Business Advisor- PREP, Kano

Job Title: Business Advisor

Project: Plastics Recycling Program in Southern Nigeria

Location:  Kano

Reports to: Senior Business Advisor

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:

Working closely with the Senior Business Advisor, the Business Advisor will play a critical role in the Plastics Recycling Programme in Nigeria (PReP) by overseeing advisory services and conducting all program activities and training services to beneficiaries, while also facilitating formal and informal networking and linkages with various stakeholders. S/he will facilitate business linkages, gather market intelligence, and monitor performance. The tasks outlined below are the key responsibilities of the business advisor, however, the employee will be expected to perform any tasks that are necessary within the context of the evolving needs of the project.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

Project Inception Phase

• Provide support to short-term consultants during market analysis study which will include value chain mapping, enabling environment mapping, gender and social inclusion analysis.
• Conduct recruitment/enrollment of program beneficiaries using predetermined criteria.
• Assist the Senior Business Advisor and Project Lead in developing the detailed project work plan.

Project implementation

• Conduct or monitor the implementation of the project's digital strategy, ensuring beneficiary adoption and engagement.
• Facilitate training sessions for beneficiaries, monitoring attendance and engagement to ensure adherence to program guidelines.
• Provide crucial linkages between plastic collectors and aggregators, and between aggregators and recyclers.
• Monitor the recruited plastic collectors, aggregators, and recyclers to ensure they are operating within the terms and conditions of the program's agreement.
• Participate in monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities, contributing to the program's reporting and knowledge sharing.
• Ensure adherence to the program work plan, identifying and mitigating risks to successful project implementation.
• Collate feedback from the program beneficiaries through the program's feedback mechanism.
• Embody and promote TechnoServe's values, vision, and strategy, ensuring these are integrated into all program activities.
• Perform other duties in line with the evolving needs of the program.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree/HND in Business Management, Marketing, Business Enterprise, Project Management, or relevant Social Sciences/ Humanities related discipline with at least 3 years' experience working with communities living on less than $2 a day in educating clients/beneficiaries on business development and marketing goals while nurturing relationship with relevant stakeholders. Alternatively, at least 1 year experience in a similar field with a Masters degree.
• Demonstrated ability in working with small and growing businesses for at least 2 years post NYSC as a plus.
• Proven experience in stakeholder engagement, data collection and analysis, digital training delivery, and report writing.
• Ability to engage and advise a broad range of stakeholders, including senior management of private sector companies, donor representatives, and others;
• Demonstrated experience in report writing.
• Experience in the waste management or recycling sector.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); familiarity with Comcare and KoBoCollect is advantageous.
• Must have strong interpersonal skills.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal.

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

Travel: At least 40% with a willingness to travel to these communities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Experienced in writing excellent reports.
• Must have strong interpersonal skills.
• Proven skills with Microsoft Office software (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). Knowledge of the use of Comcare, and KoBoCollect will be an advantage.
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English.

Supervisory Responsibilities – None

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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