State Coordinator – Plateau

About the role

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) seeks a Nigerian national to lead the I‑Youth 2.0 programme in Plateau State on a two‑year renewable contract. The State Coordinator will oversee day‑to‑day implementation, manage the state project team and ensure delivery against approved work plans, budgets and donor requirements.

Key responsibilities

• Lead implementation of I‑Youth 2.0 activities in Plateau, adhering to workplans, budgets and timelines.
• Supervise and manage the state project team, including technical officers and field staff.
• Coordinate state‑level training, enterprise development and incubation for youth agripreneurs, handling recruitment, selection and progress tracking.
• Oversee operations of the state‑based Agribusiness Park or incubation hub where applicable.
• Build and maintain relationships with state ministries, traditional institutions, private sector actors and financial institutions.
• Collect, report and analyse monitoring and evaluation data; maintain the network of I‑Youth trained agripreneurs and alumni.
• Manage the state budget and procurement in line with IITA policies and donor financial requirements.
• Prepare narrative and financial reports for the Country Coordinator.
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding, ethics and other IITA policies, escalating risks as needed.
• Represent the project at meetings, events and stakeholder engagements within the state.

Required profile

• Master’s degree in Agriculture, Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Development Studies, Economics, Social Sciences or a related discipline.
• Minimum five (5) years of relevant programme or project implementation experience, including at least two (2) years in a supervisory or team‑leadership role.
• Experience in youth employment, enterprise development, agribusiness, workforce development or agricultural extension, preferably within the state’s priority value chains.
• Proven ability to manage project budgets, work plans and donor‑funded activities.
• Demonstrated experience engaging state government institutions, community structures and private‑sector partners.
• Familiarity with the socio‑economic and agricultural context of Plateau State is an advantage.

Required skills