigeria and work with other team members to build an organizational culture of service and a farmer-first principle.
• Foster organizational development through strict adherence to Nuru’s values and principles ensuring accountability and high performance at all times.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop Nuru Nigeria programs.

Qualification and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture, Cooperative Studies and Management, Agribusiness, Rural Development or any related studies.
• Minimum of 2-3 years of professional experience in similar role of managing farmers cooperatives under an agricultural intervention preferably in a Non-profit Organization.
• Demonstrate expertise in agronomic practices, farmer inputs on credit system, financial literacy (savings and loans), livestock management, on-farm technologies and non-farm agriculture-based livelihood trainings.
• Experience in ‘farming as a businesses and engagement with women and youth is highly desirable.
• Candidates fluent in English, Hausa and Kamwe are preferred with good working knowledge of Northeast Nigeria.
• Strong knowledge and experience in establishment and management of small farmers groups as well as registration of cooperative is highly desirable.
• Must possess excellent communication skills and farmer training capacity with strong knowledge in Group Dynamics/farmer organization management, Marketing basics, community business enterprise development.

Terms and Conditions

• The appointment will be for a one year, renewable based on funding and performance.

Nuru Nigeria Offers

• Salary is competitive depending on qualifications, skills and experience.
• Positive atmosphere of dynamism and motivated team setting.
• Training and capacity building program and intensive mentorship by expat team.
• Life Insurance covering accident, disability and related benefits
• Health Insurance covering employee and family.
• Pension benefits.
• Atmosphere of a forefront professional and flexible NGO with a unique new development approach.
• Annual, Maternity and Paternity leave benefits.
• Transport costs and communication allowance.
• 13th Month Salary
• Atmosphere of diversity committed to providing equal employment opportunity, forbidding discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, national or ethnic origin, age and differently able, with respect to policies and visions.
• Other Labor best practices apply.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their Cover Letter and Resume / CV to: [email protected] Please reference the Job Title and Location on the subject line.

Nondiscriminatory employment clause:

• Applicants will not be discriminated against on the basis of ethnicity, colour, gender, religion, socio-economic status, age, disability or health status.
• The management of Nuru Nigeria reserves the right to verify all of the applicant's information and conduct background checks on shortlisted candidates including reaching out to his/her previous employer.
• Only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply

Application Deadline  26th July, 2021.