Agrifood DIL and Resource Center is dedicated to empowering Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by providing essential resources, expert mentorship, and a supportive community.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Deputy Project Director

Location: Abuja, Nigeria, with periodic travel to Kaduna, Jigawa, Benue and Plateau States
Position type: Full-time (Contingent upon Project Award)
Report to: Project Director

Background

• An international development company is recruiting a Deputy Director for a proposed multi-year agricultural development programme aimed at strengthening the ginger and sesame value chains through improved productivity, climate-smart agriculture, market systems development, and last-mile service delivery across selected states in Nigeria.
• To ensure operational readiness, we are identifying qualified professionals for potential deployment, subject to project award and funding approval.

Position Summary 

• The Deputy Project Director provides strategic oversight to ensure the programme achieves its intended results while maintaining strong commercial relevance and partnership effectiveness.
• Working closely with the Project Director, the Deputy Project Director monitors programme performance against key indicators, provides high-level technical and strategic guidance, strengthens relationships with strategic partners, and supports adaptive decision-making throughout implementation.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic Programme Oversight and Performance:

• Provide strategic oversight to ensure programme implementation remains aligned with overall objectives, expected outcomes, and contractual commitments.
• Review programme performance against key performance indicators, including job creation, youth-led entrepreneurship, enterprise development, private sector engagement, and market systems strengthening.
• Provide strategic advice to the Project Director and senior management on programme direction, emerging opportunities, and implementation risks.
• Review programme performance reports and recommend corrective actions where necessary.
• Participate in periodic programme reviews and strategic planning sessions.

Commercial Strategy and Partnership Development:

• Lead the programme’s commercial and partnership strategy to strengthen private-sector participation and long-term sustainability.
• Build and maintain relationships with agribusinesses, processors, exporters, financial institutions, investors, input suppliers, and other strategic partners.
• Identify opportunities for market expansion, private investment, and commercial partnerships that support programme objectives.
• Support negotiations and strategic engagement with high-level public and private sector stakeholders.
• Advise on approaches that improve the commercial viability and sustainability of programme interventions beyond the project lifecycle.

Governance, Risk Management and Quality Assurance:

• Provide independent oversight of programme quality, implementation progress, and delivery standards across all implementation states.
• Review strategic risks affecting programme delivery and recommend appropriate mitigation measures.
• Support compliance with donor requirements, organisational policies, safeguarding standards, and contractual obligations.
• Promote learning and adaptive management by reviewing programme evidence, lessons learned, and performance data to inform strategic decision-making.
• Support the Project Director in presenting programme progress and strategic updates to senior stakeholders where required.

Qualifications and Experience
Essential:

• Master’s Degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Development Studies, Business Administration, Economics, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 12 years of progressively responsible experience leading large-scale agricultural, private sector development, or market systems programmes.
• Demonstrated experience providing strategic oversight for complex, multi-state or national development programmes.
• Strong understanding of agricultural value chains, enterprise development, market systems development, youth employment, and private sector engagement.
• Proven experience building strategic partnerships with government institutions, development partners, financial institutions, and private sector organisations.
• Strong analytical, leadership, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working on donor-funded programmes and familiarity with donor compliance requirements.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and report-writing skills.

Preferred:

• Experience supporting programme start-up or scaling complex agricultural programmes.
• Experience working with commercially driven market systems development programmes.
• Professional certification in programme management or related disciplines will be an advantage.

Remuneration
Competitive consultancy package

Application Closing Date
15th August, 2026.