Market Assessment Advisor at VSO Nigeria

VSO is the world’s leading independent international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries. Our high-impact approach brings people together to share skills, build capabilities, promote international understanding and action to change lives and make the world a fairer place.


VSO Nigeria is recruiting to fill the below position:

Job Title: Market Assessment Advisor

Ref No.: IMA4P
Location: Niger, Nigeria

Role overview:

• Following the success of our Making Markets Work for the Poor MMW4P project, VSO has secured funding from a strategic donor to implement a new 5 year global project - Increasing Market Access for the Poor (IMA4P).VSO is seeking a short-term volunteer for 45 working days to coordinate a market assessment ahead of the Improving Market Access for the Poor (IMA4P) project in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria.
• This project will focus on value chain crops such as soybean, maize and rice.
• The volunteer will work collaboratively with VSO, local partners and beneficiaries to design and carry out a market assessment in Minna, and translate the results of the research.
• The consultant will be responsible for identifying:
• The major value chain stakeholders
• Existing challenges and gaps along the value chain
• Stakeholders' expectations and
• Ways to build capacity across the value chain.

Objectives:

• The volunteer will be responsible for carrying out a market assessment with the following objectives:
• To identify and articulate the vulnerability, assets and livelihood strategies of the target groups in Niger State and identify the sub-sector markets that are (potentially) most significant for them;
• To evaluate in detail, one or two key sub-sectors or value chains in these markets, including market chain actors, the enabling business environment and the provision of extension and/or other support services;
• To identify the barriers and market failures preventing the target group from accessing value chains or gaining a greater share of them;
• To identify opportunities for circumventing these barriers/failures and recommend potential partners/interventions VSO can engage with to address these barriers;
• To validate the research findings and proposed interventions with key stakeholders and produce a full written report;
• To participate in workshop to share research findings and translate it into project design and business models with relevant VSO staff, volunteers and partners.

Qualifications and Experience
Essential:

• Master's degree in a relevant field;
• In-depth understanding of markets, especially in relation to poor communities;
• At least 5 years experience designing, implementing and managing market research - with a preference for rural research;
• Sensitive to issues of participation and preferably with some knowledge of participatory approaches;
• Previous field work experience in rural communities;
• Outstanding research report writing and presentation skills;
• Strong training and facilitation skills;
• Demonstrable experience or knowledge of enterprise development approaches for poor rural communities and in an agricultural context would be an advantage;
• Management experience including project management, business development planning and/or strategic management planning;
• Successful candidate should be available to start work immediately;
• Willing to live and work in Minna, Niger State.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of specific crop/product and processing, production and marketing process (e.g. rice, fruit, handicrafts, high value crops);
• Experience in rural and community group development;
• Experience working in the geographic area and understanding of local customs and norms;
• Ability to speak fluent Hausa.

Application Closing Date
27th October, 2014

Interview / Assessment Date
3rd November, 2014

Start Date
November 2014

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online