Market Linkage Officer at COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale

COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts and natural disasters. For 50 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economical Services, Water and Sanitation, Disaster Risk Reduction, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

We are  recruiting to fill the position below:

 Job Title: Market Linkage Officer

Location: Bade, Yobe

Overall Responsibilities

• The Market Linkage Officer will lead the development and facilitation of structured market linkages for farmers, Producer Marketing Organizations (PMOs), cooperatives, SMEs and youth- and women-led enterprises under the Agri-Food System Transformation and Innovation (AFTI) project in Bade LGA, Yobe State.
• The Officer will support the transition of smallholder farmers from fragmented and informal spot markets to coordinated aggregation, structured trading, and sustainable business-to-business (B2B) relationships.
• The position will conduct value chain and market assessments, identify and profile buyers and service providers, strengthen market readiness of PMOs and enterprises and facilitate buyer–seller engagements.
• The Market Linkage Officer will work closely with Business Advisors / Community Mobilizers, Post-Harvest & Infrastructure Officer, Financial Inclusion Officer, Digital Innovation Officer, PMOs, private-sector actors, government institutions, and other value chain stakeholders to ensure that production, aggregation, post-harvest handling, finance, quality standards, and market demand are effectively connected.

Key Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager / Technical Lead, the Market Linkage Officer will be responsible for:
Market Assessment and Intelligence:

• Lead value chain mapping and market assessments for priority commodities and enterprises.
• Identify and maintain a database of buyers, processors, aggregators, wholesalers, retailers, input suppliers, and other market actors.
• Analyse market demand, prices, quality standards, volumes, seasonality, packaging, and buyer requirements.
• Provide timely market information and identify emerging opportunities for farmers and enterprises.

Market Linkages and B2B Engagement:

• Facilitate linkages between PMOs, cooperatives, SMEs, women/youth-led enterprises, and structured buyers.
• Organize buyer–seller meetings, business forums, exhibitions, and market/investment linkage events.
• Support PMOs and enterprises to understand contracts, pricing, quality, delivery, and payment terms.

Aggregation, Quality and Value Addition:

• Support aggregation and bulking plans to meet buyer volume and quality requirements.
• Work with the Post-Harvest & Infrastructure Officer to ensure products meet required quality, grading, moisture, packaging, and storage standards.
• Identify opportunities for value addition and higher-value markets across priority commodities.
• Link producers with logistics providers to improve transportation and reduce transaction costs.

Enterprise and Financial Linkages:

• Support PMOs and enterprises to develop business profiles, product catalogues, quotations, and marketing materials.
• Work with the Financial Inclusion Officer to facilitate access to financing linked to viable market opportunities.
• Promote increased participation of women and youth in processing, aggregation, logistics, packaging, trading, and digital market services.

Monitoring, Reporting and Coordination:

• Monitor B2B agreements, transactions, prices, volumes, delivery, quality, and payment performance.
• Maintain updated records of buyers, agreements, transactions, and market opportunities.
• Coordinate with government institutions, private-sector actors, financial institutions, processors, and other stakeholders.
• Document success stories, lessons learned, challenges, and market opportunities.
• Collect market data and contribute to project indicators, including increased income among supported enterprises and producer groups.
• Prepare regular activity reports and ensure compliance with COOPI / WFP standards on gender, safeguarding, protection, and accountability.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Stay abreast of developments in conflict sensitive programming and humanitarian response.
• Perform other duties as necessary, commensurate with professional background and experience, as deemed by the supervisor.

Experience and Qualification

• Bachelor’s Degree or HND in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Economics, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Development Studies, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of relevant professional experience in market systems development, value chain development, agribusiness, market linkage,  business development, private-sector engagement, or related development programmes.
• Experience working with NGOs, humanitarian / development programmes, cooperatives, farmer organizations, or community-based institutions.
• Demonstrated experience facilitating buyer–seller relationships, commercial partnerships, offtake agreements, contract farming, or B2B transactions.
• Strong understanding of agricultural commodity markets, particularly grain and other relevant value chains.
• Practical experience working with farmer cooperatives, PMOs, aggregators, processors, wholesalers, retailers, institutional buyers, or rural SMEs.
• Knowledge of post-harvest management, aggregation, storage, processing, and value addition is highly desirable.
• Experience working with financial institutions, logistics providers, digital platforms, or other market service providers is an advantage.
• Strong negotiation, communication, facilitation, networking, and relationship-management skills.
• Good understanding of inclusive market systems, with demonstrated ability to promote participation of women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
• Experience using Excel, Kobo / ODK, digital market information systems, or similar tools is an advantage.
• Fluency in English and Hausa and/or relevant local languages spoken in Bade LGA.
• Willingness and ability to undertake frequent field travel and engage with market actors across Bade LGA and surrounding markets.
• Commitment to COOPI / WFP standards on safeguarding, gender, protection, accountability, inclusion, and ethical conduct.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.

Application Deadline 
8th September, 2026.

METHOD OF APPLICATION 

Interested and qualified candidates should use link below to Apply.

Click here to apply online

Note

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
• Qualified female applicants are especially encouraged to apply and people with disabilities.
• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
• Cooperazione Internazionale is an equal opportunity employer.
• We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
• Kindly note COOPI does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process.