Deputy Chief of Party at ACDI VOCA

• ACDI/VOCA is seeking a Deputy Chief of Party for an upcoming program in Nigeria funded by USAID. The purpose of the $25-50 million USAID Nigeria Food Basket Activity is to increase the productivity and competitiveness of select value chains (maize, rice, and horticulture) and markets by building the capacity of agri-businesses, removing barriers to investments, and developing innovative financial products.
• The Deputy Chief of Party will provide strategic technical direction and implementation oversight. They will assist the Chief of Party in all aspects of project management and maintain relationships with local partners and other stakeholders. The program is anticipated to start in 2025 and this position will be based in Nigeria.

Responsibilities:

• Support the Chief of Party in the overall management of the program for administration, operations, implementation, and fiscal compliance to ensure achievement of objectives within set timelines, scope, and budget allocations following USAID regulations and ACDI/VOCA internal policies.
• Serve as principal point of contact for procedural and substantive matters in the absence of the Chief of Party
• Analyze evolving market trends, lead targeted research on new/potential market channels, business models, or partnerships.
• Identify strong potential partners and innovative opportunities and co-design partnerships with market actors to increase agriculture productivity, strengthen market linkages, and improve dietary diversity.
• Support the development of strategic plans, annual and quarterly work plans, and other deliverables in line with USAID guidelines to achieve objectives
• Ensure that synergies among Activity elements and partners are capitalized upon. Provide significant design and oversight of scopes of work, partnerships agreements, and other inputs to facilitate support to USAID missions.
• Support the development of strong monitoring & evaluation mechanisms, program monitoring tools, and efficient systems to ensure high quality implementation
• Work closely with subcontractors, private sector associations, and local service providers to provide technical and organizational assistance to food processors
• Represent ACDI/VOCA with partners and key stakeholders, maintaining positive relationships with USAID, local authorities, and as necessary, country office teams
• Provide input into the performance monitoring plan to measure success and validate causal model assumptions

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, business administration, or relevant field is required; master’s degree is desired.
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience managing and implementing donor funded development projects.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with USAID rules and regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a diverse team of professionals and coordinate with project partners, local communities, and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience working with private sector on biodiversity, conservation, and/or resilience development and Collaborating, Learning, & Adaption (CLA) approaches.
• Proven experience in project management, including planning, budgeting, and resource allocation.
• Experience effectively utilizing funds to implement similar projects in size and scope and achieve project objectives.
• Experience working in Nigeria required.
• Fluency in English is required.