Business Development Officer at IITA - International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Ref. No: Ref: IITA-HR-NRS2020-015
Recruitment Type: National (2-year renewable contract)

Duties

• Lead the development of training content and tools for agribusiness management and coordinate their delivery through the state coordinators and training officers in three states in Nigeria.
• Conduct geographical agribusiness value chain analysis for the project’s target value chains and work with the state coordinators to identify business opportunities for entrepreneurial-track youth to develop business models.
• Lead the efforts of the state coordinators in guiding entrepreneurial-track youth todevelop and implement fund-worthy business plans
• Lead all efforts directed towards attracting funding for young agripreneurs, work with credit institutions to design youth-sensitive financing instruments for business start-up and expansion.
• Coordinate the day to day management of pilot learning enterprises through the state coordinators in three states in Nigeria, ensuring the effectiveness of the learning experience they are to provide.
• Coordinate the efforts of identified project partners in providing mentorship, business support and advisory service to young entrepreneurs. Ensure compliance of partners with all deliverables.
• Assist in development of bankable business plan and recommendations for funding linkages.
• Develop and nurture a network business partnership with private sector companies and associations that entrepreneurial-track youth can leverage on to grow and improve their businesses. Maintain an updated data base of these partners
• Provide monitoring of the businesses established and identify challenges to be addressed / provide the required advice.
• Provide technical support to the trainees and assist them while they are starting their business and ensure smooth business take off.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications

• BSc/HND in Economics, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship or related discipline with minimum of five (5) years’ related experience performing related role.

Competencies:
The ideal candidate must:

• Show ability and strong experience in the development of viable business plans
• Be computer literate with a good working knowledge of computer-based control systems, shared network drives, and excel packages
• Have practical experience in agribusiness, business management especially working with youths
• Have good understanding of marketing linkages and strategies in agribusiness
• Have excellent communication and supervisory skills.
• Show ability for efficient and harmonious team leadership
• Be able to mentor budding entrepreneurs to build relevant entrepreneurial skills.
• Be able to link youths to private sector and finance partners for financial and enterprise development support.
• Have good understanding of the Nigerian financial system for entrepreneurs
• Have experience working with private sector agribusiness partners.

Remuneration

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