Job Description
Job Title: Market Development and Supply Systems Manager
Reports to: Program Director
Location: This position is based in Nigeria with regular travel to the ten project implementation states (specific base location TBD)
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 business 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 amazing...when 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.
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
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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).
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
Supervisory Responsibilities
May supervise market development officers, field staff, and consultants supporting market linkage activities.
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.
If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at [email protected] or call +1 202 785 4515.