Organization: GIZ Nigeria, Agriculture Value Chain Facility (EU-VACE)
Location: Kano, Nigeria
Salary: According to GIZ salary scale for Band 4
Closing Date: 06 July 2025
Minimum Qualification: University degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Business Administration, Rural Development, or a related field, preferably with a specialization in climate and sustainability topics.
About GIZ
GIZ is a global service provider in international cooperation for sustainable development and international education, dedicated to shaping a future worth living. With over 50 years of experience, GIZ operates in areas such as economic development, employment promotion, energy, environment, and peace and security. We collaborate with the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector, and governments worldwide. Our main commissioning party is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Headquartered in Bonn and Eschborn, GIZ employs approximately 23,500 staff, with nearly 70% being national personnel, across 120 countries (as of July 2020).
In Nigeria, GIZ has been active since 1974 and maintains a country office in Abuja since 2004. Currently, 466 national employees, 63 international employees, 37 regional staff, 4 integrated specialists, and 3 development workers are engaged in Nigeria (as of January 2025).
Project Background: Agriculture Value Chain Facility (EU-VACE)
The Agriculture Value Chain Facility (EU-VACE), co-financed by the European Union and BMZ, supports Nigeria’s National Development Plan 2021–2025 and the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP). These strategies emphasize the agricultural sector’s role in economic diversification and addressing challenges in Nigeria’s agri-food system. EU-VACE aims to enhance sustainable rural economic development by promoting agricultural clusters in selected “transition” states. The project focuses on increasing agricultural production, creating employment opportunities, boosting rural incomes, ensuring food security, and building resilience to external shocks. It supports existing enterprises to improve production quality and yield, fosters new business opportunities, and promotes inclusive, climate-resilient practices that enhance biodiversity and combat desertification. The project prioritizes employment for women and vulnerable groups and aligns with EU standards for decent work and product quality to improve export potential.
Responsibilities
The Value Chain and Business Development Advisor will:
- Implement project activities in northern Nigeria, focusing on agricultural value chains, particularly tomato and ginger (dairy value chain knowledge is an asset).
- Assess business opportunities and gaps for private sector actors (exporters, aggregators, smallholder farmers), incorporating gender considerations and international best practices to establish win-win business relationships.
- Support organizational development for public and private business service providers.
- Facilitate the introduction of innovations (e.g., technologies, commercialization, and marketing approaches) in selected value chains.
- Develop and update training materials and oversee capacity-building measures for partners.
- Support formalization of engagements through transparent, equitable contracts to attract investments.
- Coordinate and assist in preparing and conducting program activities at the state level, aligning with overall project objectives.
- Develop budgets and estimate expenses for program activities in the area of operation.
- Perform additional tasks as requested by management to ensure efficient project implementation.
Tasks
1. Advising Project Partners
- Identify MSMEs, inclusive businesses, and other partners for project engagement.
- Conduct assessments to identify gaps and opportunities for MSMEs, incorporating inclusivity approaches.
- Coordinate capacity development for MSMEs based on identified needs.
- Support MSMEs in data-driven business decisions, including basic financial and economic analysis.
- Facilitate matchmaking and investment opportunities for MSMEs in collaboration with other advisors.
- Assist in preparing, implementing, and documenting training events, workshops, forums, and team meetings.
2. Networking and Cooperation
- Identify needs of government ministries, departments, agencies, private sector actors, NGOs, and other stakeholders to improve agricultural value chains.
- Support initiatives for incentives and business/climate-smart innovations.
- Facilitate Public-Private Partnerships and networking for SMEs to leverage investments and climate change adaptation.
- Identify opportunities from other projects to enhance business models and opportunities within the value chains.
3. Knowledge Management
- Collect, process, and distribute relevant information, monitoring interactions between government institutions, partners, and NGOs through media analysis, direct dialogue, and participation in meetings and seminars.
- Maintain a database of beneficiary MSMEs, climate adaptation innovations, and other project-related innovations, ensuring proper documentation.
- Disseminate success stories through existing platforms in collaboration with other advisors.
- Provide technical inputs for project reports and activities as required.
4. Project Management
- Coordinate activities with other advisors, project head, and beneficiaries to ensure efficient implementation.
- Prepare inputs for project reports and documents, adhering to communication and presentation standards.
- Participate in formulating action plans and synchronize planning and budgeting with counterparts.
- Administer project-related documents, ensuring accountability and accuracy per financial systems.
- Assist in organizational issues and support national and international advisors/consultants.
- Participate in the recruitment and selection of component staff.
5. Knowledge Management (Additional Tasks)
- Compile information on project implementation and facilitate knowledge transfer.
- Develop strategies, technical concepts, guidelines, manuals, and procedures for component interventions.
- Produce reports and knowledge documents for activities in access to finance/investment and business climate workstreams.
- Document achievements, lessons learned, and conceptualize project approaches for agricultural sector institutions.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
Qualifications
- University degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Business Administration, Rural Development, or a related field, preferably with specialization in climate and sustainability topics.
- In-depth knowledge and practical experience in promoting small and medium-sized growth-oriented companies, with a focus on tomato and ginger value chains (dairy value chain knowledge is an asset).
- Expertise in business planning, strategy, sales, marketing, or product development.
Professional Experience
- Minimum of 5 years of demonstrated experience in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, with a focus on tomato and ginger value chains (dairy value chain experience is an asset).
- At least 5 years of experience in agribusiness development or marketing, specifically for tomato and ginger.
- Experience in smallholder farmer agribusiness capacity development and investment facilitation in Nigeria, preferably with EU or GIZ programs.
- Proven ability to support tomato and ginger value chains with inclusive business approaches.
- Deep understanding of business growth strategies in agriculture, including climate adaptation-relevant sectors.
- Strong ability to build and maintain networks with processors, aggregators, and other private sector actors.
- Previous coaching, teaching, training, or facilitation experience is preferred.
- Established networks in climate adaptation-relevant sectors (e.g., agriculture, food, water) with public institutions, research organizations, and private sector actors in Nigeria.
- Experience working in northern Nigeria and understanding local dynamics is preferred.
Other Knowledge and Competencies
- Passion for and excellent understanding of Nigeria’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.
- Strong motivation to work at the interface of climate change adaptation and the private sector.
- Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English; proficiency in additional Nigerian languages is an advantage.
- Strong team spirit and networking capacity.
- Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment.
- Strong organizational skills and a proactive, independent, and flexible working style.
- Willingness to travel to project sites in Nigeria.
- Strong awareness of gender and inclusivity considerations.
Submission Guidelines
Please submit your CV and letter of motivation as a single document with complete contact details via email to: [email protected]. Include Vacancy No. 060 in the email subject line.
GIZ is an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity. All qualified candidates, regardless of disability, age, sex, ethnicity, race, or religion, are encouraged to apply.
Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
