Business Incubation & Rural Finance Officer at Oxfam

Requisition ID: 11242 

Internal Job Grade: D1
Contract Type: Nine (9) Months
Job Family: Programme
Reporting to: Project Coordinator

Job Purpose

• The Business Incubation & Rural Finance Officer will identify and work with private public sectors stakeholders including academicians to enhance project beneficiaries’ business and entrepreneurial skills and improve their overall wellbeing.

Job Responsibilities
Project Development Planning:

• To coordinate project interventions development and implementation of activities for the LINE project including conduct of value chain analysis and packaging interventions to address critical gaps associated with targeted commodities.
• Develop annual work plans for the implementation of the project in collaboration with the project team
• Design a draft project implementation Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) to guide Oxfam and its stakeholders and others in the implementation of the key partnership related activities based on an agreed framework of operations that enhances the value chain development using innovative market based agricultural models.
• Ensure a comprehensive baseline is carried out to derive quality data needed for the implementation of market based agricultural livelihoods component of the LINE project.
• Undertake financial intermediation with a focus on rural financial services intermediation.
• To identify and network relevant rural micro financial organizations into LINE projects in order to expand scope for beneficiary in rural financing of activities.
• To coordinate systematic appraisal, assessment and implementation of institutional development plans of selected project partners according to agreed plan with the Project Coordinator.
• To organise and lead key project development planning meetings.
• To develop, manage and implement selected value chains activity plans for LINE project.
• To support the Project Coordinator in managing relations with project partners for effective project delivery.
• To ensure quality project planning and implementation are carried out within the framework of the project.
• To assist the Project Coordinator in recruiting and line managing private consultants for specific short-term assignments including facilitating the development of their work plans, monitor their fieldwork and organise debriefings sessions of with consultants.

Training and Mentoring of Partner staff and Project Beneficiaries:

• To organise and support business development training and services to partner staff   involved in the implementation of project activities around bulking of commodities.
• To provide professional services, mentoring and counselling advisory services to partners on developing and implementing business plans with project beneficiaries.
• To work with Business associations formed and village savings and loans groups to enhance group governance capacity and decision-making including facilitation of rural micro-financial services to the target LINE project beneficiaries.

Communications:

• To maintain effective communication on programme work with a wide range of people within Oxfam on work progress, particularly programme staff in consultation with the Project Coordinator.
• To maintain effective communication with external sources on the LINE in consultation with the Project Coordinator.
• To support Project Coordination in ensuring project learning for communication within the wider organisation with regard to Business Development and village savings and loans.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• To produce activity reports related to project development, partner and beneficiary training, and support to project groups including activities implemented directly.
• To carry out periodic monitoring visits to project partners and project implementation sites and verify outputs indicated in progress report submitted to Oxfam by partners.   
• To participate in the process of annual impact assessment for the project and participate in other similar processes in Nigeria– as advised.
• To support the Project Coordinator in preparing project donor reports as well reports for wider circulation within Oxfam in consultation with Project Coordinator as appropriate.

Job Requirements
Education:

• Minimum of ten years working experience in managing development programmes - preferably within the NGOs sector.
• Minimum of M.Sc qualification in Social Science, Economics or any other related field.
• At least three years field experience in community development in Northern Nigeria.
• Substantial experience in working with community groups and community associations, particularly women groups.
• Demonstrated skills in Business development, private sector integration into rural livelihoods initiatives and/or microfinance development and management especially the village savings and loans schemes.

Desirable:
Key Attributes:

• Good understanding of diversity and gender equity, willingness and commitment to incorporate Oxfam guiding principles of project in all aspects of programme work in Nigeria.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a strong initiative, tenacity and proven capacity to get the job done.
• Sympathy with the aims and objectives of Oxfam.
• Commitment to development principles and action.
• Previous development work experience, ideally with non-governmental organisations would be an advantage.
• Fluent in written and spoken English and at least two of the Northern languages.
• Working experience with PCs computers, particularly excellent skills in working with word processing, excel, PowerPoint, databases and electronic communication.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a strong initiative, tenacity and proven capacity to get the job done.
• Ability to work independently and under minimum supervision.

Key Behavioural Competencies: