Program Manager, Commercialization of Biofortified Crops at The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

⏲ Feb 13, 2020, 11:30 AM
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The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, on behalf of HarvestPlus, seeks suitable Nigerian for the position below at its country office in Ibadan:

Job Title: Program Manager, Commercialization of Biofortified Crops Ref: IITA-HR-NRS2020-006 Location: Ibadan Contract: 2-year renewable contract

Duties Successful candidate will among other things perform the following duties:

Monitor biofortified crops and food value chains to identify market failures and pressure points, and ways to make the chain more functional and efficient
Carry out regular assessment of biofortified crops and foods value chain including market development opportunities, market prices, demand and supply interactions
Work with the MELA Specialist to design and implement a robust data collection plan covering all value chain activities and actors including monitoring of market price, product quality, demand and supply linkages and differentials
Work with the MELA Officer to regularly review scope and targets for operational planning in alignment with the program Theory of Change (ToC), monitoring framework, results from pathway and indicators
Supply and demand stimulation for biofortified seeds and processed foods
Identify and engage promising SMEs with high willingness to invest in the biofortified seed sector, with focus on credible farmer associations / groups and aggregators
Identify and strengthen capacities of SMEs in processing and value addition to become primary off-takers of vitamin A cassava and maize
Work with breeders and seed producers to identify and deploy best seed varieties for multiplication and production by location
Facilitate the establishment and strengthening of seed sales outlets to ensure increased farmer access to biofortified seeds
Work with relevant regulatory agencies to ensure quality control of processed products to engender consumer trust and ensure repeated purchased by consumers
Work with relevant teams to map existing and new product distribution outlets and link information to aggregator and distributor networks
Define and analyze systems that are of major importance in developing the markets for biofortified seeds, crops and foods
Identify and engage already tested and committed extension agents / systems to address capacity gaps among seed producers and aggregator networks
Evaluate in detail all existing assessments and literature on consumer demand for gari and fufu in the chosen geography to determine more context-specific opportunities to strengthen demand
Support the identification and hiring of a mix of creative agencies to design and implement campaigns building on opportunities already identified and if necessary, from new insight generation activities
Support the development of a strategy / plan for managing communications to counter public (and government) perceptions of linkages to GM crops
Convene / attend events to announce and publicize the partnership and the project and host focus group discussions to review and understand consumers’ perceptions of campaigns
Strengthen the Nutritious Food Platform as a Biofortification Alliance to further develop and refine an approach to consumer engagement and awareness-raising
Participate in results measurements including baseline studies, periodic evaluative studies and impact assessments

Advocacy and policy engagement:

Create and implement the plan for engagement with influencers including key messages to help build a coherent narrative around VAC and VAM across all of government policy areas
Define policy constraints that hinder the commercialization of VAC and VAM building on assessment reports
Map and engage key influencers within government (executive and legislative, national ad state) and key government officials in the key ministries (FMARD, FMITI, Health, and Finance)
Convene / attend events to announce the partnership and the project to key stakeholders and set out the policy influencing agenda

Catalytic financing for seed and processed food SMEs:

Connect promising companies to facilitate B2B linkages for the supply of inputs, processing, and offtake to build the case for repayable finance (through the Biofortification Alliance engine)
Support suitable companies to pitch to the Nutritious Foods Financing Facility or similar blended options focused on nutritious and safe foods
Identify companies (input supply and processing) in the growth phase and carry out indepth financing needs assessment to understand and characterize their key constraints
Develop a tailored business support / accelerator package to support a priority set of these businesses for investor readiness
Perform other duties assigned by the Country Manager

Qualification

Master's degree in Business Administration, Procurement and Supply Shain Management, Marketing, Agriculture or related discipline with minimum of four (4) years’ work experience in activities related to agricultural commodities and rural development

Competencies:

High degree of motivation, initiative, independence, reliability, adaptability, and professional maturity
Strong commitment to gender-sensitive, pro-poor development work and an ability to work in a multi-disciplinary and multi-national team
Strong interpersona l /people management skills and excellent oral and written communication skills
Excellent problem solving, analytical skills, networking, and relationship-building skills
Working experience with DFID, BMGF, and USAID funded programs
Experience in working in Northern Nigeria and fluency in the Hausa language is added advantage.
Proven knowledge of agricultural value chain players (especially cassava and maize) and support service institutions in Nigeria
Understanding and interest in how markets and value chains work
Strong project management expertise, exposure to implementing technical assistance projects, and ability to bring together sector stakeholders

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

How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should complete the online application below, attaching detailed Cover Letter and Curriculum Vitae saved with their names in Microsoft word. The application must include the names and e-mail addresses of three professional referees which must include the applicant’s current or previous direct Supervisor, a professional colleague and evidence of current remuneration package. Click here to apply Click here for more Information (PDF) Application Deadline 26th February, 2020. Note