About the Opportunity

• Connexus is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Maize Market Specialist for the anticipated USAID/Nigeria Value Chain Activity.
• The Maize Market Specialist will be responsible for providing technical expertise, strategic guidance, and market intelligence to enhance the efficiency, inclusivity, and competitiveness of maize markets in Nigeria. Note: this is a preliminary position description and may be clarified further after solicitation release.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Collaborate with project stakeholders, including smallholder farmers, traders, processors, government agencies, and other key actors to identify market constraints and opportunities and develop interventions that promote sustainable market growth and benefit smallholder farmers.
• Conduct market assessments and analyses to identify key trends, challenges, constraints, and opportunities within the maize value chain, specifically related to market access, inclusivity, efficiency, and competitiveness.
• Provide technical expertise and guidance to design and implement market-based interventions aimed at improving market linkages for climate smart maize farmers and other actors along the value chain.
• Support the development and implementation of market information systems to enhance transparency, price discovery, and market access for climate smart maize smallholder farmers.
• Facilitate capacity building activities, including trainings and mentoring for market actors to improve their business skills, market linkages, and adherence to standards within the maize value chain.
• Contribute to knowledge management activities by documenting best practices, lessons learned, and success stories for the Activity’s interventions in market development, specifically related to the maize value chain.
• Coordinate with other technical specialists on the Activity to ensure the integration of market development initiatives, especially related to the maize value chain, within other project components.
• Stay abreast of latest developments, research findings, techniques, and innovations, and adapt approaches, as necessary, to reflect newest and most relevant innovations and technologies related to maize market development.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Agronomy, Agribusiness, Economics, or another relevant field with a minimum of 9 years of professional experience, preferably for USAID or another donor-funded project; or Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Agribusiness, Economics, or another relevant field with a minimum 11 years of experience, preferably for USAID or another donor-funded project.
• Strong understanding of market analysis, value chain development, and market-based approaches to agricultural development, especially for the maize value chain.
• Knowledge of agriculture value chain development and market systems approaches to international development projects, especially USAID funded activities.
• Excellent written communication skills, including ability to contribute to high-quality project reports.
• Fluency in English required and other local languages desired.
• Must be authorized to work in Nigeria.