Job Opportunity at Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA)

Leading a team of field staff, the FPM ensures effective implementation of project strategies, adjusting course as needed based on interim performance, to achieve life-of-project performance targets. This project is approved for funding and the position will become available upon the signature of the project contract. The anticipated start date is spring 2017. The duty station for this position is Abuja, Nigeria and involves frequent travel to project locations around the country, particularly in Bauchi State. The FPM will report to and work closely with MEDA’s North America-based Senior Project Manager tasked to supervise this Project.

RESPONSIBILTIES

• Project implementation
• Acting as MEDA’s representative in Nigeria
• Ensuring daily management of the project and assuming full accountability of project results
• Ensuring project performance tracking
• Implementing security protocols
• Project financial management
• Maintaining strict budgetary adherence and monitoring
• Ensuring review and timely submission of regular financial reports
• Project compliance
• Ensuring effective and efficient management of project’s compliance with planning, monitoring, evaluation, performance and reporting
• Ensuring adherence to local legal requirements
• Management of field staff
• Overseeing the management of all field staff, including recruitment, selection, supervision and ongoing performance evaluations

Relationship management

• Managing successful relationships with the Government of Nigeria, donor agencies, the business community and other stakeholders
• Managing successful relationships with Key Facilitating Partners; ensuring positive relationships are maintained and project targets are achieved. 
• New business development
• Supporting, as time allows, the Senior Director’s new business development efforts in-country and regionally

QUALIFICATIONS

• A minimum of ten years of senior level experience leading and managing complex, large scale, multi-million dollar economic and enterprise development initiatives (or similar private sector experience).
• University degree (ideally Master’s) in international development, business administration or related field.
• Appreciation and support of MEDA’s faith statement, values, mission and purpose.
• Demonstrated experience working with youth and women
• Fluency (written and verbal) in English is required. Working knowledge of Hausa is desirable.
• Strong understanding of: business/financial decision making in competitive market environments; inclusive subsector development and value chain development facilitation methods.
• Proven leadership abilities with a multiple field office environment and relationships with North American-based HQ specialists and management.
• Functional experience in marketing, business planning, business growth advisory service or related areas.
• Direct private sector experience is desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to mobilize stakeholders into partnerships and alliances, lead and facilitate collaborative processes.
• Experience in using commercial business development services (BDS) providers to upgrade farmer, entrepreneur and enterprise competencies.
• Prior work experience in Nigeria or comparable country context is preferred.

Project Description
The Project will advance equitable economic growth in Nigeria’s agricultural sector by sustainably raising the business performance of small, growing businesses (SGBs) and small entrepreneurs (SEs), particularly those run by women and youth, and the value chains in which they participate.  The proposed project will target interventions on age- and gender-specific barriers to promote greater involvement and success of women and youth in agricultural SEs and SGBs.  Early marriage, which affects almost 2 in 5 Nigerian women, disrupts young women’s lives and increases their vulnerability.  This project will reduce the risk of early marriage by strengthening the economic resiliency in families and increasing community support for married girls and girls at risk of early marriage.
Project Quick Facts

Budget $16 million CAD. Duration: 2017 to 2022

Sectors: agriculture and agribusiness

Geographic Scope: Nigeria, focusing on agricultural commodities that originate in Bauchi State

Goal: increased contribution by small entrepreneurs (SEs) and small, growing businesses (SGBs), particularly those run by women and youth, to Nigeria’s economic growth

Objectives: (1) improved business performance of SEs and SGBs in targeted agricultural value chains (2) improved business environment fostering growth of SEs and SGBs in selected agricultural value chains (3) enhanced provision of community and family support to address issues of early marriage, promoting economic engagement as one tool to address the issue

Core activities: Capacity building for clients; supporting youth- and women-run businesses; enhancing availability of productive technologies; fostering business trading alliances; business strengthening through business plan matching grants and wrap-around consulting services; strengthening essential supply chain capabilities and enterprise finance; and assisting community partners to raise awareness of dangers of early marriage.