Field Operations Associate (Kaduna) at Farmz2U

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Sourcing & Quality Control (The Gatekeeper)

• Physical Inspection: You must physically inspect crops (maize, soy, tomatoes, etc.) before they are loaded. You have the authority and responsibility to reject low-quality stock immediately.
• Supplier Verification: Visit aggregators and warehouses to verify they actually have the stock they claim to have. No "ghost" inventories.
• Vendor Onboarding: Manage the administrative side of bringing new vendors on board. This includes collecting necessary documents, verifying their details, and adding them to our database.
• Price Intelligence: Consistently scout local markets to know the real current price of commodities versus what suppliers are quoting us.

Logistics & Dispatch Management

• Truck Sourcing: leverage local networks to find reliable transporters who are ready to move immediately.
• Loading Supervision: You must be present during loading to ensure the correct quantity is loaded and to prevent theft or mixing of bad stock with good stock.
• Resource Management: Help manage the resources needed for projects, whether that is assigning field agents to a location or ensuring budget requests are processed on time.
• Documentation: Ensure every truck leaves with a correctly signed Waybill, Driver’s Manifest, and Goods-in-Transit insurance documents (where applicable).

Farmer & Cluster Engagement

• Onboarding: Physically visit farming clusters to register farmers, collect their KYC data, and map their farm locations using our data tools.
• Monitoring: Conduct site visits to monitor crop progress and report back to the central team on expected harvest dates.
• Training Support: Organize venues and logistics for farmer training sessions and ensure attendance.

Incident Resolution

• Crisis Management: If a truck breaks down, a supplier tries to change the price last minute, or community issues arise, you are the first responder. You fix the immediate problem and report it.

Market Intelligence and Research

• Detailed Research: Conduct deep research on market prices, competitor activities, and new agricultural regulations. You will provide the facts we need to make good decisions.Cost Analysis: Regularly review our operational costs (transport, storage, procurement) and suggest specific ways to reduce spending without losing quality.

Knowledge, Experience And Qualifications Required

Essential (Must Have)

• Fluency in Hausa: You must be able to negotiate and converse effortlessly with local farmers, drivers, and loaders.
• Local Knowledge: You must know the geography of Kaduna and surrounding agricultural hubs (e.g., Zaria, Makarfi, Soba) and how to navigate them safely.
• Logistics Experience: Minimum 2 years of experience handling dispatch, warehousing, or procurement. You know how to spot a bad truck and a dishonest driver.
• Tech Savvy: Comfortable using Microsoft Excel (for reporting), WhatsApp (for fast communication), and Mobile Data Collection apps (ODK, KoboCollect, etc.).

Behavioral Traits

• Integrity: You will handle stock and logistics decisions worth millions of Naira. You must be honest and transparent.
• Toughness: You are not afraid to argue with a driver about a fare or stand up to a supplier trying to offload bad products.
• Street Smart: You understand how local markets work and can distinguish between a real deal and a scam.

Education & Professional Background

• Bachelor’s Degree or HND in Agriculture, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 2–4 years of practical experience in field operations, agricultural procurement, or logistics management. Office-only experience is not sufficient for this role.
• Proven experience working directly with transporters, drivers, and informal labor (loaders/off-loaders).
• Experience working with smallholder farmers or aggregators in Northern Nigeria is a major advantage.

Required Knowledge & Hard Skills

• Crop Quality Standards: You must have knowledge of quality parameters for key crops (e.g., moisture content for grains, physical appearance for tomatoes/soybean). You need to know what "Grade A" looks like versus "Grade B."
• Local Geography: Deep knowledge of the road networks, major markets, and farming clusters within Kaduna State (e.g., Zaria, Anchau, Soba, Lere).
• Tech Proficiency:
  • Ability to use Microsoft Excel for reporting (entering data, simple sums, filtering).
  • Familiarity with data collection tools (e.g., ODK, KoboCollect, Google Forms).
  • Comfortable using GPS tools (Google Maps/Earth) to drop pins and locate farms.