AGRA

Job Reference: (LC/CASAR/08/2023)

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

Lead- Climate Adaptation, Sustainable Agriculture & Resilience. Job Reference: (LC/CASAR/08/2023)

Role Purpose

The role will work with AGRA teams and partners to help develop skills of national partners in climate modelling, analysis and interpretation of short- and long-term risks, climate finance and carbon markets. S/he should be able to identify climate resilient technologies, practices and policy option that would minimize risks while creating youth employment and dignified jobs as a pathway out of poverty.

Role Summary

The Lead – Climate Adaptation, Sustainable Agriculture & Resilience will support continental, regional and national advocacy engagement with national Government, and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to create an enabling environment for dignified jobs and work opportunities in climate and environment for young people especially women. The role will also strengthen continental and regional institutions in making evidence-based policies but also in creating capacity of countries in the area of climate action and collective engagement to attract climate adaptation finance that would benefit youth and women across multiple African countries. Moreover, the incumbent will support countries in integrating climatic, environmental and social risk management systems (ESMS) as a critical issue that requires systems to monitor and control in line with legal and applicable international requirements.  

Key Measures of Performance

• Evidence generation and sharing leading to informing policy shifts and implementation of interventions that supports jobs and opportunities for dignified work at Continental, Regional & National levels.
• Policy shifts towards enhanced climate change adaptation and action, including increased climate finance in favour of youth and women. 
• Strengthened capacity of regional climate institutions that would respond to demand of member countries.
• Number of continental and regional relationship and platforms facilitated to drive dignified jobs and work opportunities.
• Application of ESMS systems in AGRA target countries and partner institutions.
• Number and quality of influential communication materials, including policy briefs and peer reviewed publications to inform policy recommendations and decisions.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Purpose – Innovate

• Provide managerial and technical support for investments aimed at strengthening organizational-level climate change adaptive capacity through increased use of climate risk data and analytics in alignment with adaptation policies.
• Capacitate national and regional partners in using existing and upcoming tools and methods in climate modeling, climate finance and carbon markets. 
• Work with other AGRA Units and partners to support climate action, connecting continental frameworks to national policies, strategies, and investment in favor of youth and women that provides opportunities for dignified jobs.
• Lead the development of regional and continental strategy on climate change adaptation and mitigation in partnership with young people to increase funding and incentives for private sector to create dignified jobs and opportunities. 
• Identify and lead on key youth related climate action that creates dignified work opportunities for young people. 
• Capacitate partners and institutions in environmental and social risk management systems (ESMS) tools, methods and approaches. 
• Work with AGRA Advocacy lead and other partners to facilitate institutionalization of climate agenda across ministries and investments at Regional and National levels. 
• Leads AGRA’s youth advocacy engagements at continental, regional national governments to implement relevant climate and resilience policies leading to dignified jobs and work opportunities. 
• Work with other leads to strengthen the voice and participation of young people in development, design and implementation of youth friendly climate policies, frameworks, flagships, and programs at regional and national level.
• Strengthen the advocacy capacity and voice of youth networks and platforms to undertake national level advocacy on climate and resilience related issues and programs. 
• Build partnerships, alliances, and networks with other partners to drive advocacy on climate change adaptation of youth and women.

Engagement – Advocate

• Promote an enabling policy environment for climate change integration and implementation in agriculture and food systems by targeting specific policy changes at regional and national level.
• Collaborate with other leads to distill evidence, lessons, facts and insights from research to inform climate change policy.
• Facilitate and manage a continental and regional youth advisory network and community of practice to mobilize partners for climate action.  
• Work with other youth program leads to generate and utilize evidence to inform youth focused advocacy messaging and publications.
• Work with other colleagues to advance the uptake and adoption of youth friendly climate policy recommendations and flagships. 
• Works closely with other colleagues to identify, build and maintain strong relationships with other partners working to improve climate policy support systems for dignified jobs and work opportunities. 
• Enables talent management and development of existing staff, acquiring new staff as necessary and manages team dynamics to ensure high-performance and positive employee experience.
•  Communicates results through presentations, written and verbal communication.
• Work with the Head of Sustainable Farming Unit to support the development of models, tools, strategies and frameworks that enhances scale up of climate-proof agricultural systems at AGRA and beyond.
• Work with the AGRF Secretariat and other Unit’s to drive youth related programs and events at the AGRF including development of briefs and messaging that informs high-level climate policy and action at the AGRF. 
• At continental level, drive through relevant parties the increase of regional engagements to strengthen and compliment Pan-African efforts of the AUC-NPCA (and RECs) by translating its vision and commitments on climate change, youth employment and food security to actionable country priorities.

Delivery – Define the Project Cycle

• Support country teams in resources mobilization and scaling.
• Contribute to successful implementation of climate change adaptation initiatives and projects at AGRA. 
• Provide day-to-day leadership on strategic climate change -related programmatic work, prepare documents for partnerships, contracts, procurements, and Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) as may be required.

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

• An advanced degree (MSC, preferably PhD) in climate adaptation, climate science, geography, agriculture, economics, natural resource management or other fields closely allied with climate adaptation and mitigation.
• Experience in leading Climate change negotiation, research and/or development at national, regional, continental levels. 
• Senior-level management experience in climate action, climate advocacy, engagement 
• Relevant additional professional qualifications in climate and environment policy related area especially in youth programing, advocacy, and communications.

Required Skills/Abilities

• Strong analytic, critical thinking, problem solving, project management and decision-making skills. 
• Demonstrates a strong capacity for innovation and creativity in providing strategic climate policy advice and direction.
• Experience working within a multicultural environment, as well as the ability to work closely with diverse groups. 
• Experience in working on joint projects with governments, researchers, development partners.
• Strong ability to influence policy, voice and people across different stakeholder groups.
• Proven leadership ability to influence, develop, and empower partners and peers to achieve their best within a team approach.
• Excellent organizational, and problem solving/decision making ability.
• Demonstrated well developed people management and organizational management skills.
• Excellent negotiating and networking skills with strong partnerships in academia, technical organizations and as a recognized expert in the practice area.

Relevant Experience

• Recognized globally as a professional and climate adaptation specialist, with an expert understanding of the technical elements of climate change, the cutting-edge evidence on risk and climate change, and relevant policy-related efforts in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
• Technical expertise, proven through peer-reviewed papers in the following areas: early warning, predictive analyses, natural resources, digital technologies, environmental economics, and/or climate services.
• Experience in working with regional and continental institutions (e.g., AUC, ECA, UNECA, EAC, IGAD) on climate action.

Key Competencies

• • Achieving Results: 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 & 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 Nairobi, Kenya.

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 Monday 09th October 2023.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

AGRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer