Opportunity – Market Development and Supply Systems Manager at TechnoServe 2 Openings

Job Summary

• The Market Development and Supply Systems Manager is a high-level “deal-maker” responsible for landing concrete employment and business opportunities for project participants. This role goes beyond general networking; it requires a results-oriented professional who can convert strategic partnerships with processors, TVETs, government agencies, and financial institutions into tangible job placements, offtake agreements, and inclusive sourcing contracts.
• The success of this role is measured by the status quo being changed, moving partners from interest to action. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of creating work opportunities for youth, women, and persons with disabilities (PWD) through structured private-sector and government engagement.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities

• Private Sector Deal-Making & Inclusive Sourcing
• Land Employment Opportunities: Secure firm commitments from large and medium-scale processors for the hiring of women and PWDs.
• Backward Integration: Broker formal supply contracts between processors and smallholder clusters, ensuring guaranteed markets for supported entrepreneurs.
• Inclusive Business Plans (IBPs): Move beyond MOUs to help processors implement operational labor policies and sourcing strategies that favor marginalized groups.
• TVET & Workforce Pipeline Management
• Placement-Led Partnerships: Establish MOUs with TVETs and polytechnics that are strictly tied to internship placements and permanent job transitions for students.
• Curriculum Alignment: Ensure TVET training modules for food processing and W2V are certified and directly meet the specific labor requirements of the project’s private-sector partners.
• Financial & Market Linkages (B2B)
• Secure Financing: Broker relationships with microfinance and commercial banks to create loan products specifically for W2V and food processing SMEs.
• Offtake Brokering: Facilitate B2B matchmaking that results in signed purchase orders between W2V enterprises and industrial buyers (e.g., feed manufacturers, organic fertilizer distributors).
• Government Relations & Regulatory Navigation
• Enable Compliance: Partner with agencies like NAFDAC, SON, and SMEDAN to streamline the certification process for micro-processors, removing regulatory bottlenecks that prevent business growth.
• Synergy Creation: Align project activities with government schemes (like SAPZs) to unlock additional infrastructure and resources for beneficiaries.
• OPD & Inclusive Collaboration
• Recruitment & Accessibility: Partner with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to identify high-potential candidates and ensure work environments are physically and socially accessible.
• Advocate for Change: Challenge industry stereotypes by demonstrating the business case for disability-inclusive hiring to large-scale processors.
• Partnership Performance & Adaptive Management
• Track Results: Monitor partnership performance against hard targets for job creation and business growth.
• Operationalize Lessons: Identify when a partnership is failing to produce results and pivot strategies to ensure project goals are met.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Agribusiness, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, or a related field with at least 7 years of relevant professional experience in market development, value chain development, or supply chain management in agricultural or food processing sectors; OR
• Master’s Degree in a relevant field with at least 5 years of professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience in supply chain optimization, backward integration, and market linkage development in agricultural value chains, preferably in developing country contexts.
• Proven track record of designing and implementing market access interventions that have resulted in measurable improvements in sales, employment, or income for SMEs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in Nigeria’s food processing sector, particularly with donor-funded development projects focused on soybean, sesame, or related agricultural value chains.
• Knowledge of inclusive sourcing models and supplier development programs benefiting women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
• Experience working with large processors and export-oriented firms.
• Familiarity with market systems development (MSD) approaches.
• Understanding of Nigeria’s regulatory frameworks and quality standards.

Required Languages

• Excellent written and spoken English. Familiarity with Hausa, Yoruba, or Igbo is an advantage.

Travel Requirements

• At least 50% travel for market assessments, partner engagements, B2B events, and field visits.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Market Analysis & Business Development: Expertise in market research, supply–demand analysis, commercial strategy development, and building viable business cases aligned with development objectives.
• Supply Chain & Value Chain Management: Strong understanding of supply chain design, logistics, aggregation systems, distribution networks, and agricultural value chains (including soybean and sesame), with ability to optimize efficiency and reduce bottlenecks.
• Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement: Proven negotiation skills and ability to broker commercial agreements, build partnerships, and engage effectively with private sector actors, government agencies, and community organizations.
• Inclusive Market Systems Development: Ability to design commercially viable market interventions that promote participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
• Data Analysis & Strategic Thinking: Strong analytical and systems-thinking skills, including financial modeling, ROI analysis, market intelligence development, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Project & Performance Management: Demonstrated ability to manage multiple activities, coordinate cross-functional teams, meet deadlines, and deliver measurable results aligned with program objectives.
• Digital Proficiency & Adaptability: Proficient in Microsoft Office and data management tools, with the ability to adapt to dynamic environments and develop practical, implementable solutions.