Access to Finance, Senior Advisor at TechnoServe

Job Summary:

• The Access to Finance Senior Advisor, reporting directly to the Senior Program Manager, will oversee the cross-cutting activities of the program's business plan, operations, and collection systems and ensure cost-effective program implementation.
• S/he will coordinate with the program staff to ensure the successful, innovative, efficient, and effective functioning of all participants’ activities through effective collaboration with other project team members towards achieving the common goal.

Program/Practice/Department Overview:

• Nigeria’s 200 million population generates an estimated 32 million metric tons of waste annually, with plastic accounting for 2.5 million metric tons. The Plastics Recycling Program in Southern Nigeria (PReP), started as the Nigeria Plastic Solutions Alliance Program (NPSAP), a two-year project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Coca-Cola Foundation. However, in year 2, USAID pulled out and the project transitioned to PReP with a revised scope of work. The objective of the project is to reduce plastic waste by increasing the volume and quality of recycled PET plastics. This objective will be achieved through inclusive, market-driven interventions along the value chain and an enabling environment that will improve the competitiveness, sustainability, and profitability of collectors, aggregators, and recyclers. The project will run through September 2025, with the possibility of extension.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

Access to finance

• Identify, communicate with, and engage financial service providers to provide inclusive financing opportunities for the project's aggregators and beneficiaries.
• Link the aggregators with these financial opportunities, including credit, loans, grants, investments and other financial products.
• Build capacity of aggregators in financial literacy, bookkeeping, knowledge of available financial services and products, to enable them to achieve the volume and quality of finances required to build and expand their businesses.
• Build the capacity of beneficiaries in inclusive business planning, to make them investment-ready.
• Contribute to the LCTs Terms of Reference (TOR) to include the mobilizing of collectors into Self Help Groups that can also serve as Village Savings and Loans groups, to enable them save and increase their access to the funds they require during the program implementation.
• Develop the Terms of Reference for the operation of the VSLAs in Lagos and Anambra.
• Work with other TechnoServe colleagues to document what works, including other successful access to finance initiatives in TechnoServe that can be replicated or leveraged to produce results on the PReP project.

Stakeholders coordination & management

• In relation to the Senior Business Advisor in charge of the aggregator, design and deliver engaging training sessions for beneficiaries, assess the Business Advisor's training methods, and provide constructive feedback.
• Build and maintain strong relationships between program stakeholders (collectors, aggregators, and recyclers), ensuring smooth collaboration and efficient operations.
• Proactively identify and mitigate potential risks that could hinder project success, developing contingency plans and adapting the work plan as needed.
• Work with short-term consultants to develop training modules for collectors, aggregators, and recyclers.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree with 5 years’ experience in Business Management, Finance, Economics, Environmental Science, Environmental Geoscience, or related field. Alternatively, a master’s degree with 3 years of experience will be considered.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience with enterprise development, entrepreneurship training, etc., with a special focus on micro-businesses, youth development, incubation/innovation, value chain, or entrepreneurship is desirable.
• Professional experience with international donor projects in Nigeria would be an asset.
• Good IT literacy, i.e., MS. Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Excel is required.
• Ability to engage and advise a broad range of stakeholders, including senior management of private sector companies, donor representatives, and others.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Understanding of business planning, financial analysis, risk management, and operational efficiency.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex information, negotiate effectively, and foster collaboration within the team.
• Experience in a specific region/country or with a particular funder or donor.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders.
• Familiarity with relevant software (e.g., MS Office Suite, data analysis tools) and business systems.
• International NGO Sectoral experience.

Required Languages: Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English. Proficiency in the local languages of Anambra and Lagos states is highly desirable.

Travel: Moderate

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Experience mentoring and supervising others.
• Data analysis and interpretation skills.
• Change management expertise.
• Strong interpersonal skills (including active listening).
• Good leadership skills in commitment, excitement, and ability to create new opportunities for the team.
• Good communication skills with the ability to share ideas and positions.
• Ability to embrace complex challenges and opportunities for getting work done for timely delivery.
• Proven skills with Microsoft Office software (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). Knowledge of the use of Comcare, and KoBoCollect will be an advantage.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.