MicroSave Consulting (MSC) is a boutique consulting firm that has, for 25 years, pushed the world towards meaningful financial, social, and economic inclusion. With over 300 staff of different nationalities and varied expertise, we are proud to be working in over 68 developing countries. We partner with participants in financial services, enterprise, agriculture and health ecosystems to achieve sustainable performance improvements and unlock enduring value. Our clients include governments, donors, private sector corporations, and local businesses. We can help you seize the digital opportunity, address the mass market, and future-proof your operations.
Job Description
About the role. The Senior Manager will play a pivotal role in expanding MSC’s project pipeline across West Africa, with a strong emphasis on business development and securing funding opportunities. The role involves identifying strategic consulting prospects, crafting compelling proposals, and nurturing key relationships with donors, government agencies, and private-sector players. Alongside BD, the incumbent will support project execution and contribute to knowledge building within the agriculture and allied sectors.
Key Responsibilities
1. Business Development
Conduct proactive searches for consulting opportunities across West African countries (Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Benin, Ghana, Niger, DRC, etc.).
Identify suitable opportunities, develop concept notes, and contribute significantly to proposal development.
Conduct primary and secondary research to produce high-quality proposals, reports, and technical notes.
Build and strengthen relationships with clients including government agencies, private sector players, agribusinesses, fintechs, startups, and development partners.
Develop a pipeline of projects and submit high-quality proposals to grow the agriculture domain.
Represent MSC at conferences, workshops, and industry events.
Author/co-author thematic publications, focus notes, and briefing papers.
Support marketing and visibility efforts through participation in workshops, international events, and panel discussions.
2. Project Execution
Provide technical advisory and project management support to government clients and development partners.
Participate in assignment design, planning, and debriefing meetings.
Lead teams of 3–4 members on assignments involving field research, stakeholder interactions, and client engagement.
Contribute to data analysis, report writing, and preparation of deliverables with a strong emphasis on quality and attention to detail.
Support the design and review of training materials, research papers, and curricula for MSC’s agriculture and P&D domains.
Assist in organizing workshops, national/state-level events, and dissemination activities.
3. Human Capital Development
Conduct quality-of-delivery assessments and provide constructive feedback to team members after assignment execution.
Mentor and support staff, ensuring high-quality performance in line with client expectations and MSC’s standards.
Take ownership of personal development by acquiring new skills and strengthening domain expertise.
Build knowledge in core areas of MSC’s client delivery work and potentially specialize in a specific practice area.
Requirements
Academic/ professional qualifications:
Other relevant professional qualifications in line with areas of specialization.
Master's level degree (or higher) in Agriculture/Agri Business/Economics/Sociology or related fields from a reputed institute.
Strong knowledge of the agriculture sector and the socio-economic development issues
Experience:
At least 10-15 years’ experience in agriculture and allied sector consulting, research, or other relevant areas
Experience in the implementation of government/ related projects in the fields of agriculture,understanding of policy and program assessment,
Experience in managing relationships with various stakeholders, including donor agencies, ministries, state government, private sector players, and think-tanks, is preferred.
Experience in policy design, implementation support, monitoring, and evaluation of the government initiatives is preferred.
Bilingual candidate with English and French proficiency will be preferred
Skills and competencies:
Exceptional report structuring skills
Excellent analytical abilities, both quantitative and qualitative, and proven problem-solving skills
Excellent communication skills with the ability to present information in an insightful and structured manner, both written and oral.
Passionate about agricultural transformation to achieve large-scale impact, ability to think and act strategically.
Ability to lead assignments and teams and work with minimal supervision.
Ability to build client relationships and develop business opportunities.
Strong attention to detail with good field orientation and proven interpersonal skills, and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint