Chief of Party at Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA)

Job No.: 560
Location: Nigeria (Primary)
Job Type: Full-time
Category: International
Career Level: Senior Manager
Travel: Up to 25%

Job Description
Program Description:

• The Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity aims to strengthen the enabling environment for agribusiness finance and investment with a focus focusing on the following five key value chains: rice, cowpea, soy, maize and aquaculture.
• The Activity seeks to viably and sustainably link thousands of MSMEs and producer organizations with high-performing commercial actors in the targeted value chain in 7 Nigerian states; namely, Benue, Kaduna, Niger, Kebbi, Delta, Ebonyi, and Cross River.
• The overall objective of the Activity is to measurably improve the agribusiness investment climate, which plays a pivotal role in attracting foreign direct and domestic investment, leading to food security and improved nutrition for all Nigerians.
• To achieve this goal, the Activity focuses on four interrelated components: (i) improving the enabling environment for agricultural sector growth through legal and regulatory reform; (ii) broadening access to finance by mitigating the credit risks of agribusinesses; (iii) promoting and facilitating investment opportunities for agribusinesses to expand and scale up operations; and (iv) sustainably enhancing the performance of agribusiness micro, small and medium size enterprises (MSMEs). In line with the U.S. and Nigerian governments’ commitment to growing the non-oil-based economy, these efforts will increase the depth, breadth, dynamism, and competitiveness of Nigeria’s agribusiness sector.
• Beginning in December 2018 and closing in 2023, this $15.6 million project aims to upgrade and facilitate thousands of linkages between small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including producer organizations, and high-performing commercial actors in the target value chains.
• As a result of streamlined regulations, more effective policies, improved production and processing practices, and significantly increased finance and investment flows, the Activity will increase the competitiveness and returns of both large and small sale agricultural enterprises.
• Employing a value chain approach, the Agribusiness Investment Activity aims to facilitate $100 million in new lending and $100 million in new investment.

General Responsibilities

• The Chief of Party will be responsible for the overall management of the activity and should possess leadership, communication, and management skills necessary to develop, articulate, and implement a vision for the Activity.

The Chief of Party will be responsible for meeting the following objectives:

• Promotion of smart and efficient policy and regulations within the agricultural finance sector,
• Mitigation of credit risks of agribusinesses and improvement in the services provided by financial institutions to agribusinesses, and
• Strengthen the readiness of agribusinesses to access and manage investments.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for the overall management of the program in line with USAID guidelines and within set timelines to achieve objectives.
• Oversees program administration, operations, implementation, and fiscal management to ensure technical and financial activity aligns with scope and budget allocations, internal policies, and donor regulations.
• Leads the project team to provide effective coordination and guidance among academic institutions, local Governments, smallholder farmers, service providers and other key stakeholders.
• Work closely with private sector actors to help leverage funding to support project implementation.
• Facilitates financial capital raising for investment funds and/or banks (including but not limited to financial capital for the ag sector).
• Represents CNFA with partners and key stakeholders, at conferences, workshops, meetings, and other industry gatherings.
• Manages and oversees all contract management and implementation tasks based on established USG regulations, procedures and CNFA guidelines.

Job Requirements
Key Qualifications:

• Master’s degree, or higher, in Agriculture, Agronomy, Economics, Business Administration, Political Economy, Public Administration, Public Policy, or related fields is required
• Minimum of fifteen (15) years of significant international experience and expertise in agricultural development, food security, and/or  private sector engagement to successfully achieve meaningful and sustainable results is required;
• Experience supporting financial capital raising for investment funds and/or banks (including but not limited to financial capital for the agriculture sector)
• Extensive and substantive experience in working with counterparts at various levels of government, as well as with non-government organizations (including private-sector associations and organizations) in managing international development assistance activities is required
• Meaningful experience in Africa is required, demonstrated knowledge of West Africa and Nigeria is strongly preferred;
• Strong technical expertise in the areas of agriculture, agricultural economics, agricultural finance, and/or agribusiness is required;
• Demonstrated management skills and effective interpersonal skills are required; and;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English is required, knowledge of local languages is an advantage.