Livestock Lead

Focus of the Role

Please note that we require all successful candidates to be in post by the beginning of January.

Job Introduction

Our Governance (Africa) pillar supports the governments and leaders of developing and emerging states to enhance their effectiveness. We are focused on helping governments and leaders make their vision for the development of their country a reality. We work in the centre of government and key line ministries and our work is shaped by national priorities.

Key Responsibilities

Following the recent Presidential election, the Federal Government of Nigeria has set agriculture transformation as a top priority. It is establishing an agriculture coordination secretariat in the Office of the Vice-President, with responsibility for the coordination of the implementation of two flagship programmes: the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) and the Green Imperative (GI) - a partnership with Brazil to improve access to mechanization and technology in Nigerian agriculture.

The Livestock Lead will be assigned to work with the Office of the Vice President to drive the identification and fixing/exploitation of key bottlenecks/opportunities to drive the implementation of the NLTP and the transformation of the livestock sector.

The role will work closely with the Head of the Unit and the Lead Delivery Advisor, and other experts including the Good Agronomic Practices Lead, the Value Chain Development Lead, the Agriculture Financing and Investment Lead and MEL Leads.

The Livestock Lead will report to the Lead Delivery Advisor. The role will require travel across Nigeria.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Be responsible for the implementation of the NLTP by leading the mobilisation and coordination of resources  into the 4 sub-sectors (Beef, Poultry, Dairy and Animal feeds)
• Develop and drive programmes for upstream and downstream market system development such as: breeding systems (such as artificial insemination, embryo transfer, cow-calf operations), feed composition, animal husbandry best practices, artificial inseminations, processing and abattoirs, and a comparable benchmark to good practices in similar environments
• Work with the frontline states of the NLTP, together with the team of delivery advisors, to ensure they are implementing their respective state livestock transformation plans
• Ensure important elements include integrating and connecting the benefits of wildlife, soil and water conservation management are included in the development of ranches
• Identify major livestock production constraints and propose ideas to address said constraints
• Establish tools for monitoring all pilot sites activities and make recommendations for modification, improvement or introduction of new activities
• Respond and solve issues where possible and report on-going problems such as infrastructure requirements, outbreak of diseases, access to finance, drought risk, etc.
• Support implementation of strategies to promote and engage vulnerable groups, particularly women and youth in farmer productivity, market participation and increased wealth creation activities
• Work with technical team and relevant partners to develop capacity development/training programmes for pastoralists on improved practices and animal husbandry
• Support the Agriculture Financingand Investment Lead on developing robust business cases for identified sites and business opportunities
• Prepare 5 year plans and detailed annual work plans and progress reports on livestock component
• In collaboration with the MEL Lead undertake regular visits to the project area to develop mechanisms for participatory monitoring activities and conduct appropriate/required field research and analysis

Person Specification

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ideally 8 years’ experience in agricultural value chain development, with proven track record in developing the livestock industry in Nigeria or similar contexts
• A degree animal science or in confined animal production, feed lot management, livestock management, or a related field
• An excellent understanding of business, economics and different development approaches to improving livestock productivity

• Have an in-depth understanding of integrated livestock approach
• Ability to deploy landscape approach
• In-depth knowledge of feed and feeding system, breeding, animal health and husbandry
• Demonstrated experience working in or with the Private Sector
• Significant Africa experience with a strong preference for Nigerian contextual experience
• Strong administrative and organization skills, commitment, attention to detail and strong forward planning skills
• Hands on approach to work, with the ability to deliver on deadlines in a fast-paced and fast-changing environment, with minimal or no supervision

ESSENTIALS SKILLS:

• Exceptional oral and written communication and interpersonal skills
• Effective inter-personal and leadership skills with an ability to develop and foster relationships across a wide range of diverse and senior stakeholders
• Ability to operate and succeed in a highly political environment;
• Strong analytical and management skills, including sound knowledge of strategic planning and project management tools;
• Ability to use own initiative and actively look for opportunities to have an impact rather than simply be reactive
• A decent understanding of how governments, businesses and international development organisations operate and how to succeed in them
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office products Word, Excel and PPT and other relevant  software and tools

PERSONAL SPECIFICATIONS:

• Drive, motivation and ability to consistently achieve results in a fast-paced environment.

• Experience of living and working in developing countries is desirable but not essential.

VALUES WE LOOK FOR:

• COURAGE… because to tackle global challenges, we must innovate and take smart risks
• COLLABORATION… because when we work together and with external partners, we can overcome even the largest problems
• COMPASSION… because our work is ultimately about improving people’s lives

About The Institute

At the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change we are dedicated to making globalisation work for the many, not the few. We do this by helping countries, their people and their governments, address some of the most difficult challenges in the world today – beginning with those where we think we can break new ground, offering leaders new thinking and new approaches. Our staff – over 200 of them, based all over the world – are working on some of the most intractable problems around issues of co-existence, governance, the peace process in the Middle East and renewing the centre.