Jobs at TechnoServe

Job Summary

The Waste-to-Value (Circular Economy) Manager will lead the implementation of circular economy initiatives, focusing on transforming food processing waste into valuable products to create economic opportunities for young entrepreneurs, with particular attention to women and persons with disabilities (PWD). This role includes establishing waste-to-value hubs, negotiating supply agreements, promoting regenerative practices, and ensuring sustainability models align with climate-smart approaches.

The manager will collaborate with processors, communities, and partners to minimize food loss, maximize value addition, and foster inclusive business models in targeted value chains such as soybean, sesame, tomato, and ginger. This position requires deep expertise in circular economy principles, strong negotiation skills, and a demonstrated commitment to gender equity and disability inclusion. The ideal candidate will have proven experience establishing supply agreements, implementing waste valorization projects, and working with marginalized communities.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities

W2V Strategy Design & Partnership Development

• Strategic Rollout: Lead the design and implementation of gender-inclusive W2V strategies, prioritizing waste streams (e.g., black soldier fly production, composting, bio-fertilizers) with the highest market potential.
• Partner Attraction: Proactively identify and attract private sector partners, investors, and technology providers to the W2V ecosystem.
• Inclusion: Ensure the meaningful participation and leadership of youth, women, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) across all waste-to-value and circular economy initiatives.

Supply Agreement Negotiation

• Formalization: Negotiate and secure formal waste supply agreements with cooperative, medium, and large-scale processors to move from informal collection to structured supply chains.
• Incentive Structures: Create and pitch incentive structures that encourage processors to formalize waste supply relationships with project-supported entrepreneurs.

Inclusive Enterprise Support

• Barrier Reduction: Develop and pilot innovative approaches to reduce entry barriers for women and PWDs, focusing on pooled resources and local aggregation to minimize travel and intermediary exploitation.
• Financial Facilitation: Link W2V entrepreneurs with financial institutions, seed grants, and microcredit to support business formalization and growth.

Market Linkage & Offtake Development

• Offtake Brokering: Identify and secure purchase orders with industrial buyers (e.g., feed manufacturers, seasoning companies) to demonstrate the commercial viability of waste-derived products.
• Market Intelligence: Develop systems to help entrepreneurs understand industrial demand, pricing trends, and quality specifications.

Community Engagement & Safeguarding

• Social License: Work with traditional/religious leaders and community groups to build support for women’s economic empowerment and address cultural restrictions.
• Income Control: Ensure women maintain control over their earnings through direct mobile money payments and targeted safeguarding measures.
• Disability Inclusion: Collaborate with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to identify and recruit PWDs for leadership roles within the W2V value chain.

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science, Agribusiness, Circular Economy, or related field (7+ years experience) OR Master’s Degree (5+ years experience).

Experience:

• Proven track record in waste management, circular economy projects, or agricultural value chain development.
• Experience in negotiating commercial agreements and managing multi-stakeholder partnerships (Private Sector, Government, and Communities).
• Demonstrated commitment to economic empowerment for women and PWDs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in Nigeria's food processing sector, particularly with soybean, sesame, tomato, or ginger value chains
• Prior work with donor-funded programs focusing on youth, women, and PWD inclusion
• Knowledge of climate-smart technologies and regenerative business practices in agricultural contexts
• Experience with market systems development approaches and facilitative programming
• Familiarity with Nigeria's regulatory environment for waste management and food processing
• Track record of securing commercial offtake agreements for waste-derived products

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Technical: Strong expertise in circular economy principles and waste-to-value business models.
• Negotiation: Exceptional ability to broker deals between small-scale entrepreneurs and large industrial processors/buyers.
• Analysis: Ability to develop financially viable business plans and conduct Return on Investment (ROI) analyses.
• Language: English (Fluent); local languages (Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo) highly advantageous.

Required Languages

Excellent written and spoken English; familiarity with local languages (e.g., Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo) is a significant advantage

Travel

At least 50% of the time, including field visits to rural and peri-urban areas across the ten project implementation states

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Job Summary

The Partnerships Manager will build and manage strategic partnerships, engaging diverse stakeholders including processors, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, Enterprise Support Organizations (ESOs), government agencies, financial institutions, and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to scale impact in food processing and waste-to-value (W2V) activities.

This role focuses on fostering inclusive sourcing, backward integration, and policy advocacy to create sustainable job opportunities for young women and persons with disabilities (PWD). The Partnerships Manager will serve as a primary external-facing representative of the project, building trust and credibility with stakeholders across public, private, and civil society sectors. The ideal candidate will have exceptional networking and negotiation skills, deep understanding of multi-stakeholder collaboration, and proven ability to influence policy and practice in support of inclusive economic development.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities

Technical & Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Engagement

• Establish and maintain relationships with TVET institutions, polytechnics, and universities across the ten implementation states
• Develop memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with TVETs for participant recruitment, training delivery, and internship placement
• Work with TVETs to align curriculum with industry needs and embed food processing and W2V content into existing programs
• Facilitate internship and apprenticeship opportunities for TVET students with processing companies and W2V enterprises
• Support TVETs in developing practical training facilities and updating equipment to meet industry standards
• Create pathways for TVET graduates to transition into employment or entrepreneurship in target value chains
• Engage TVET instructors in project training programs and capacity building initiatives
• Explore opportunities for certification and accreditation of project training through TVET institutions

Enterprise Support Organization (ESO) & Business Development Services

• Partner with ESOs, business development service providers, and business membership organizations to extend project reach and impact
• Engage business associations, chambers of commerce, and industry groups in project activities
• Facilitate ESO participation in training delivery, business advisory services, and mentorship programs
• Support ESOs in developing specialized services for women-led and PWD-led enterprises
• Create referral mechanisms between the project and ESO networks for ongoing business support
• Build capacity of ESOs to deliver inclusive business development services
• Leverage ESO networks for market linkages, peer learning, and advocacy

Government Relations & Policy Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with relevant government ministries, departments, and agencies at federal, state, and local levels. Engage with government initiatives such as Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs), import substitution programs, and youth employment schemes to create complementarities and avoid duplication
• Advocate for policies that support gender inclusion, GBV prevention, PWD accommodations, and fair labor practices in food processing
• Participate in policy dialogues, working groups, and technical committees related to agricultural processing, youth employment, and inclusive development
• Support the development of regulations, standards, and guidelines that create an enabling environment for micro and small processors
• Facilitate project participation in government-led forums, exhibitions, and promotional events
• Monitor policy developments and regulatory changes that may affect project activities or target beneficiaries

Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPD) Collaboration

• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with OPDs at national and state levels
• Partner with OPDs for identification and recruitment of PWD participants
• Engage OPDs in accessibility assessments of training venues, work environments, and project activities
• Collaborate with OPDs in developing tailored training approaches and reasonable accommodations
• Support OPDs in advocating for disability rights and inclusive employment in the food processing sector
• Create platforms for PWD entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses and connect with market opportunities
• Ensure PWD voices and perspectives inform project design and implementation through regular consultation
• Document and share success stories of PWD participants to challenge stereotypes and promote inclusion

Partnership Performance & Adaptive Management

• Establish clear partnership frameworks with defined roles, responsibilities, and mutual commitments
• Monitor partnership performance against agreed objectives and indicators
• Document partnership processes, challenges, and solutions to inform adaptive management
• Conduct regular partnership review meetings and adjustment of strategies as needed
• Share lessons learned and best practices with project team to inform program design and implementation
• Develop partnership success stories and case studies for communication and advocacy purposes
• Ensure partnerships prioritize youth, women, and PWD through incentive mechanisms such as grants, recognition, or preferential access to project resources

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, International Relations, or related field with 7 years of experience; OR a Master’s Degree with at least 5 years of experience.
• Proven Track Record: Must have demonstrated experience creating job and work opportunities for youth, women, and disenfranchised populations.
• Technical Experience: Experience in agriculture, food processing, or agribusiness sectors, ideally with donor-funded programs.
• Negotiation Skills: Strong negotiation skills with a proven ability to broker deals and find "win-win" solutions in complex multi-party discussions.
• Languages: Excellent written and spoken English; proficiency in Hausa, Yoruba, or Igbo is a significant advantage.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in Nigeria with donor-funded programs on youth employment, agricultural development, or private sector engagement
• Knowledge of policy advocacy processes and experience influencing government policy
• Prior work on gender equality and disability inclusion initiatives
• Experience with market systems development approaches and facilitative programming
• Established networks within Nigeria's food processing industry, government, or development sector
• Experience organizing high-level events, forums, and multi-stakeholder dialogues
• Background in private sector development or public-private partnerships

Required Languages

Excellent written and spoken English; proficiency in local languages (Hausa, Yoruba, or Igbo) is highly advantageous for stakeholder engagement

Travel

At least 50% of the time for partner meetings, stakeholder engagements, and field visits across the ten implementation states

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proven ability to build and manage strategic partnerships across government and private sector stakeholders, including negotiation and facilitation of multi-party agreements.
• Solid understanding of Nigeria’s agriculture, employment, and social inclusion landscape, with experience in policy engagement and inclusive market-based approaches.
• Strong strategic thinking, commercial awareness, and systems perspective, with the ability to identify and structure high-value partnerships aligned with project objectives.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and conflict resolution skills, supported by project coordination and event management experience.
• Technical knowledge of agribusiness value chains (soybean, sesame, tomato, ginger), youth employment, TVET systems, and circular economy concepts.
• Proficient in MS Office, CRM platforms, and virtual collaboration tools; adaptable, ethical, and collaborative in approach.

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Job Summary

The Market Development and Supply Systems Manager is a high-level "deal-maker" responsible for landing concrete employment and business opportunities for project participants. This role goes beyond general networking; it requires a results-oriented professional who can convert strategic partnerships with processors, TVETs, government agencies, and financial institutions into tangible job placements, offtake agreements, and inclusive sourcing contracts.

The success of this role is measured by the status quo being changed, moving partners from interest to action. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of creating work opportunities for youth, women, and persons with disabilities (PWD) through structured private-sector and government engagement.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities

Private Sector Deal-Making & Inclusive Sourcing

• Land Employment Opportunities: Secure firm commitments from large and medium-scale processors for the hiring of women and PWDs.
• Backward Integration: Broker formal supply contracts between processors and smallholder clusters, ensuring guaranteed markets for supported entrepreneurs.
• Inclusive Business Plans (IBPs): Move beyond MOUs to help processors implement operational labor policies and sourcing strategies that favor marginalized groups.

TVET & Workforce Pipeline Management

• Placement-Led Partnerships: Establish MOUs with TVETs and polytechnics that are strictly tied to internship placements and permanent job transitions for students.
• Curriculum Alignment: Ensure TVET training modules for food processing and W2V are certified and directly meet the specific labor requirements of the project's private-sector partners.

Financial & Market Linkages (B2B)

• Secure Financing: Broker relationships with microfinance and commercial banks to create loan products specifically for W2V and food processing SMEs.
• Offtake Brokering: Facilitate B2B matchmaking that results in signed purchase orders between W2V enterprises and industrial buyers (e.g., feed manufacturers, organic fertilizer distributors).

Government Relations & Regulatory Navigation

• Enable Compliance: Partner with agencies like NAFDAC, SON, and SMEDAN to streamline the certification process for micro-processors, removing regulatory bottlenecks that prevent business growth.
• Synergy Creation: Align project activities with government schemes (like SAPZs) to unlock additional infrastructure and resources for beneficiaries.

OPD & Inclusive Collaboration

• Recruitment & Accessibility: Partner with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to identify high-potential candidates and ensure work environments are physically and socially accessible.
• Advocate for Change: Challenge industry stereotypes by demonstrating the business case for disability-inclusive hiring to large-scale processors.

Partnership Performance & Adaptive Management

• Track Results: Monitor partnership performance against hard targets for job creation and business growth.
• Operationalize Lessons: Identify when a partnership is failing to produce results and pivot strategies to ensure project goals are met.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Agribusiness, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, or a related field with at least 7 years of relevant professional experience in market development, value chain development, or supply chain management in agricultural or food processing sectors; OR
• Master’s Degree in a relevant field with at least 5 years of professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience in supply chain optimization, backward integration, and market linkage development in agricultural value chains, preferably in developing country contexts.
• Proven track record of designing and implementing market access interventions that have resulted in measurable improvements in sales, employment, or income for SMEs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in Nigeria’s food processing sector, particularly with donor-funded development projects focused on soybean, sesame, or related agricultural value chains.
• Knowledge of inclusive sourcing models and supplier development programs benefiting women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
• Experience working with large processors and export-oriented firms.
• Familiarity with market systems development (MSD) approaches.
• Understanding of Nigeria’s regulatory frameworks and quality standards.