Senior M4P Portfolio Manager (DAI)

Senior M4P Portfolio Manager

DAI - Port Harcourt

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About this job

Job description

Programme Overview:

Market Development in the Niger Delta (MADE) will use the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) approach to generate pro-poor and inclusive economic growth in the non-oil sectors of the nine Niger Delta states. The programme’s stated objective is to raise the incomes of at least 150,000 poor people, of whom 50 per cent will be women, by at least 50 per cent. In achieving this objective, MADE will work closely with the Chevron Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) programme. The project is now based in Port Harcourt, with travel around the region.

Objectives of the role:

The Senior M4P Portfolio Manager is required to work with the Team Leader and the Implementation Managers to engage with the key stakeholders in the selected value chains, to help clarify and define the specific activities during the Pilot phase and manage the collection of information on the additional interventions to be implemented during the project’s main implementation phase. 

The M4P specialist will have line management and technical implementation roles to assist the four intervention managers and the three junior intervention managers to finalize and start their interventions, and lead the analysis into the additional interventions that will start at the beginning of the full time implementation in September.

The M4P specialist will coordinate with the Grants Team, and follow up any proposed initiatives or suggestions from the Team Leader, whenever grant funds might appropriately be used in support of NGOs, CSOs and other service providers, in support of local networking, and programme activities, to strengthen market development in the MADE intervention sectors.

Length of the project: 4 years Implementation

Start Date: ASAP June/July 2014

Duties and Responsibilities:

Supervising and directing the implementation of pilot activities

·        During the pilot phase, the Senior M4P specialist will manage and assist the Intervention Managers to start up identified pilot interventions in Palm Oil processing and Fisheries.

·        In Palm Oil, the intervention will focus primarily on demonstrations of an improved oil palm mill in conjunction with local fabricators, local oil millers and NIFOR.  This will require capacity building of fabricators along with NIFOR.

·        In aquaculture, the intervention will focus on developing a demonstration pond scheme with Top Feeds and RSSDA in Rivers State, to finalize sites, train the staff, and start the interventions.

·        In fisheries, this will require working with Smoking Kiln fabricators (NIOMR or Azemour) to help them establish demonstrations in the key fishing/smoking beaches in Akwa Ibom state.

·        During the pilot project stage there may also be some preliminary consultations with the private sector on market development issues, in the above sectors, and in the additional sectors to be started up in the implementation stage.

Managing the development and finalizing design of two additional interventions

·        Two additional interventions will need to begin by September of 2014 in the traditional poultry sector and agricultural input supply.

·        In poultry this will include identification of possible vaccine partners, establishing their interest in investing in the activity and defining the inputs required to develop a rural vaccination system. This may also include some experimentation with farmers engaging in small broiler projects starting with day old chicks.

·        In agricultural inputs, this will include engagement with potential partner agri- input firms such as Notore, Saro, and Springfield to refine and agree the scope of interventions to increase agricultural input sales in more appropriate sizes to small farmers and required inputs from MADE to help deliver intended results.

 Key Skills & Qualifications:

·        Graduate degree in economics or business

·        10 years of experience working on agricultural development programmes delivering demonstrated results, preferably in Africa

·        Proven background of engaging with large agribusinesses to develop linkage programmes;

·        5 years of experience designing and managing systemic development interventions (M4P and Value Chain) in developing countries, preferably in Africa

·        Strong business management and financial analysis skills

·        Excellent communication and written skills

·        Previous experience with DFID funded projects would be advantageous

·        Excellent management skills

·        Fluent English is required.

About this company

DAI is an employee-owned international development company. For 40 years, we have worked on the frontlines of international development, tackling fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governments, and instability. Currently, DAI is delivering results that matter in some 60 countries. Our integrated development solutions turn ideas into impact by bringing together fresh combinations of expertise and innovation across multiple disciplines—crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, HIV/AIDS and disease control, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Our clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and national governments.