The purpose of the AgCompete project is to strengthen agriculture productivity and profitability of smallholder farmers in Nigeria. The project will be composed of three main components: design of the Agriculture Competitiveness Fund for private sector partnerships and funding to catalyze technological innovations; administration of the Agriculture Competitiveness Fund to develop private sector partnerships and provide grants; and technical assistance that directly supports, coordinates, and organizes qualifying recipients to achieve the Missions food security objectives. The project will contribute to the Mission’s overall Feed the Future strategy, which looks to improve agriculture competitiveness of smallholder farmers in Nigeria.

Reporting & Supervision:

Reporting directly to the COP, the Grants Director / Innovation Fund will support the COP and the AgCompete to ensure the innovation fund meets its objectives to catalyze new investment in Nigeria agribusiness and agriculture value chain development.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Ensures that innovation fund meets its objectives.
• Liaises with the value chain development team to identify companies/enterprises with potential to contribute to a stronger Nigerian market system through provision of agriculture inputs, expanded processing and trade, linkages to post-harvest handling and storage; and promotion of domestic consumption of key value chains.
• Oversees a grants management team, ensuring that grants are in compliance with USAID and Palladium policies and procedures, and ensuring that grants manual and related program documents are compliant with USAID regulations.
• Oversees development of a grant tracking system to ensure the timely and correct execution of all grant agreements.
• Maintains communication with recipients to ensure smooth administration of sub instruments;
• Ensures compliance with agreement/sub-agreement terms and conditions.

Expected Outcomes:

• Develops grants manual to be approved by the client;
• Delivers compliant tracking of grants manual;
• Achieves component deliverables.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• At least a Masters’ degree in business, economics, accounting, finance or other relevant field (or, alternately, a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and 5 additional years of relevant experience);
• At least 7 years of relevant work experience, including experience with a Contractor or international NGO managing an office or program;
• Prior relevant experience with USAID or USAID-funded projects is required;
• At least 5 years of experience in grants management;
• Experience managing projects and/or an office with culturally diverse teams;
• Prior experience in Nigeria required;
• Excellent oral and written English required.