Pilot Manager at IITA

Position/Responsibilities:
The pilot manager will be responsible for general management and implementation of the pilot. As such the pilot manager will perform essential functions such as marketing and promotion of the pilot; coordination with technical teams, implementing participant liaison and management; disbursement of incentive payments; reporting, and others.

The pilot manager will be expected to develop a detailed implementation plan and produce quarterly pilot updates against this plan. The pilot manager will also contribute to the semi-annual pilot evaluation report (in coordination with the pilot supervisor) and produce requests for disbursement reports for the Secretariat when participants have met payment criteria. Other activities that do not include defined outputs include, among others, establishing the pilot, seeking out new qualified participants, and managing participant engagement in the pilot.

This entity will report to the Secretariat and pilot supervisor, both located at the World Bank, on progress and outcomes of the pilot, and make financial disbursement requests to the Secretariat as participants achieve award criteria. Local supervision will be provided by IITA Deputy Director General (Partnerships and Capacity Development).

Responsibilities include:

1. Conduct marketing and promotion of pilot.
2. Liaise with participants and conduct participant selection and eligibility processes, where required.
3. Provide assistance to participating organizations and facilitate market linkages, where required.
4. Facilitate disbursement of incentive payments to participants meeting required outcomes criteria.
5. Report on pilot operations and budget.

Educational Qualifications
The candidate must have an advanced degree in agriculture, project management, business administration, development or related field.

Core Competencies (capabilities and characteristics):

• Strong domain-specific agriculture expertise – e.g., smallholder maize production, commodity value chains, aflatoxin contamination and efforts to control aflatoxin
• Familiarity and, preferably, experience in innovative financing for development
• Experience with stakeholder engagement (including private sector) and participant management
• Supervision of dedicated staffing, as required by timing of pilot needs
• In-country networks with links to government, regulatory sector, market sector, agribusiness, civil society organizations, to maximize participation in and publicity of the pilot
• Proven organizational, planning and budget management experience.
• Ability to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team in a cross-cultural environment
• Excellent leadership, management, interpersonal, and team building skills

Time frame of services: The pilot manager will be expected to serve for the duration of the operational phase of the pilot, 4 years, plus a preparatory phase to conduct pilot establishment activities as needed.

Duty Station: IITA, Abuja, Nigeria.

General Information: Initial appointment is for three years subject to donor’s approval. IITA offers a competitive remuneration package paid in US dollars.