Job Description

Job Title: Ecosystem Manager

Project: Plastics Recycling Program in Nigeria (PReP)

Location: Kano

Reports to: Senior Program Manager

About TechnoServe:

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of businesses and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics, and increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing...when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they can access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off.

Program Overview:

Nigeria, with its population of 200 million, generates an estimated 32 million metric tons of waste annually, of which 2.5 million metric tons is plastic. The Plastics Recycling Program in Southern Nigeria (PReP) originated as the Nigeria Plastic Solutions Alliance Program (NPSAP). This two-year initiative was initially funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Coca-Cola Foundation. Following USAID's withdrawal in the second year, the project transitioned to PReP with a revised scope. Building on PReP's success, the program is now expanding into PReP 2.0, which includes a new focus area: Kano State. The project's core objective remains to reduce plastic waste by increasing the volume and improving the quality of recycled PET plastics. This will be achieved through inclusive, market-driven interventions across the value chain, coupled with creating an enabling environment to enhance the competitiveness, sustainability, and profitability of collectors, aggregators, and recyclers.

The Ecosystem Manager will play a pivotal leadership role in strengthening the enabling environment for plastic recycling in Kano State and across programme locations in Nigeria (including Lagos and Anambra). Working closely with the Project lead, the Manager will lead ecosystem strategy execution, building high-impact partnerships, facilitating government and private sector engagement, and addressing systemic constraints that limit inclusive growth in the plastic recycling value chain.

The role will drive evidence-based ecosystem strengthening through market assessments, stakeholder mapping, policy analysis, and multi-stakeholder coordination. The Manager will ensure that collectors, aggregators, recyclers, government and other value chain actors receive sustained ecosystem support such as improved access to markets, networks, enabling policies, business services, and collaboration platforms to strengthen enterprise performance, decent work outcomes, and environmental impact. The position will also provide oversight for ecosystem work planning, coordination, reporting, and learning, ensuring alignment with donor priorities, safeguarding standards, and programme targets..

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

• Support the Program lead to develop, refine, and implement a multi-state ecosystem strengthening strategy roadmap that targets key constraints and opportunities in Kano, Lagos, and Anambra.
• Translate strategy into quarterly and annual workplans, including clear deliverables, timelines, stakeholder responsibilities, and resource needs.
• Lead day-to-day execution of ecosystem activities, ensuring quality, timeliness, and alignment with programme objectives.
• Provide technical guidance, mentorship, and performance management support to ecosystem short-term consultants.
• Facilitate structured engagement with key ecosystem actors, government agencies, private sector, CSOs/NGOs, associations, and community leaders to strengthen collaboration and shared accountability.
• Build and manage strategic relationships with relevant MDAs and regulators to support alignment with state and national waste management and circular economy priorities.
• Identify and activate partnerships that unlock tangible support for beneficiaries such as offtake agreements, service provision, access to equipment/inputs, logistics solutions, and business development support.
• Support the development of partnership documentation (MoUs, collaboration frameworks, referral pathways) as required.
• Track and analyze policies, regulations, bylaws, and government initiatives affecting plastic recycling and waste management.
• Produce concise policy updates and recommendations for the programme leadership team.
• Support evidence-based policy dialogue, advocating practical improvements that enhance inclusion, safety, and enterprise viability for collectors and aggregators.
• Identify opportunities to position the programme within government platforms and technical working groups to influence sector coordination and reforms.
• Identify systemic barriers that affect performance and growth of collectors and aggregators (e.g., market volatility, weak coordination, limited access to buyers, poor quality standards, harassment/fees, infrastructure constraints).
• Propose and drive practical solutions, such as: market linkage facilitation and buyer engagement, quality improvement and standardization approaches and aggregation models that improve bargaining power and supply reliability.
• Coordinate and deliver knowledge-sharing sessions, stakeholder workshops, and ecosystem convenings that strengthen collaboration, learning, and sector visibility.
• Develop training content and facilitation materials on topics such as ecosystem coordination, market dynamics, policy literacy, quality standards, and inclusive business practices.
• Promote cross-learning across states by documenting good practices and facilitating exchange between Kano, Lagos, and Anambra ecosystem actors.
• Ensure ecosystem work is well documented through monthly updates, quarterly reports, and donor-ready evidence (case studies, learning notes, dashboards).
• Lead after-action reviews and learning sessions to inform continuous improvement and adaptive management.
• Develop ecosystem briefs, reports, and presentations tailored for internal leadership, donors, government stakeholders, and private sector partners.
• Support programme visibility by contributing content for stakeholder updates, events, and communications products in line with donor branding requirements.
• Represent the programme in relevant sector forums, policy dialogues, and stakeholder meetings as delegated.
  
  

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management, Public Policy, Development Studies, Economics, Business, Social Sciences, or a related field
• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in market systems development, stakeholder engagement, policy work, value chain development, or ecosystem strengthening (experience in waste management/plastics recycling is strongly preferred). Alternatively a Master’s degree and a minimum of 5 years of experience.
• Demonstrated experience engaging government and private sector stakeholders and facilitating multi-stakeholder processes.
• Strong research and analytical skills, including experience conducting market assessments and translating findings into actionable strategy.
• Experience managing staff/consultants and delivering results against workplans and deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills—strong writing, presentation, and facilitation.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in donor-funded projects or development programmes.
• Familiarity with Nigeria’s waste management, plastic recycling, or environmental sustainability sector.
• Proven track record of supporting ecosystem-strengthening interventions.
• Experience working in Northern Nigeria, with strong networks in Kano State.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal.

Required Languages: Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English. Proficiency in the local languages of Kano State is highly desirable.

Travel: At least 40% with a willingness to travel to these communities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Experienced in writing excellent reports.
• Must have strong interpersonal skills.
• Proven skills with Microsoft Office software (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). Knowledge of the use of Comcare, and KoBoCollect will be an advantage.
• Excellent communication skills to collaborate with various stakeholders and communicate findings effectively.
• Ability to engage and advise a broad range of stakeholders, including senior management of private sector companies, donor representatives, and others;
• Knowledge of relevant environmental regulations and policies.
• Proven experience in stakeholder engagement, data collection and analysis, digital training delivery, and report writing.
• Demonstrated experience in report writing.
• Experience in the waste management or recycling sector.

Supervisory Responsibilities – None

Closing Statements:

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability, and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at recruitment@tns.org or call +1 202 785 4515.