Intervention Operations Officer, Abuja

Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact - the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with foundations, investors, governments, corporations, communities and civil society to formulate strategies and implement solutions that generate lasting social, environmental and financial benefits.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Intervention Officer

Job ID: req24459
Location: Abuja
Reports Directly To: Portfolio Manager

Description

• We are searching for an experienced Intervention Officer at our Abuja facility. Propcom+ is an FCDO-funded eight-year (2023-2030), rural and agricultural market development programme supporting climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture and forestry that benefits people, climate and nature.
• The programme is implemented by The Palladium Group, and it aims to transform Nigeria's rural economy by addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges in the country's food and land-use system.
• It will do this by (i) increasing productivity, improve nutrition and food security; (ii) enhance climate resilience, pursue lower emissions, and protect and restore nature, and (iii) help tackle some of Nigeria’s underlying drivers of conflict and insecurity.
• It does this by working as a ‘market facilitator’, identifying constraints in markets systems and facilitating changes to enable rural markets to work better for the benefit of poor and climate-vulnerable smallholder farmers and rural small-scale entrepreneurs.
• Propcom+ has a target of increasing the incomes and climate resilience of 3.9 million poor and
• vulnerable people in Nigeria, 50% of whom will be women, through a “3Ps” approach of interlinked components:
  • P1: Scaling-up a focused basket of Proven climate-smart interventions around agricultural and primary processing / storage practices and models to get these adopted by millions of poor and vulnerable smallholder farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs.
  • P2: Building markets by developing and Piloting new business models that improve productivity, enhance resilience to climate change, reduce emissions, and improve nutrition outcomes.
  • P3: Enabling Policies that support a strengthened enabling environment for sustainable food and land-use system.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• With oversight from the Portfolio Manager, s/he will be responsible for designing and facilitating the delivery of select interventions, applying a broad range of market development tools to stimulate changes in the behaviour of market actors and structures, leading to more inclusive, “green” and sustainable market growth.
• S/he will work closely with the GESI Advisor and MEL team to ensure that intervention designs align with Programme gender targets and MEL plan for ease of tracking, evaluation, course-correcting, and reporting results.

Intervention facilitation:

• Use research and evidence to develop market-led strategies and business models.
• Identifying and selecting project opportunities, maintaining coverage, and fulfilling project commitments.
• Develop annual workplans, resource requirements and budgets, in alignment with Programme deliverables.
• Work with Portfolio Manager to develop business case deck, identify and pitch business case to potential partners.
• Provide technical assistance to targeted private sector partners in identifying new roads to markets as well as designing efficient distribution and aggregation channels.
• Broker trade negotiations and market linkages between farmer groups/BMOs/Associations and national and multinational companies to expand market access and value to all actors.
• Lead field delivery, working with partners to execute bottom of the pyramid strategies.
• Perform periodic industry analyses on the broader agricultural market and targeted subsectors to keep the programme strategy responsive.
• Work with Operations and Management team to ensure due diligence, financial, credit and risk reviews on potential partners.
• Ensure the appropriate communication of clear intervention guidelines, expected outcomes, timeframe and workplan to all relevant parties.
• Assist the Portfolio Manager in the development of relevant grant agreements, MoUs, ToRs and any other administrative requirement for the interventions.
• Conduct regular field visits to ensure proper implementation of activities.
• Periodically assess Programme/intervention assumptions in the light of the changing environment; identify emerging priorities, refine, and adapt intervention strategies accordingly.
• Work closely with Portfolio Manager and other Management team to ensure Programme support and facilitation tools are creating additionality, catalysing markets, and not distorting development.

Stakeholder Management:

• Understand how the political economy impacts markets, and how the knowledge can be used to shape local policies and markets.
• Maintain contacts with key stakeholders to increase synergies.
• Assist in establishing contacts with state and non-state actors that may contribute to the successful implementation of market activities and maintain relationships with key players with common interests as Propcom+
• Ensure value for money in the delivery of every intervention activity managed by partners.
• Serve as liaison for the Programme in targeted subsectors and markets, displaying the qualities of a good market facilitator – listening, good communication, courtesy, tact, and discretion.

Research and MEL

• Support the Portfolio Manager in researching and identifying opportunities in relevant sectors and markets.
• Work with Portfolio Manager and MEL team to undertake value/supply chain mapping, sub/sector analysis and market assessments to inform Programme priorities.
• Work with Portfolio Manager to undertake stakeholder analysis of selected value chains to understand the structure of the organisations and their motivations and establishing contacts with potential private sector partners.
• Work with MEL team to design intervention MEL plan, including indicators, method, and frequency of data collection.
• Provide periodic report to support decision making.
• Engage in developing and sharing knowledge products relating to own  interventions.

 Required Qualifications
Knowledge and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in agriculture, marketing, business, or related fields with 3 years cognate experience in similar programme, developing market systems or designing bottom of the pyramid models.
• Technical experience in market system development approach to development
• Experience with supporting assessments, monitoring and evaluation and other learning efforts required.
• Knowledge and experience working in the North of Nigeria, with understanding of the gender and youth inclusion challenges.
• Demonstrated ability to work and coordinate effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders, including government, community-based organizations, and the private sector.
• Excellent analytical and report-writing skills.
• Excellent oral, written and computer skills.
• Fluency in English; fluency in Hausa is an added advantage.
• Adaptive and can work independently.

Organisational Learning:

• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Palladium’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.
• Supervisory Responsibility: None
• Works directly with: Technical team, Communications team, MERL and Program Management Unit.

Success Factors:

• The ideal candidate will be results-oriented, self-motivated and have demonstrated analytical skills.
• The ideal candidate will be familiar with market-based agricultural programs targeting women, youth and will demonstrate cultural knowledge and sensitivity, while also demonstrating skills and ability to provide incentives and capacities for market actors working with diverse groups and offer technical assistance across project partners.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
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