Market Manager (Agricultural Market Systems Manager) - Propcom Mai-karfi at Palladium Group

Job Ref: req8419
Location: Abuja, with frequent travels within the nine states of the Programme and other National
Job Family: Technical Team
Responsible to: Tier Lead

Background

• Propcom Mai-Karfi was a six-year DFID programme aimed at increasing incomes for the poor in Northern Nigeria through enhanced opportunities for increased employment and improved productivity in selected agricultural market systems in northern Nigeria is now implementing a three-year extension 2018-2021 to work in a reduced number of states from mid-2018:

Purpose
PM is seeking for individuals with experience or expertise in the following fields to drive the Programme interventions and impact in targeted sectors:

• Agronomists, with experience in sales and extension services
• Business Consulting
• Marketing experts with experience in developing rural markets for FMCGs and non-FMCGs
• Agricultural Engineers and Environmental Specialists
• Project Management.

Scope of Work

• With oversight from a Tier Lead, the individual will be responsible for analysing, conceptualising, and implementing business models and interventions that create an opportunity for inclusive growth in select sectors and sub-sectors With the support of State Embedded Officers and Results Measurement team, the Market Manager is expected to implement each Intervention using the Project Management approach, engaging, and disseminating with internal and external audiences in an appropriate and timely manner.

Specific Responsibilities
The Market Manager will be responsible for the following:

Analytical:

• Undertake Sector and Industry analysis, as key inputs to designing a business model
• Drive the stakeholder analysis of the selected commodity chains, as well as identify and contact potential agents of change within agreed value chains and/or specific states.
• Carry out business diagnostics and financial analysis to identify causes of business under-performance
• Undertake market research and rapid assessment to identify pro-poor market opportunities

Concept development:

• Design evidence-based business models
• Develop business case and investment pitch for targeted Sector/Markets

Securing Private Sector Partnerships, Market linkages and Enabling Business Environment:

• Pitch viable business models and secure partnerships for scaling Programme impact
• Facilitate investment linkages to market actors to catalyse growth in the sector
• Identify evolving policy areas along with the Tier Lead for each intervention and establish appropriate partnerships and contacts aimed at driving the policy amendment process where applicable.
• Engage relevant actors to drive business reforms underpinning intervention scale-up

Project Implementation and performance management:

• Coordinate all administrative aspects of partnerships including but not limited to grants, Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs), Collaboration Agreements and other contractual mechanisms
• Ensure adequate understanding of field level issues and provide the required support to the inter-linkages of activities taking place in the state.
• Ensure all opportunities to identify and incorporate Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) activities are acted on in the Tier and ensure implementation of relevant interventions is aligned to delivering Climate Smart Agriculture indicators with required field evidence.

Required Qualifications
The Market Manager should have:

• A degree or similar qualification in Business Development, (Agric) Economics, Agronomy or Agricultural Engineering.
• Work experience in activities related to agricultural commodities / marketing & sales within value chains and rural development, with some experience working with the private sector and confirmed knowledge of the institutions and organisations that provide services to the agricultural sector in Nigeria.
• Experience leading a small team which require a coordination function.
• Experience in developing and supporting the delivery of simple business plans in complex market chains.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties.
• Ability to influence a range of people including client organisations, government agencies and other key stakeholders by building constructive relationships through clear communication and generate effective discussion and mutual support for plans and ideas.
• Strong project management expertise, exposure to implementing technical assistance projects, and ability to bring together sector stakeholders would be advantageous.
• Previous experience using the making markets work for the poor (M4P) approach would be an advantage.
• Ability to speak Hausa is desirable Fluent verbal and written communication in English is essential.

Competencies:

• Communication: Confidently delivers tailored messages to various audiences using various media   and tools asks insightful questions
• Relationship Builder: Quickly develops trusting relationships with others; proactively assesses and manages trust with others.
• Business-Person: Understands the idea of the marketing mix (the 5 ‘P’s) price /product/promotion/place/people; can gather market info and give advice on marketing strategy.
• Mentoring: Regularly engages with market actors and stakeholders to uncover and identify specific needs.
• Innovator: Tests out new ideas on an ongoing basis; failure encourages greater future effort.
• Political Economist: Critically analyses institutions when required using a visual model, objectively allocating roles and functions.