ABOUT THE HUB

Our client, The Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel was officially launched at the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit in May 2024. The Hub is a public-private partnership tasked with driving holistic solutions at scale through engaging entire value chains across country priorities.

The Hub aims to improve long-term soil health and fertility for enhanced yield and incomes, efficient resource use, and climate resilience. By focusing on information dissemination, access to new technologies, capacity development and policy support, the Hub aims to make a tangible impact on food security, poverty reduction, and environmental sustainability.

The Hub will play a critical role in engaging and synergizing the ecosystem in West African and Sahel region including national government ministries, fertilizer industry, development investors, and technical partners etc. to establish and support national research and extension programs and delivery channel partners including empowering feedback mechanisms.

Hosted at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) campus in Ibadan, Nigeria, with initial funding from the World Bank and OCP-Africa, the Hub operates as an ECOWAS sub-program, and will be formally opened at the end of June 2024.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Are you a seasoned leader with a passion for transforming African agriculture? Are you looking to spearhead large-scale initiatives across the continent?

• The Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health for West Africa and the Sahel is searching for a passionate Director to lead the charge! The Director will lead the Hub’s operations supporting the 21 countries of West Africa and the Sahel.
• This is a unique opportunity to impact smallholder farmers, agricultural development and the agribusiness sector through an innovative approach capable of leveraging over 1 billion dollars of investment in improving soil health across the region.
• The Hub Director will be responsible for building effective Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) capable of achieving large scale impacts in countries across West Africa and the Sahel, building the Hub’s team and driving the strategic vision of the Hub to achieve the envisioned goals.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Business Development & Partnerships Building: Build strong partnerships with key stakeholders to deliver on the Hub’s mission and vision.
• Strategic Leadership & Management: Build and lead a dynamic team and evolve a winning Hub strategy.
• Resource Mobilisation: Secure funding and manage resources for long-term sustainability of the Hub and large-scale delivery through partners.
• Hub Program Development & Implementation: Create a highly efficient operational structure for the Hub to facilitate and monitor impact across the region.
• Travel extensively throughout West Africa and the Sahel to maintain relationships and drive growth.

WHY YOU?

Skills

• A highly entrepreneurial spirit, an agile and strategic thinker with a mission-driven approach and integrity.
• Bilingual professional working proficiency in French and English.
• A growth mindset, humility, a strong team player, with excellent listening and communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders across sectors and geographies.

Experience

• Track record of building initiatives from scratch in West Africa.
• Familiarity with the regional agribusiness context and experience working with small-scale farmers in West Africa and the Sahel.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive under complexity and uncertainty and take calculated risk.
• Experience in resource mobilisation, partnership building, diverse stakeholder engagement and decentralised projects.

Education

• Post-graduate degree in a relevant field, including MBA or MSc / PhD in a highly quantitative subject.

THE REWARDS

• Impact: Play a pivotal role in enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability in West Africa and the Sahel.
• Innovation: Be at the forefront of large-scale adoption of science and technology-based solutions for improving African agriculture.
• Collaboration: Work with a dedicated team passionate about making a difference from scientists and extensionists to companies of all sizes and government policy makers.
• Growth: Opportunities for professional development and career advancement within a dynamic and growing organisation.
• Enjoy professional development and career advancement opportunities.

Join us in our mission to transform agriculture in West Africa and the Sahel. Together, we can build a brighter future for smallholder farmers and their communities.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV and cover letter with the subject line: “Hub Director Application” to Wandia Musyimi via wmusyimi@agrifrontier.com detailing their relevant experience and vision for the role.

*Note: Applications will be reviewed on an on-going basis. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.