Job Reference: CC/KE/FOLU/10/2022

The Position: 

In this role, the incumbent will play an essential part in the Food and Land Use (FOLU) Coalition’s ambition to make the case for the urgent transformation of food and land use systems in Kenya. H/She will lead the FOLU country platform in Kenya and serve as a bridge between this country platform, FOLU partners and the FOLU Secretariat. Substantive technical, policy and engagement experience in the food sector, as well as a proven track record of working with the Kenyan national government, civil society and private sector partners to pursue policy objectives, will be critical.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Shape the growing work of FOLU Kenya, including interventions that will help operationalize and deliver on the prioritized Critical Transitions outlined in FOLU’s Growing better report and fully aligned with Kenya’s ambition of transforming its food systems, including 1) Healthier diets 2) Productive and regenerative agriculture 3) Protecting and restoring nature 4) Reducing food loss and waste. You will grow integrated workstreams that promote systemic and integrated solutions to food, nature, diets and land in national planning and private sector decision-making. 
• Lead the development of a FOLU Kenya strategy in consultation with FOLU Kenya core partners (AGRA, WRI Africa, GAIN) and associated programs. 
• Provide oversight of FOLU Kenya (hosted by AGRA) including supervision, coaching, and programmatic support to staff; include leading, supporting, and building the FOLU country teams.
• Lead on organizing workshops and outreach events to communicate progress and disseminate information. 
• Identify new and maintain existing relationships with foundations and donor agencies; develop and lead outreach to research and project proposals, with an ambition to seek medium to large multi-year funding opportunities for integrated sustainable programming.
• Manage partnership agreements that provide research and analytical support for the action agenda, financing plan, and other outputs.
• Mobilize resources for new and existing programs to grow the FOLU Kenya program portfolio.
• Scope and identify funding opportunities and implementing partner for coalition building.
• Identify collaborating and or parallel programs that complement FOLU Kenya programs.
• Provide visible leadership in the public arena and establish, cultivate, and facilitate relationships with key stakeholders to advance a FOLU approach in agriculture, food, and land use forums.
• Represent the coalition in high level meetings in government and in the civil society and private sector arena, nationally and internationally.  
• Work with FOLU partners to engage and build relationships with local and nation-wide officials and policymakers to advocate for policies and practices that support the adoption of a FOLU approach in Kenya.
• Work with FOLU Kenya platform partners respective grants and contracts colleagues to comply with grant making policies and procedures. 
• Position the coalition strategically with key stakeholders in the public, private, and NGO sectors. 
• Work to build trust and collaborative work between the institutions involved in the coalition to meet program goals.
• Author or co-author sections of national Action Agenda documents that seeks to transform Kenya’s food and land use systems; updating over time to maintain best science and best practice.
• Oversee analytical work that makes an economic case for prioritized land use options and identify new financing options.
• Lead on the development of an investment portfolio, including proposal development, to accelerate a sustainable food and land use system in Kenya.
• Document findings and progress of programs and activities in written quarterly reports to coalition members and other relevant partners, including delivering specific results that the FOLU country team want to accomplish in Kenya. 
• Review the grant documents and advise the grantee on donor compliance, policies, and procedures as relevant and required. 
• Report and present coalition progress and program findings through publications and presentations at national meetings and conferences and to donor agencies.
• Review all communications and outreach materials to ensure they are technically sound; and they comply with the Government of Kenya’s requirements. 
• Build and nurture effective multi-organizational coalitions, providing leadership in negotiations with partners to implement and promote the FOLU Action Agenda.
• Identify a group of high-profile Kenyan FOLU ambassadors that can contribute to the Action Agenda. Engage them for strategic communication efforts that support scale up of proposed actions.
• Develop engagement strategy, and communication plan, and oversee regular communications.
• Serve as a focal point for the Kenyan FOLU ambassadors and plan their engagement with targeted audiences.
• Recruit new high-profile influencers in multiple fields in full consultation with coalition members.
• Coordinate with the FOLU global team to connect national Goodwill Ambassadors to strategic international efforts as appropriate.

Academic, Professional Qualifications and Relevant experience:

• A Doctorate degree, in development, food and or agriculture, climate change or sustainability studies, agronomist or related fields (or master’s degree with a minimum of 15 years of experience).
• Minimum 5 years of experience in relevant work areas, primarily in Africa.
• Senior-Level experience designing and implementing programs and/or policy and regulatory reform in a relevant sector.
• Experience in environment, land management, food systems initiatives in a similar environment will be an added advantage. 
• Experience in building coalitions or networks of organizations.
• Experience managing complex initiatives (profit and not-for-profit) with proven ability to develop high impact partnerships.
• Familiar with and experience in working with R&D and analytics organizations.
• Analytical, excellent data mining ability.
• Strong ability to influence positively both upwards and downwards across cultures and countries.
• Deep understanding of both the government and private sector policies and governance structures.
• Results and detail orientated with a hands-on approach.
• Excellent problem solving/decision making skills.
• Intelligent, motivated self-starter with strong interpersonal skills and work ethic.
• Fluency in English required; ability to communicate in French will be an advantage.

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Job Reference: SPO/SP/10/2022

Role Summary

Reporting to the Head of Partnerships, the Senior Partnerships Officer role is to develop and scale partnership interventions and models that support private sector-led agriculture development and mobilization of investments in key value chains. In addition, the role contributes significantly to position AGRA as a preferred partner for private sector-led food and agriculture transformation, and a leading thought leader, convener and catalyst of multi-stakeholder partnerships that drive Agenda2030.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Partnership Mapping, Investment Mobilization, Relationship and Reporting.
• Creating an engagement strategy and action plan each year in consultation with the country teams.
• Continue and deepen partnership and stakeholder engagements across AGRA countries with key existing and potential partners, in collaboration with country and technical teams.
• Support AGRA Country teams to identify and prioritize new relationships in each country considering the priorities of Resource Mobilization, AFSF (Africa’s Food Systems Forum) platform and other relevant teams regarding a broader collaboration with AGRA.
• Facilitate private sector investment in these countries in areas that are priority for the host government and key stakeholders.
• Support SMEs to create value, increase job creation, expand food processing in these countries sourcing from smallholder farmers with support from our partner network.
• Markets, Agribusiness Dealroom, Sourcing in Africa & Regenerative Agriculture.
  • Lead markets linkages focused initiatives across AGRA countries. 
  • Lead Sourcing in Africa Initiative and take it to the next level.
  • Support SME engagement and participation in the Agribusiness Dealroom. 
  • Support the country teams to prepare for the Agribusiness Dealroom, Sourcing in Africa and SME engagements.
  • Work closely with the team to ensure relevant partnerships are brought onboard and measured.
• Partnerships Development, Alliances & Capacity Building.
  • Senior relationship management of key bilateral partner relations.
  • Review existing pipelines, generate and track opportunities that emerged through AFSF and other  conferences and events.
  • Delivery of alliances in AGRA countries (e.g. Food Action Alliance, Brazil, Dutch and Israeli partnerships).
  • Identification, mobilization and closing of relevant partnership agreements.
  • Coordinate meetings, develop communication material and ensure measurement and follow up.
  • Helping build capacity at country level for key partnership nanagers to be able to manage partnerships effectively. 
  • Development of partnership related grants, technical assistance and third-party funding proposals – supporting Resource Mobilization team.
  • Designing, planning and delivery of AGRA partnership events such as AFSF.
• Tracking and reporting on partnership development, Case Studies, Regular Reports & CRM.
  • Track and maintain a partnership development database and relationship management database.
  • Tracking indicators and outcomes of AGRA’s partnership activities, this includes a partnership survey.
  • Ensure all grant details are up to date in AMIS.
  • Ensure all required reports are prepared.
  • Case studies are written and published on our learnings and successes.

Academic, Professional Qualifications and Relevant experience:

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in partnership development and management, with an emphasis on operational work in the field of international affairs, development or journalism.
• A Master’s degree in Business Administration (strategic analysis focus), International Relations, Public Relations, Marketing, Advertising, Social Entrepreneurship, Education, or related field.
• At least three (3) years’ senior-level management experience in engagement and management of complex multi-stakeholder processes.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a team orientation and strong collaborative skills.
• Strong private sector experience in either agribusiness, finance or related sector.
• Has experience in working on joined projects with African governments, researchers, development partners. 
• Deep understanding of African Agribusiness trends, activities, investment related policies. 
• Familiarity with agricultural development programs.
• Ability to communicate and translate fluently between English and French highly is desirable.

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The Position

The incumbent will report to the Head for Seed Systems & Research, AGRA and will be responsible for day-to-day operational management and implementation of the grant in close liaison with other relevant stakeholders internal and external to AGRA. 

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Overall project management of this grant for quality, time and cost implementation.
• Working closely with others e.g Seed Systems, Extension and Market Teams to identify grantees, prepare for and support fundable proposals and investments.
• Ensure timely grant making through the AGRA grant process and procurement guidelines where needed.
• Work with M&E to ensure delivery of milestones and tracking of results.
• Review and approval of project reports and deliverables.
• Monitor budgets and ensure adherence to budget lines.
• Coordinate and supervise field visits in collaboration with country teams, AGRA Nairobi, donors, technical partners, and stakeholders.
• Liaise closely with all sub-grantees particularly Harvest Plus to synchronize the project teams for downstream delivery.
• Work with AGRA teams to support CESSA, incorporating key partners like One CGIAR, while maintaining AGRA nutritional and gender focus.
• Ensure donor compliance, updates and timely reporting, adherence to donor requirements, monitor progress on the ground.
• Engage in regional exchange and learning trips to share lessons.
• Work closely with knowledge management and communications team to document case studies, models for scale. 
• Prepare quality and timely workplans and reports to support management decision making.
• Identify resource materials for communication that would support the achievement of the project goals.
• Secures collaboration with stakeholders to identify potentially high-impact opportunities to complement and enhance seed systems in integrated grants.
• Builds strategic partnerships with public and private sector in seed systems and nutritional reforms.
• Organizes and carries out (including the use of consultants) rapid market assessments to ascertain the areas for intervention.
• Responds to grant requests from country and regional teams. 
• Builds the capacity of grantees.
• Develops concept notes and proposals for resource mobilization.
• Plans, oversees, monitors and evaluates the awarded grants to ensure that targets and milestones are being achieved in a manner that is consistent with the mission and objectives of AGRA and its funders.

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• PhD/MSc in Agriculture preferably in seed systems or breeding or extension with 5 years’ post qualification experience.  At least 5 years of experience in program management, and in nutrition-oriented seed systems in Africa.
• Innovative and motivated self-starter with a strong work ethic.
• Highly organized, results and detail orientated with a very hands-on approach.
• Experience in working on joined projects with African governments, researchers, partners and familiar with agricultural development programs.
• Excellent organizational, and problem solving/decision making ability.
• Strong relationship management.
• Good command of English required; French is an added advantage.
• Proficient in MS Project or any other related software.