Business Development Officer (Enterprise Development) full-time NEW

JOB PURPOSE:
Under the supervision of the Livelihood Project Manager, the Business Development Officer (Enterprise Development) makes sure the ten facilities in MMC, Jere and Mafa LGAs run as viable businesses. They set up the business plans, prices, bookkeeping, cost recovery and access to finance that let each enterprise pay its own way after handover.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Enterprise assessment and feasibility:

• Assess the current business position of each facility: what it produces or sells, costs, prices, income, records and capacity.

• With the Aquaculture and Feed Production Officer, lead the financial side of the fish farm profitability diagnostic: cost per kilogram, break-even price and the main sources of loss.

• Contribute to market and feasibility studies for each enterprise model, working with the Market Linkages Officer.

2. Business plans and financial models:

• Develop a simple, realistic business plan for each of the ten enterprises with its members. Each plan covers products and services, production targets, pricing, costs, cash flow, breakeven and staffing.

• Build costing and pricing tools for each model: piece rates for tailoring, fish and feed prices, the irrigation service fee per plot or season, and seedling prices.

• Set the internal transfer price for feed sold from the Fish Feed Production Centre to the project fish farms. It must be fair to both sides.

• Present the business plans to the members’ General Assembly and the LGA Oversight Committee for approval.

3. Cost recovery, revenue sharing and reserves:

• Design each enterprise’s revenue-sharing plan in line with its Tripartite Facility Management Agreement. The plan covers operating costs, the asset renewal reserve, member earnings, the landowner and community development share, and administration.

• Work with the Agricultural Engineer and the Asset Management Officer to calculate the maintenance and replacement costs that set the size of each asset renewal reserve.

• Help each enterprise open and fund a separate reserve account.

• Help plan the tapering of transitional stipends, so enterprise income takes over operator pay as planned.

4. Financial management systems and coaching:

• Set up simple bookkeeping for each enterprise: cash book, sales and receipts, stock and input registers, order book (tailoring), fee register (irrigation), and a monthly profit statement.

• Coach treasurers and records keepers monthly until they produce accurate accounts on their own.

• Make sure monthly financial statements are posted at each facility and presented to members.

• Support the quarterly social audits and prepare committees for review by the LGA Oversight Committee.

• With the Market Linkages and Digital Solutions Officer, introduce digital record-keeping and sales tools where they fit.

5. Cooperative registration and legal set-up:

• Support each operating group to register with the State Department of Cooperatives, or as a community-based organization where more suitable.

• Help open bank accounts with dual signatories (at least one a woman) and set spending limits and cash-handling rules.

• Support the Governance and Social Cohesion Officer to make sure the financial rules in the constitutions match the business plans.

6. Entrepreneurship training:

• Design and deliver training for at least 300 participants (minimum 50% women and 30% youth). Topics: entrepreneurship, business planning, financial literacy, record keeping, costing and pricing, and cooperative business management.

• Deliver refresher sessions and on-the-job coaching tailored to each enterprise type.

7. Access to finance:

• Link at least 200 participants to Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), microfinance institutions or other financial services.

• Help at least 100 participants access working capital through savings, loans or other financial support. Prepare enterprises to present a credible case to lenders.

• Advise on the start-up stock and input support from the project, and how it is repaid into each cooperative’s revolving fund. 8. Monitoring and reporting

• Track each enterprise’s monthly revenue, costs, profit, reserve balance and cost-recovery status. Share the data with the MEAL Officer.

• Flag enterprises that are falling behind their business plans and propose corrective actions.

• Contribute the enterprise viability part of the handover readiness assessment and of the reports to WFP.

Cross-cutting duties:

• Design pricing, fees and benefit-sharing so they are fair and affordable, and do not exclude vulnerable households, women, youth or persons with disabilities.

• Guard against elite capture and misuse of enterprise funds. Report any suspected fraud immediately.

• Follow PSEA, safeguarding and security procedures.

Carry out any other reasonable duties related to the project, as assigned by the Project Manager.

Education & Professional Requirements:

Education:

• Essential: a university degree (B.Sc. or HND) in Business Administration, Accounting, Economics, Agricultural Economics/Agribusiness, Cooperative Studies or a related field.

• Desirable: A Master’s degree or MBA.

Professional experience Essential:

• At least 4 years of experience in enterprise development, agribusiness, cooperative development or livelihoods programmes.

• Proven experience developing business plans, costing and pricing models and cash-flow projections for small or community-based enterprises.

• Experience setting up bookkeeping systems and coaching low-literacy groups to keep records and manage funds.

• Experience training adults in entrepreneurship and financial literacy.

• Experience working with NGOs, UN agencies or government programmes in North-East Nigeria.

Desirable:

• Experience in agricultural value chains such as aquaculture, feed, irrigated horticulture or tailoring.

• Experience with VSLAs, microfinance or linking groups to banks.

• Experience with cost-recovery models for shared community assets, such as water user fees.

• Familiarity with WFP livelihoods and resilience programming.

Personal requirements:

• Strong numeracy and financial analysis. Advanced Excel or Google Sheets for financial models.

• Able to turn business concepts into simple tools and language for community members.

• Good facilitation, coaching and training skills.

• Integrity and sound judgement in handling sensitive financial matters.

• Able to work independently in the field and manage many enterprises at once.

• Commitment to gender equality, inclusion, PSEA and humanitarian principles.

Languages

• Essential: fluent English; fluent spoken Hausa.

• Desirable: Kanuri.

How to apply
Interested candidates should go to INTERSOS on reliefweb.int to apply, and attach their CV with Cover Letter following this format “Surname_ Position you applied for”.

Application Deadline: apply not later than Thursday, 5th November 2026 by 12:00 PM. ONLY applicants whose competencies meet the requirements of the position will be contacted.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. INTERSOS reserves the right to close the advertisement before the stated closing date if a suitable candidate is identified.

INTERSOS is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups, Women and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.

Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply

INTERSOS has a PSEA Policy that the successful candidate will be expected to comply with and promote.

For more information about INTERSOS, go to https://www.intersos.org/en/what-we-do/nigeria/