Project Manager at TechnoServe

Ref No.: PROJE01435
Category: Programs
Job type: Full-Time

Program Overview

• A pan-African fintech company operating a food processing marketplace for community-level sourcing of raw produce seeks TechnoServe’s support in expanding its operations across Northern Nigeria, unlocking thousands of jobs for rural youth along the value chain.
• The digital marketplace currently operates in 12 states and 39 local government areas (LGAs) in Nigeria, trading rice, maize, soybean, and sorghum. In order to develop a strategic approach to expansion, TechnoServe anticipates supporting the company to identify areas of high opportunity, mapping community-level production of cereal goods, existing trading infrastructure, and supporting agribusinesses along the value chain.
• The project will aim to conduct field surveys, gathering information on 20,000 youth, 30,000 farmers and 1,500 agribusinesses across 50 LGAs in Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kebbi, Niger and Taraba states

Job Summary

• TechnoServe seeks a Project Manager for an anticipated in-depth data gathering and market assessment project for a Pan-African technology firm that operates a digital marketplace for agriculture commodities in Nigeria.
• The Project Manager will be responsible for leading the program, including overseeing a team of researchers, analysts, data verifiers, and enumerators who will gather and assess information on farmers and agribusinesses across 6 states and 50 LGAs in Nigeria.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities

• Lead overall implementation and management of the anticipated program, from inception to close-out
• Provide strategic guidance, leadership, management and general technical oversight of the program
• Manage a team of nine staff, including recruitment and management of short-term contractors for data verification and GIS mapping
• Lead the development and implementation of the youth recruitment component of the project
• Continuously develop operational efficiencies and drive innovations in delivery, ensuring that the program develops and submits deliverables on time and within budget
• Serve as the primary liaison with the donor

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Agricultural Economics, International Development, Business, Economics, Public Policy or other relevant area,
• 5-7 years’ experience in project leadership, managing large teams in relevant private sector or development programs.
• Prior experience leading large-scale primary data gathering initiatives, impact assessments or monitoring and evaluation for a large development program

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience living and working in Nigeria or West Africa.
• Experience managing or implementing large-scale studies for the agriculture sector and/or in rural environments
• Demonstrated ability to use adaptive management principles to make strategic, data-driven decisions in the face of uncertainty and complexity.
• Results-oriented, with demonstrated experience achieving project targets.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong leadership skills and demonstrated experience in managing complex, multi-disciplinary, and challenging field operations in developing countries, West Africa preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of primary data-gathering methodologies, including use of digital surveying tools such as Commcare
• High level of computer literacy (primarily in Microsoft Office packages).
• Demonstrated experience conducting or managing field surveys, coordinating focus groups / stakeholder interviews, and conducting quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills and the ability to effectively motivate and manage teams
• Strong private sector market orientation, entrepreneurial, and innovative thinker. Demonstrated capacity to work with private sector players (financial institutions, buyers, traders, transporters, input suppliers, processors in the agriculture value chain) and state governments.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines while managing multiple tasks and activities