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:
Policy and state capability – We support governments in creating an enabling environment for private sector involvement in agricultural transformation.
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.
Sustainable farming – We support farmers in building resilient farming systems for sustained high yields through interventions such as mechanization and irrigation.
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 optimising 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
Deputy Chief of Party
Role purpose
The Deputy Chief of Party is responsible for assisting the VP, Program Delivery and Chief of Party to oversee, give orientation to, and facilitate the work of AGRA teams operating at national levels in pursuance of the program’s goals, objectives, and activities described above, with a particular emphasis on the smooth implementation of activities within each country, identification of grantees, and processing of grants. S/he also oversees all technical coordination between the Programs Delivery and Country teams.
Role Summary
S/he will work at a regional level to share information and organize gatherings aimed at reducing bottlenecks to the production and marketing of quality, improved seed, fertilizer, and other inputs to smallholder farmers at local levels in AGRA countries.
S/He will assist the VP – Programs Delivery in liaising with regional bodies and donor agencies in order to promote the PIATA partnership.
Key Measures of Performance
The performance of this role holder will be assessed on the basis of the achievements made on:
- Successful delivery of this flagship program and strategic partnership
- Effective tracking & reporting of guidelines and advise on related USAID rules and regulations
- Compliance oversight of USAID regulations and advise AGRA management on issues of timeliness and seek ways to accelerate processes internally such that deliverables are met, offering insight on potential bottlenecks to delivery
- Effective technical coordination of the Program Delivery and Country teams respectively
Major Duties and Responsibilities
Purpose – Innovate
- Analyzes, finalizes, and presents proposals and grant memos at regular meetings of the AGRA Grants Committee in order to ensure timely implementation of investment plans developed at country level.
Engagement – Advocate
- Advises Country Managers on the establishment of functional AGRA teams.
- Collaborates with Country Managers develop Road Maps outlining constraints, resources and opportunities for increasing impact; organize country gatherings which focus on common constraints to supply of seed and fertilizer, including such topics as foundation seed supply, seed certification systems, fertilizer quality control, and seed harmonization.
- Advises the VP on the compilation of quarterly and annual reports and other reports, as needed, in compliance with the requirements of USAID.
- Collaborates with the Monitoring & Evaluation, Knowledge Management Unit of AGRA to put in place systems for tracking project effectiveness, outputs and outcomes. This will include documenting the range, volume, prices and impact of increased input flows into rural areas on agricultural productivity and incomes
- Represents VP – Program Delivery and Chief of Party at key regional fora and donor meetings
Delivery – Define Project
- Organizes for and conducts regular country field visits to ensure smooth implementation of project activities.
- Delivers on other support functions as deemed necessary by the line manager.
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 Master’s degree in political sciences, public policy, international relations or other relevant discipline
Required Skills/Abilities
- Experience overseeing US Government Acquisition and Assistance awards, given its centrality as a lead resource partner in the PIATA Global Development Alliance.
- Prior Africa work experience is highly desirable.
- Strong quantitative analytical skills.
- In-depth, practiced knowledge of USAID rules and regulations.
- Results-oriented, accountable, with proactive leadership skills.
- Ability to lead by example and drive change.
- Determined, hard-working, individual who is prepared to work around barriers that arise in the course of an initiative.
- Ability to communicate effectively with individuals and groups of people.
- Ability to move from program concept to on-the-ground reality.
Relevant Experience
- Minimum 5 years of supervisory experience of sub-awardees, including oversight of flow-down provision compliance, branding & marking compliance, and compliance with travel and other provisions, as well as oversight of exceptions to provisions.
Key Competencies
- Strategic Orientation: Focus on the big picture and overall Strategic Framework. Ability to identify and pursue strategic initiatives which provide the greatest value and sustainable impact; balances long and short-term trade-offs; communicates clearly and precisely the strategic goals and the strategies for achieving them.
- Leadership: Demonstrates ability to mobilize, focus, align, and build effective groups to enable them to conceptualize and achieve collective objectives. Inspires trust and passion in the AGRA Mission: Ability to show great drive and commitment to AGRA mission; help others understand how their daily work contributes to the AGRA’s mission and inspires others to proactively meet the AGRA’s strategic objectives in partnership with key partners, grantees, and Country Governments. Maintains high standards of personal integrity and provides support for professional development efforts linked to business objectives.
- Grantees and Market Orientation: Demonstrates knowledge of the grantees they serve and the regulatory environment. Provides a balanced a responsive and proactive approach to meeting grantee and partner needs; encourages staff to understand grantee and partner needs and concerns; Adds business value based on own understanding and support of the grantees and the market in which they operate.
- Driving Results: Demonstrates drive for improvement of business results, based on well-rounded understanding of general business principles and own activities’ commercial and financial implications.
- Planning and Organizing: Devises plans of action with explicit paths and measures of accomplishment for self and/or others and allocates suitable resources so that objectives are achieved. Strong administration skills.
- Technical Competencies for the Position: Demonstrates knowledge of all own work role specific issues. This encompasses the technical skills or knowledge required to perform the essential duties as described in this Job Description. Specific technical competencies: quantitative analytical skills including use of appropriate software, results-based management systems, designing tools and strategies for data collection, analysis, and production of reports
- Accuracy and Attention to Detail: High level of accuracy, attention to detail and thoroughness. Ability to maintain a timely and efficient workflow.
- Managing Resources: Demonstrates the ability to plan and use resources (people and/or finance and/or physical assets) in accordance with AGRA guidelines and delegated accountability so that objectives are achieved in the most effective manner possible.
- Coaching and Developing Staff: A demonstrated capacity for working effectively within multi-disciplinary teams for collective success and provide effective coaching and encourage appropriate development activities in order to support staff in identifying and meeting their training and development needs.
- Communication and Interpersonal Relations: Exceptional communication skills and ability to represent AGRA externally at high levels. Demonstrates ability to maintain lasting, healthy, and effective one-to-one working relationships with colleagues, suppliers, customers, professional peers, etc.
- Intercultural Sensitivity and Effectiveness: Demonstrates ability to cross and bridge different racial, cultural, gender or business cultures. This requires and is exhibited by personal experience of international or cross-cultural business with improved achievements.
- Teamwork: Demonstrates productive drive in working with peers, partners, consultants, and others to achieve pre-targeted and measurable business results
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 Nairobi, Kenya.
How to Apply
If you wish to be considered for this position, please complete the Application Form below on or before 7 September 2023. In addition, we encourage you to please attach a copy of the most recent English version of your CV.
All information will be treated in the strictest confidence.
SRI Executive is exclusively retained by AGRA to undertake this assignment.