Agribusiness and Livelihoods Advisor at SNV

Overview of the Position

• The Agribusiness and Livelihoods Advisor would will be responsible for providing technical insights and advisory services on products and interventions to projects. The Advisors will give input to Project Manager and project partners to meet the agreed objectives and realise successful interventions. The Advisor identifies opportunities and areas for improvement, to ensure quality delivery.
• The Advisor understands youth demands and dynamics, as well as demonstrate capabilities to understand and appreciate empowerment of young women and men. The key responsibility of this position is to facilitate project activities implementation at county level, assisting in strengthening youth participation in agriculture, facilitate their engagement with producer organisations, markets and business actors, partnerships, mapping youth employment and entrepreneurship in agriculture value chain opportunities, mobilising them for self-employment and agribusiness ventures.

Job Description

The key responsibilities of the Agribusiness and Livelihoods Advisor will include the following:

• Lead the effective deployment and implementation of all sustainability and inclusive livelihood strategies and approaches to ensure youth and women are engaged as competitive entrepreneurs, employees and job creators in selected crop value chains.
• Lead the implementation of agribusiness development activities at the cluster level, with a strong focus on practical facilitation, market linkages, services and enterprise development.
• Contribute to annual, quarter and monthly planning, as well as regular reporting related to livestock and horticulture value chain and market system activities of the cluster
• Conduct sector assessments and market analyses of the livestock sector to identify agribusiness opportunities tailored to rural young women.
• Develop and implement the project annual activity plan in line with the targets and orientations of the Project annual work plan, monitor progress and anticipate challenges;
• This plan will indicate activities to be implemented to achieve youth and women targets and other project indicators and deliverables;
• Lead the implementation of the annual work plan,
• Innovate strategies that will improve availability and market uptake of diverse, nutritious, consumer responsive products from adapted crops.
• Facilitate and provide required technical support for market relevant and youth and women oriented, employability skills training and development in targeted counties;
• Strengthen the capacities of project partners, coaches and other stakeholders involved in youth support to achieve the project's objectives in terms of youth inclusion in agriculture sector;
• Support and partner with implementing partners to implement youth empowerment activities working with other technical project partners including coaching and accompaniment for work and market readiness.
• Support the Strengthening of research-informed policy instruments and investment readiness to create an enabling and attractive business environment for youth groups in adapted-crop value chains
• Forster public–private partnership agreements and institutional coordination mechanisms to enhance youth participation in adapted-crop value chains and markets.
• Ensure effective documentation and records of trained youth for self-employment, keep records of identified young agri-preneurs for coaching and market linkages facilitation;
•  Lead approaches/initiatives that ensure adapted-crop value chains are more efficient, better linked to markets, and supported by agribusiness development services.
• Prepare timely project activity reporting including youth selection, training and coaching progress and other deliverables from project partners.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Applicant must have relevant knowledge in both development and private Sector; good understanding and work experience in value chain development and agribusiness operations. She/he must have strong knowledge, passionate about green jobs for youth, and experience in climate smart issues in Nigeria.
• Master’s degree plus Minimum of seven (7) years’ experience in relevant disciplines, such as: Agribusiness, Agricultural Economy or Business Administration and /or related field;
• At least five (5) years of experience in developing and implementing project, in larger and complex/multi-sectoral projects/programmes desired.
• Proven experience in project implementation having relevant understanding of value chain development and other events for value chain stakeholders.
• Result-orientation and ability to take initiatives under minimal supervision, and to reach targets.
• Strong agribusiness relationship management experience and focus with the ability to stimulate trust and confidence with clients and investors including managing various stakeholders,
• Good project management skills; ability to contribute to the project’s overall M&E system will be a plus;
• Excellent organising, negotiation, influencing and advisory/coaching and networking skills;
• Flexible approach to take on additional responsibilities as assigned/delegated;
• Willingness to travel to all project locations;
• Excellent communication (written and oral), reporting and presentation skills.

Key competencies

• Entrepreneurial, result-oriented and driver for change.
• Able to lead and take ownership of deliverables
• Ability to effectively communicate with farmers and entrepreneurs along the agricultural value chain.
• Strong interpersonal skills with excellent social and networking skills, ability to engage with governments and the private sector including influencing skills and experience of working effectively in a matrix organisation.
• Able to support and energise multi-partner project teams.
• Experience in knowledge management and documentation.
• Team player and confident to work in a multidisciplinary and multicultural setting.