Government Relations Analyst at One Acre Fund

One Acre Fund is a non-profit social enterprise that supplies financing and training to help smallholders grow their way out of hunger and build lasting pathways to prosperity.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Government Relations Analyst

Location: Nigeria
Job Type: Full-time
Preferred Start Date: As soon as possible

Job Description

The Government Relations Department’s “Growth Team” closely supports the New Country Expansion (NCE) team to scope, scout and pilot innovative asset-based financing and last-mile delivery models in new markets.
The Government Relations Analyst for New Market Expansion will lead regulatory/political analysis, risk management and government relations work in these countries to allow scouts and pilots teams to focus on designing and testing the viability of new program models.
The Analyst will be responsible for building a systematic approach to government relations support for expansion, in line with the needs of our internal clients and our team vision to be One Acre Fund’s internal experts on launching operations in new markets.

The work of the Analyst shall include:

Internal consulting/advising on regulatory and operational feasibility of One Acre Fund program models for new countries under consideration.
Supporting on-the-ground scouting through high-quality desk research and in-person scouting support.
Directly managing GR in early-stage pilot operations (Nigeria and India) by ensuring full regulatory compliance, establishing systems to de-risk key government relationships and managing local GR teams on the ground.
Providing as-needed support to other teams and business units within One Acre Fund interested in expanding their operations to new countries.
The successful applicant will report to the Government Relations Senior Manager for New Markets as a member of the global Government Relations and Policy Team. The position will be based in either Nairobi or Abuja, with frequent travel to our pilot field headquarters in Minna, Nigeria and Mothihari, India, often for several weeks at a time. As One Acre Fund moves toward further expansion of its programs, travel to prospective expansion countries may also be required.

The Analyst will have the following responsibilities:

Government Relations Support to Pilot Programs (85%): Lead all government relations work in One Acre Fund’s pilot countries (Nigeria & India).
Create and execute government relations strategies in pilot countries with support of Pilot Leads in line with program priorities (i.e. model viability-testing, scaling, etc.) and global Government Relations department objectives.
Build robust government and external stakeholder networks in new countries to gather intelligence, de-risk field operations and unlock opportunities for pilot programs.
Monitor, interpret and explain regulations and policies relevant to One Acre Fund’s field operations
Serve on the Pilot Leadership Teams for Nigeria and India, maintaining strong working relationships and coordination with Pilot Leads and ensuring GR, regulatory and risk dimensions are incorporated into decision making by country leadership. Produce high-quality, narrow analysis and actionable recommendations to pilot leads and leadership teams, as required.
Manage and develop Local Government staff in Nigeria and India.
Lead the approvals process for in-country growth into new jurisdictions within pilot countries, either directly or through direct reports.
Develop, design and coordinate overall local government outreach (e.g. quarterly reports, field visits, etc.)
Create and refine templates and tools to standardize and track government relations needs in new markets.
Travel regularly to pilots to support government relations efforts including applications for registration, licenses, permits and other start-up administrative needs.

New Country Expansion, Scouting and Piloting Consultancy Services (15%):

Conduct detailed research and analysis on political, regulatory, and operational landscapes in new countries to inform scouting and piloting decisions.
Produce written briefs with clear recommendations that will support decision making on entry into new countries and inform actions taken during on-the-ground scouting.
Accompany new country scouts to prospective new markets to contextualize desk research, establish early government relationships and support the scoping of and due diligence on potential partnerships.
Provide advisory services on government relations and risk management to pilot teams from other internal business units doing expansion work, as needed.

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications
We are seeking an exceptional professional with 3-5 years of work experience and ideally a demonstrated passion for international development. Candidates who fit the following criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:

Experience building and managing networks of key clients or contacts.
Experience working in an unstructured or non-traditional work environment highly desired, as well as being a fast learner. Independence and the ability to be a self-starter are must-haves. We’re looking for candidates with a high level of professional maturity.
Strong desk research and analytical skills – able to conduct narrow analysis and develop clear deliverables for and recommendations to a variety of high-level audiences.
Leadership and people management experience. Include evidence of how you led a team of people. Remote leadership experience is beneficial.
Passion for an interest in agriculture and rural development.
Language: Fluency in English is required. Working proficiency in French will be given preference.

Compensation