Associate Country Manager, Partnerships and Sales

KickStart is an award-winning, global nonprofit social enterprise that develops and mass- markets low-cost irrigation solutions that are bought by thousands of small-holder farmers in developing countries and used to increase their income by up to a factor of ten, enabling them to lift themselves sustainably out of poverty.

We are recruiting for the position of: 

Job Title: Associate Country Manager, Partnerships and Sales, Nigeria

Location: Kano, Nigeria
Function: Programs and Partnerships- Nigeria      

Role Purpose

• The Associate Country Manager- Partnerships and Sales will be responsible for strategically developing, expanding, and reporting on our program in Nigeria North.
• These activities support the primary goal of getting people out of poverty in Nigeria, by promoting the sales and usage of KickStart’s MoneyMaker branded irrigation pumps through partnerships with NGOs- both local and international, the Government and the private sector.

Scope of Role

• Reports to: Regional Head- Partnerships and Sales West Africa
• Staff directly reporting to this post:  Partnerships and Sales Officers within the area when recruited.
• Works with: Country Manager Nigeria and other staff within the West Africa region

Key Areas of Accountability
The Associate Country Manager will work closely with the Country Manager to:

• Perform the due-diligence to understand the market potential and opportunities for MoneyMaker products in Nigeria North Region.
• Create the market development and sales plans for the specific regions.  Lead and manage the implementation of the plan to ensure growth in sales, social impacts, market share, and profitability in Nigeria.  This will be done primarily through:
  • Creating partnerships with International and local NGOs, UN organizations like FAO and World Food program, Government, Out-growers, and other stakeholders.
  • Work closely with the government and the private sector
  • Proper selection, development and management of a distributorship network
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting of KickStart’s activities and social impacts in Nigeria
• Prepare, attend and make presentations at both National and International conferences to promote KickStart mission and Agricultural water management solutions in Nigeria.
• Identify sales opportunities by identifying and creating working business relationship with NGOs, relevant government institutions, and other stakeholders and clients for the sale and marketing of KickStart products and development of sales opportunities pipeline.
• Developing partnerships that will lead to sales
• Collaborate with marketing staff to create marketing collaterals and strategies for various projects or donor requirements.
• Actively promote products through product demonstrations, product support and training for distributors, customers, through leaders and influencers. Create awareness to potential customers and close sales and achieve sales quota.
• Identify, recruit, train and manage distributors and their dealers or partners in the country.
• Developing the private sector supply chain including recruiting an importer/distributor of our MoneyMaker pumps into Nigeria, developing strong local partnerships to meet sales targets
• Actively manage customer and distributor/dealer accounts and collect outstanding receivables
• Ensure that KickStart meets its qualitative and quantitative targets including donor funded deliverables.
• Compile monthly sales forecast through the CRM to streamline production forecast and delivery schedules in collaboration with Supply Chain management.
• Manage market product launching
• Receiving requests and responding to customer inquiries on Sales and Marketing issues
• Regular market assessment and proactive development of country specific sales and marketing plans with distributors to maximize sales and impacts in the country. This includes sales plans, pricing policies, promotional plans and managing national and regional trade events and activities including potential agricultural shows & exhibitions.
• Develop and grow KickStart’s market share in Nigeria.
• The Associate Country Manager will be based in Kano

Qualifications and Experience

• 7 plus years of sales experience. Both private sector and social sector experience preferred.
• Bachelor degree required.  MBA preferred.
• Good understand of the agricultural market in West Africa preferred
• People Management Experience - managing, mentoring, and developing people and a high performing team
• Financial management experience - develop and manage operating plans and budgets

Skills and Behaviour:

• Strong customer focus and Excellent personal communication & negotiation skills
• Results/Performance Orientation - proven “self-starter” who is flexible and adaptable
• Strong analytical abilities and detail oriented
• Shares KickStart’s values and believe in its mission
• Fluency in French and English required
• Willingness to travel for up to 60-70% every month