Job Vacancies at Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA)

Project Profile

• Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and MEDA are supporting 16,000 women and youth entrepreneurs and small-scale businesses to improve their business performance in the agricultural sector in Bauchi State, while also increasing the awareness and capacity to address issues of early and forced child marriage with 25,000 community and family members
• For the next two years, the project will focus on agro-processing of rice, soybean and peanuts to ensure value added activities benefit small-scale businesses (SSBs) and entrepreneurs (ENs) in Banchi State.

Position Summary

• The Grants Coordinator is to support the Finance and Grants Manager in the planning, implementation and evaluation of grants and sub-grants to Key Facilitating Partners (KFPs), Lead Firms, Small Scale Businesses and Consultants of MEDA's Nigeria WAY Project
• S/he will serve as the secretary for the grants committee (responsible for selection of candidates) and identify areas of capacity building of grantees for effective use of funds.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Implement the grants manual which details procedures and processes including url links to updated templates using the contracting process
• Manage, monitor and reporting on granting agreements and portfolios and their flow through Client Relationship Management software, updating it regularly
• Facilitate grant management, budget reporting and monitoring of grants, and other activities related to compliance for contracts
• Support in regular review of partners’ record keeping processes to ensure that all expenses claimed to the project are accurately documented according to the financial policies of MEDA and GAC.
• Support timely release of funds to KFPs for effective and smooth execution of project activities by grantees
• Support the Finance Manager and the technical staff to ensure compliance to the financial policy and best practice are followed in a timely manner of grants to project partisers
• Analysis and evaluation of proposed work-plans and budgets submitted by partners to ensure adherence to the contract terms, and (GAC and MEDA grants management policies and regulations
• Support the Finance Manager to identify capacity building needs of KFPs / LFs in grant management and transfer the knowledge to them appropriately and timely
• Support in regular review of partners’ record keeping processes to ensure that capacity building goals are being met
• Collate quarterly financial reports of grants component and submit to the Finance Manager for consolidation into the financial reports of MEDA
• Assist the Finance Manager to ensure that the general accounting functions are completed on a timely basis
• Support the Finance Manager to ensure that MEDA’s program adheres to Government of Nigeria’s laws, including financial reporting, tax, labor and proper registration with all relevant authorities as required
• Carry out other duties as assigned by the Finance and Grants Manager.

Qualifications

• University Degree in Finance, Accounting or other relevant related field
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in accounting, finance and sub-grant management with international projects
• Strong grants management, financial and audit experience as a Grants Manager
• Strong digital skills in Microsoft Word, SharePoint, Excel, etc., and experience with CRM database software
• Fluency in English and Hausa is required
• Appreciation and support of MEDA’s values, mission and purpose.

Project Profile

• Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and MEDA are supporting 16,000 women and youth entrepreneurs and small-scale businesses to improve their business performance in the agricultural sector in Bauchi State, while also increasing the awareness and capacity to address issues of early and forced child marriage with 25,000 community and family members
• For the next two years, the project will focus on agro-processing of rice, soybean and peanuts to ensure value added activities benefit small-scale businesses (SSBs) and entrepreneurs (ENs) in Bauchi State.

Position Summary

• The Market Linkages in Value Chains officer is a position which brings local knowledge, contacts and networks and experience in the agro sector from Bauchi state to the MEDA Nigeria WAY leam
• In particularly, this position will focus on Women Sales Agents and linkages in the value chain to enhance the enabling environment where women undertake their agro-processing activities
• The Market Linkages in Value Chains Officer is part of a Value Chain team and will provide support to establish good business relationships among agriculture inputs and marketing companies, women farmers and their market associations and cooperatives, agricultural extension agents and the project's local partners.

Responsibilities
Reporting to the Value Chain Manager and working collaboratively with the Value Chain team to support the Nigeria WAY team to:

• Identify and establish opportunities and innovations in the three value chains in the 7 LGAs of Bauchi State related to agro-processing and to help the project reach its expected targets.
• Support building women led market associations and networks which attend to their interests and where they have voice.
• Source relevant information on soybean, groundnut and rice processing in Bauchi State and relay to Women and youth led SSBs and ENs to enhance the women firmers’ ability to produce high quality agro-processing and reduce losses in the post-harvest production cycle in order to be competitive in the market
• Develop and nurture the women sales agent (WoSAs) network by identifying and implementing key capacity building activities and supporting WoSAs to explore opportunities that can provide access for women to agro-technology to reduce their time and Labour in their agro-processing businesses
• Link with other projects that are also promoting development of the selected value chain to draw from their good and relevant experiences and replicate or collaborate with them in the WAY project.
• Carry out tasks as assigned by the supervisor and project management team.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated understanding of market-driven approaches to increase farm income, agro processing profits and improve food security
• Experience working in women-focused programs and / or women-owned businesses
• Degree in Agriculture or Business and a minimum of 3 years’ experience in agriculture and / or agricultural development projects.
• Private sector experience is a plus
• Deep knowledge of Bauchi State agricultural systems and markets is required
• Fluency in English and Hausa is required
• Have working knowledge of computing and other digital skills.
• Appreciation and support of MEDA’s values and goals.