Intervention Officer at Palladium Group

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.
• 3years 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