Associate Program Officer, Rwanda at Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA): (Deadline 17 November 2023)

Job Reference: APO/RW/11/2023

About AGRA 

AGRA and its Work

AGRA is an African-led institution that actively supports the drive towards inclusive agricultural transformation and sustainable food systems. We do this by empowering the continent’s 33 million smallholder farming households to transform their agriculture from a struggle to survive to profitable businesses. The continent’s farmers regularly face challenges, and we aspire to provide uniquely African solutions that respond to their agricultural and environmental challenges, leading to increased harvests for reduced hunger and more income.

Working in alignment with the development priorities of our focus countries, we enable farmers to access improved and high-yielding seeds, gain knowledge on sustainable farming, and linkages to profitable markets.

In our work, we aspire to build the alliances, partnerships, and networks required to drive an inclusive agricultural transformation. We work with our partners to create an equitable youth-friendly environment that harnesses the youth dividend on the continent to drive growth and facilitate open employment opportunities for young women and men. We achieve our key objectives through a focus on the following four areas of intervention:

1. Policy and state capability – We support governments in creating an enabling environment for private sector involvement in agricultural transformation.
2. Seed systems – We trigger higher productivity by increasing the availability and access to improved seeds by farmers allowing them to increase their harvests for food security and better incomes.
3. Sustainable farming – We support farmers in building resilient farming systems for sustained high yields through interventions such as mechanization and irrigation.
4. Inclusive markets and trade – We work to increase the linkages between farmers, and other market actors for a positive, sustained cycle of commercialization and reinvestment.

AGRA’s 2030 Strategy

The continent has, in recent years, taken steps towards inclusive agricultural transformation resulting in notable improvements in food security, with clear progress across all AGRA’s focus countries. However, with over 20% of Africans still suffering from hunger, we need to accelerate our progress and mitigate against the growing external pressures of conflict and climate on our food systems.

AGRA 2022-2030 Strategic Framework (SF2030) demonstrates our long-term vision for how we intend to contribute to, and align with, global and continental priorities, applying a food systems lens towards the goals of zero hunger, improved nutrition, an end to poverty, and climate adaptation. We have split our Strategic Framework 2030 into two 5-year strategies so that we have a clear mid-way point to evaluate progress and re-route our strategic focus if necessary. Our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan sets out to catalyze the growth of sustainable food systems across Africa by influencing and leveraging partners to build a robust enabling environment where the private sector thrives, and smallholders are empowered to produce sufficient, healthy food.

AGRA’s Vision

To contribute to a food system-inspired inclusive agricultural transformation across Africa, to reduce hunger, improve nutrition, and adapt to climate.

AGRA’s Mission

To catalyze the growth of sustainable food systems across Africa by influencing and leveraging partners to build a robust enabling environment where private sector thrives, and smallholder farmers are empowered to produce sufficient, healthy food.

AGRA’s Strategy

• Empowering and building the resilience of small holder farmers
• Supporting the development of inclusive markets and finance to strengthen agricultural systems.
• Strengthening state capability to sustain agricultural transformation.

Implementing Our New Strategy Through People

AGRA is at the threshold of a new chapter where we begin implementing our new strategy of catalyzing inclusive, resilient and sustainable agricultural transformation. At AGRA we believe Agriculture is the single greatest opportunity to deliver inclusive economic growth, jobs, and health to the African continent.

People are the heart of our organisation and remain the true drivers of our delivery and our impact.

We are excited about a new fit-for-purpose organizational structure that is largely driven by an ambition to enhance collaboration across teams and drive sustainable growth. We have therefore purposed more focus on delivery of country programs within the new strategy giving even greater attention to optimizing existing talent in addition to upscaling technical and operational resources.

We work with incredible people and partners who have roots in farming communities across the continent combined with an inclusive and diverse workforce from over 24 nationalities. Our values of (I-RISE; Integrity, Respect, Innovation, Stewardship and Equity) espouse our commitment to a call to action to go beyond ourselves as we arise and transform Africa’s Agriculture.

We are looking for people who are passionate about Africa, curious and collaborative to join our innovative, growing, and multidisciplinary team. Together, we can grow Africa’s food systems improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Want to join us?

The Opportunity

Associate Program Officer, Rwanda Job Reference: APO/RW/11/2023

Role Purpose

The Associate Program Officer will be responsible for supporting implementation of country strategy through grant-making and stakeholder convening, relevant country government relations and policy development and relevant country business development and resource mobilization.

Role Summary

The Associate Program Officer will support AGRA’s engagement with national government and donors for the implementation of appropriate policies and interventions with the aim of creating an enabling environment for investment by smallholder farmers and agribusinesses. This position reports to the Country Programs Lead.

Key Measures of Performance

• Successful implementation of AGRA grants and other investments in the country.
• Smooth flow of the grants process.
• Impact and reach of programs on target beneficiaries.
• Success of initiatives undertaken for and within each program.
• Maintenance of up-to-date records and timely submission of reports.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Purpose – Adapt

• Identifies, develops, and maintains strong relationships with other partners who are working to improve food and agricultural policies.
• Supports the team in identifying Clusters in key agricultural production areas.
• Identifies, supports, and guides efforts that enable smallholder farmers to sell their products and capture value from downstream activities.
• Facilitate economic transactions between value chain players and smallholder farmers in Africa.

Facilitate data and information pipeline to monitor programs across themes – contributing to dashboard development, program standardization, and quality control in collaboration with the country team.

Engagement – Persuade

• Promotes the agricultural transformation agenda. with AGRA technical experts to develop appropriate partnerships
• Collaborates across AGRA to identify and overcome policy-related constraints on technology development, dissemination, and uptake.
• Represents the country office at grantees fora and liaises with project focal staff for areas where special attention is needed by other program officers.
• Engages the Country Programs Lead and Program Officers to assess and advice on capacity needs and gaps in grantees ability to implement projects.
• Networks with broad stakeholders: financial institutions, grantees, universities, other funders, international organizations, beneficiaries.
• Builds and maintains a wide network of stakeholders and contributors to the work.
• Negotiates to bring diverse collaborators together and advocates for their work.

Delivery – Adapt the Project Cycle

• Identify potential grantees and work with them to develop impactful interventions.
• Oversees and supervises consortiums.
• Devises ways to strengthen national capacities for policy design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Work with cross-functional teams in making critical decisions during challenging situations.
• Reviews grant portfolio to ensure grantees are implementing programs in accordance with the contractual agreement.
• Oversees the grantee actual implementation process and provides relevant backstopping as may be required.
• Creates regular periodic reports as may be required by the Country Director/ Programs Lead.
• Implements the specified program activities in accordance with approved annual work plans jointly formulated with the beneficiaries.
• Assess projects to help identify and resolve programs issues, thus ensuring the programs stays on schedule and within budget.

Model the IRISE Values & Be a Culture Carrier

• Integrity: Uphold moral convictions and always doing the right thing.
• Respect: Value differences and embrace diversity and inclusion.
• Innovation: Strive for excellence and embracing continuous improvement, bold creativity, and change.
• Stewardship: Be responsible for actions undertaken and resources entrusted.
• Equity: Be governed by fairness in all undertakings.

Requirements

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, rural development or business economics.

Required Skills/Abilities

• Proven track record of innovation in the marketing and supply of inputs among smallholder farmers, including packaging, promotion, farmer outreach, and the involvement of agro-dealers in agricultural extension services.
• Ability to work effectively and build the knowledge base of both national and regional teams in the specialized field of input supply.
• Fluency in English required; ability to communicate in French will be considered an advantage.

Relevant Experience

• Minimum 3 years of professional experience in agri-business and development efforts in Africa.
• Experience in working with similar organizations or institutions is essential.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a team orientation and strong collaborative skills.
• An excellent command of MS Word, MS Excel, MS Access, MS Power Point.
• A sound knowledge and experience in Sustainable Farming, Distribution and Extension at national, regional and/or international levels.

Key Competencies

• Achieving Results Effectively: Anticipates constraints, identifies solutions and takes responsibility for addressing critical situations; Sets self and others stretching goals, over and above those required to meet organizational standards and targets; Takes the necessary actions to meet these goals; identifies and applies measures to track and quantify achievement; Aligns projects with organization’s mission and objectives and demonstrates a good understanding of the impact of team’s and own work on external and internal counterparts.

• Managing and Sharing Knowledge:  Disseminates and shares knowledge openly and actively contributes to knowledge/network communities for topics relevant to area of expertise; Builds networks for the effective communication and exchange of knowledge and ideas and puts others into contact with various sources of knowledge; Contributes to an environment that is conducive to innovation and learning.
• Accountability:  Maintains ethical behavior, admits mistakes and exhibits responsible behavior in the meeting of performance expectations; Actively seeks out solutions to achieve results; Holds self-accountable for achieving results as an individual as well as team members; Identifies and assists in addressing areas of weakness that may impact the department’s performance.
• Diversity & Inclusion: Takes a conscious effort to learn about different styles of conflict resolution; Has insight into and monitors own preferred conflict management style and its impact on others; Is proactive in managing conflict over differences when it arises rather than avoiding it; Actively creates the space for people to use different forms of conflict resolution; Listens actively for the frames of reference and does not prejudge; Seeks to understand and adapt to different styles when working with those who are different; Treats others as they wish to be treated; Shows readiness to change the way he/she does things to meet the needs of those from diverse backgrounds.
• Adaptability: Adapts personal approach to meet the needs of different or new situations; Seeks guidance in adapting behavior to the needs of a new or different situation.
• Stakeholder Focus/Partnerships:  Contacts stakeholders to follow up on services, solutions or products to ensure that their needs have been correctly and effectively met; Understands issues from the stakeholder’s perspective; Keeps stakeholders up-to-date with information and decisions that affect them; Monitors services provided to stakeholders and makes timely adjustments as required; Maintains ongoing communication with stakeholders; Regularly and systematically contacts stakeholders or prospective stakeholders to determine their needs; Uses understanding of stakeholder’s perspective to identify constraints and advocate on their behalf; Works with stakeholders to adapt services, products or solutions to meet their needs; Encourages co-workers and teams to achieve a high standard of service excellence; Anticipates areas where support or influence will be required and discusses situation/concerns with appropriate individuals; Proposes new, creative and sound alternatives to improve stakeholder service delivery; Engages effectively with all stakeholders.
• Teamwork: Establishes strong relationships with colleagues and partners; relates well to people at all levels; Is fully aware of the team purposes, respects and understands individual and collective responsibilities; Willingly puts in extra effort without being asked and adopts a ‘hands-on’ approach whenever necessary to achieve team objectives; Coordinates own work with that of the team to meet agreed priorities and deadlines.

Terms of Appointment

3 Years Fixed Term (Consideration for renewal will be made subject to AGRA’s needs, available funding and performance).

Location

Based in Kigali, Rwanda.

How to Apply

If you believe you are the right candidate for this position, kindly submit your application with a detailed CV (including your e-mail address and telephone contacts to recruit@agra.org noting to quote the job reference number in the subject of your email)

To be considered, applications must be received on or before Thursday 17th November 2023.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

AGRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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