Senior Business Advisor- PREP

Job Title: Senior Business Advisor

Project: Plastics Recycling Programme in Nigeria (PReP)

Number of Positions: 1

Location: Kano, Nigeria

Reports to:  Senior Program Manager

About TechnoServe:

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe's work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of businesses and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics, and increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they can access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off. 

Program Overview:

Nigeria's 200 million population generates an estimated 32 million metric tons of waste annually, with plastic accounting for 2.5 million metric tons. The Plastics Recycling Program in Southern Nigeria (PReP), started as the Nigeria Plastic Solutions Alliance Program (NPSAP), a two-year project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Coca-Cola Foundation. However, in year 2, USAID pulled out and the project transitioned to PReP with a revised scope of work. Building on the successes of PReP, the project is expanding to PReP 2.0, now encompassing an additional location: Kano State. The objective of the project is to reduce plastic waste by increasing the volume and quality of recycled PET plastics. This objective will be achieved through inclusive, market-driven interventions along the value chain and an enabling environment that will improve the competitiveness, sustainability, and profitability of collectors, aggregators, and recyclers.

Job Summary:

The Senior Business Advisor, reporting directly to the Senior Program Manager, will oversee the overall management of the program's business plan, operations, and collection systems and ensure cost-effective program implementation. S/he will also oversee market research and marketing activities in close collaboration and coordination with the program staff to ensure the successful, innovative, efficient, and effective functioning of all participants' training and capacity-building activities in the program through effective planning, and delivery of program activities in collaboration with other project team members towards achieving the common goal.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

Project Inception Phase

• Guide the Business Advisors and short-term consultants in value chain mapping, enabling environment mapping, and gender and social inclusion analysis, ensuring comprehensive and insightful data collection and analysis.
• Lead beneficiary selection in Kano State, ensuring the selection process follows the guidelines and criteria for beneficiary selection, collaborating with the Business Advisor to implement an effective and inclusive recruitment process.
• Provide strategic direction and expertise in designing a detailed and implementable program work plan, incorporating insights from the market analysis, and ensuring alignment with program goals.

Project implementation

• Ensure the Business Advisor effectively delivers the digital strategy, leading to beneficiary adoption and engagement.
• Lead identification and enrollment of qualified participants (collectors, aggregators, and recyclers) for the program.
• Coordinate a detailed market needs assessment that will identify the core areas, growth sectors, and components of the plastic value chain with opportunities for entrepreneurship.
• Work closely with the project administrator to organize training venues and logistics.
• Support beneficiary training by  assessing the Business Advisor's training methods and providing constructive feedback.
• Build and maintain strong relationships between program stakeholders (collectors, aggregators, and recyclers), ensuring smooth collaboration and efficient operations.
• Implement a robust monitoring system to ensure all parties adhere to program agreements, providing guidance and corrective actions as needed.
• Proactively identify and mitigate potential risks that could hinder project success, developing contingency plans and adapting the work plan as needed.
• Ensure quality delivery of participants' training and capacity-building activities in the project, including adequacy and suitability of training modules.
• Analyze feedback collected by the Business Advisor, identifying trends and proposing improvements to program design and implementation.
• Ensure all program activities align with TechnoServe's values, vision, and strategy, providing mentorship and guidance to the Business Advisor on responsible and ethical program execution.
• Supervise and support Business Advisors to ensure quality implementation of project activities.
• Provide regular feedback, conduct performance reviews, and set developmental goals to enhance the Business Advisor's skills and expertise.
• Continuously update knowledge on relevant practices and share insights with the Business Advisor to optimize program strategies.
• Ensure that all project reports relevant to her/his area of focus are promptly produced and submitted to meet project targets.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree with 5 years' experience in Business Management, Finance, Economics, Environmental science, Environmental Geoscience, or related field. Alternatively, a master's degree with 3 years of experience will be considered.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience with enterprise development, entrepreneurship training, etc., with a special focus on micro-businesses, youth development, incubation/innovation, value chain, or entrepreneurship is desirable.
• Professional experience with international donor projects in Nigeria would be an asset.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Understanding of business planning, financial analysis, risk management, and operational efficiency.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex information, negotiate effectively, and foster collaboration within the team.
• Experience in a specific region/country or with a particular funder or donor.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders.
• Familiarity with relevant software (e.g., MS Office Suite, data analysis tools) and business systems.
• International NGO Sectoral experience.

Required Languages:  Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English. Proficiency in the local languages of Kano state is highly desirable.

Travel: Moderate

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Experience mentoring and supervising others.
• Data analysis and interpretation skills.
• Change management expertise.
• Strong interpersonal skills (including active listening).
• Good leadership skills in commitment, excitement, and ability to create new opportunities for the team.
• Good communication skills with the ability to share ideas and positions.
• Ability to embrace complex challenges and opportunities for getting work done for timely delivery.
• Proven skills with Office softwares (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). Knowledge of the use of Comcare, and KoBoCollect will be an advantage.
• Ability to engage and advise a broad range of stakeholders, including senior management of private sector companies, donor representatives, and others.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.

Supervisory Responsibilities – The successful candidate will supervise 4 Business Advisors in Kano State.

Closing Statements:

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability, and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

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