Babban Gona is Africa's largest maize producing entity, farming an area equivalent to 12 Manhattans. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to prosper, free from poverty and the violence that follows in its wake.
In West Africa, a downward spiral of rising insecurity is destabilizing local economies, accelerating migration, and threatening the stability of the broader region. At the heart of it all are unemployed youth — vulnerable to recruitment into violence. Just as oxygen is to fire, so are unemployed youth to insurgencies.
At Babban Gona, we believe the most powerful disruption to this cycle is dignified, profitable work. We make farming much more profitable for smallholder farmers — doubling yields, tripling net incomes, and creating a network of successful rural entrepreneurs. Our goal: 10 million families lifted out of poverty by 2030, and 50 million jobs created by 2043.
Babban Gona produces more maize than any other entity on the African continent. But production alone does not deliver impact — it is the sale of that produce at the right price, to the right buyer, at the right time, that turns agricultural output into farmer income and organizational fuel for our mission.
The Sales Officer is on the frontline of that conversion. Based in Lagos — where Nigeria's largest food processors, off-take buyers, and institutional purchasers make their decisions — this role exists to build and manage a mixed portfolio of buyers for Babban Gona's agricultural produce. Every metric ton moved is a direct contribution to the financial engine that funds our expansion toward 10 million farming families.
This is not a support role. It is a revenue-generating position with direct mission impact, reporting to the Lead, Sales.
At 6 Months:
• Has onboarded at least 5 verified active buyers — a mix of off-take buyers (processors, traders, aggregators) and institutional buyers (FMCG, food manufacturers) — with documented purchase agreements or LOIs in place.
• Has achieved ≥80% of assigned volume target for the period, with a pipeline logged and updated weekly.
• Can independently manage the full sales cycle — from lead identification through negotiation to contract close — with minimal supervision from the Lead, Sales.
• Consistently meets or exceeds monthly volume and revenue targets, with variance explained and documented.
• Has built a buyer database of 20+ qualified prospects with relationship history, preferences, and purchasing cycles documented.
• Has contributed at least one insight or process improvement to the sales function — a pricing observation, a buyer segment opportunity, or a logistics coordination improvement — that the Lead, Sales has acted on.
Buyer Development & Relationship Management
• Identify, prospect, and qualify new buyers across off-take and institutional buyer segments in Lagos and surrounding markets.
• Build and maintain active relationships with a portfolio of buyers, ensuring Babban Gona is their preferred supplier of choice.
• Conduct regular buyer visits, calls, and follow-ups to understand purchasing cycles, volume requirements, and quality standards.
Sales Execution
• Manage the end-to-end sales cycle — from initial contact through proposal, negotiation, contract execution, and delivery coordination.
• Achieve assigned monthly and quarterly volume and revenue targets, escalating risks to the Lead, Sales in advance of shortfalls.
• Coordinate with logistics and operations teams to ensure buyer orders are fulfilled accurately and on time.
Pipeline & Reporting
• Maintain an up-to-date buyer pipeline with accurate volume projections, relationship status, and next steps documented.
• Provide weekly pipeline reports and monthly performance reviews to the Lead, Sales.
• Track competitor pricing, buyer feedback, and market intelligence — and surface insights that improve Babban Gona's commercial positioning.
Collaboration
• Work closely with logistics, supply chain, and operations teams to align supply availability with buyer commitments.
• Represent Babban Gona's mission and values in every buyer interaction — connecting commercial conversations to the broader impact we create for smallholder farming families.
Requirements
Required
• 1–3 years of experience in sales, business development, or commercial roles — in agricultural commodities, food & beverage, FMCG, or related sectors strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a sales pipeline and close deals, even at small scale.
• Strong oral and written communication skills — comfortable negotiating with buyers and presenting to internal stakeholders.
• Highly organized with attention to detail; able to manage multiple buyer relationships simultaneously without dropping commitments.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, startup-like environment with dynamic priorities and limited process infrastructure.
Preferred
• Prior exposure to Nigerian agricultural markets, commodity trading, or food supply chains.
• Experience working with off-take buyers, processors, or institutional purchasing teams.
• Familiarity with CRM tools or pipeline management systems.
Benefits
Competitive salary
Health Insurance
Pension
Performance Bonus
Annual paid vacation
Group Life Insurance
Skills Required
- Strong communication skills
- Experience in sales or customer engagement
- Ability to build trust and relationships with clients
- Strategic thinking and ability to identify market opportunities
What We Do
Babban Gona is a high-impact, financially sustainable, and scalable agricultural social enterprise in Nigeria that revolutionizes smallholder farming by providing farmers with end-to-end services including training, financing, high-quality inputs, and market access.
