AGRA

 Job Reference: LGI/CTE/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, Gender Integration. Job Reference: LGI/CTE/08/2023

Role Purpose

AGRA’s revamped gender strategy lays strong emphasis on Gender integration in all its workstreams and investment levers of the organisation. AGRA has selected the workstreams seed systems, sustainable farming, Inclusive Markets and Trade and policy and state capability for its new strategy. The Lead – Gender Integration, will lead the strategic gender analysis, conceptualization, planning, coordination and delivery, monitoring, learning and evaluation of AGRAs gender integration strategic plan, including working with country teams, governments and stakeholders across the continent to enhance gender equity in agriculture.

Role Summary

Reporting to the Director – Youth, Gender & Inclusiveness, this role will lead the gender integration strategic plan, including all workstreams in AGRA.

• S/He will provide technical and advisory support to country teams in achieving their objectives under the gender integration plans, including defining annual priorities as per strategy implementation plan and actualizing results framework and measurement metrics for Gender integration plans.
• S/He will provide advisory and technical support, building as well as promoting the capacity of country teams, partners, and grantees through integration of gender at the continental and country level. S/He will help position gender within all the workstreams and across institutional investment levers, including positioning AGRA as a knowledge leader and technical leader on Gender in agriculture.
• S/He will be responsible for working across the AGRA teams, with consultancies and external partners to help them understand the gender issues and response measures in the workstreams and all investments.

Key Measures of Performance

• Successfully lead the strategic analysis, conceptualization, planning, coordination and delivery of the gender integration plans for seed systems, Sustainable farming and policy and state capacity. 
• Successful formulation of the right technical solutions and projects for AGRA’s gender integration work, ranging from gender in work related to seed systems, sustainable farming and policy and state capability to achieve AGRA’s impact targets, of reducing gender productivity gaps.
• Entrenching close collaboration with external partners and stakeholders, other major programs of key technical partners, to deliver results.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Purpose – Innovate

• Leads in strategic analysis and conceptualization of projects, services and events in support of gender integration in AGRAs business line and cross cutting areas.
• Leads in provision of technical assistance and backstopping in developing and delivery of technical advisory and integrated solutions in fulfillment of AGRAs technical services as per relevance and desired impact.
• Identifies and monitors key trends and knowledge in gender in agricultural policies, continental frameworks such as Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and Biennial reviews, and any relevant country planning frameworks.
• Guides implementing partners in the design and implementation of projects and grants that enhance the positioning of AGRAs gender integration plans, enhancing female farmers productivity and empowerment indicators.
• Enables talent management and development of existing staff, acquiring of new staff as necessary and manages team dynamics to ensure high-performance and positive employee experience.
•  Communicates results through presentations, written and verbal communication.

Engagement – Advocate

• Guides implementing partners in the design and implementation of projects that integrate gender and enhance the enabling policy and institutional environment for gender equity in agriculture.
• Advocates for effective gender mainstreaming in agriculture, including building knowledge and evidence to improve effectiveness of AGRAs gender advocacy work.
• Be an internal champion for AGRAs gender integration work and popularize the agenda with AGRAs teams, partners and grantees.
• Devise Advocacy and knowledge agenda for improving the gender integration pathways for AGRAs workstreams.
• Enables talent management and development of existing staff, acquiring of new staff as necessary and manages team dynamics to ensure high-performance and positive employee experience.
•  Communicates results through presentations, written and verbal communication.

Delivery – Define Project Cycle

• Creates background documents, writes project reports, analysis, technical briefs and presentations, often on short timelines.
• Plans and facilitates the delivery of programs and grants in close collaboration with workstream teams and country teams.
• Tracks and regularly provides intelligence on key trends and opportunities within the continent and across AGRA focus countries.
• Oversees the improved coordination and investment in gender within AGRAs work, supporting country teams to explore opportunities presented by other partners through concepts and proposals.
• Develops and advises on the relevant tools for monitoring and evaluation (including Pro-WEAI) of the gender integration work, implement successes and advises when remedial actions are necessary.

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

• • Masters’ degree (PhD preferred) in gender in agriculture, sociology, political science, public policy, international relations, gender and development, or any other relevant disciplines related to gender and rural development. 
  • Experience of end-to-end project management, including scoping and design, resourcing, risk management and quality assurance. 
• Solid knowledge of international, continental and regional planning and investment frameworks relating to gender in agriculture, i.e., familiarity with CAADP and Biennial review frameworks, regional bodies influencing planning for equitable and inclusive investments in agriculture, markets and trade institutions and policies.

Required Skills/Abilities

• Deep knowledge of gender in agriculture, with expertise in gender in agricultural production, gender in rural productive asset ownership systems and power structures, policies governing asset ownership and institutional (formal and informal) roles in gendered access to resources, knowledge and assets. Specific areas of consideration are gender in seed systems and sustainable agriculture, gender in policy, state planning instruments and gender-budgeting, Gender data and evidence building amongst key considerations in agriculture. 
• Aware of the new opportunities and priorities for agriculture development to both internal and external audiences. 
• Ability to organize and prioritize work and meet deadlines within a fast-paced environment with multiple competing demands. 
• Demonstrable ability to work in complex work dynamics and challenges. Able to adapt rapidly to new technical areas. 
• Good team working skills, ability to deliver high quality products under pressure. 
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrable ability to engage government, development partners and private sector. 
• Experience in developing and managing strong partnerships and relationships inside and outside the organization, managing conflicts, and building consensus. Comfortably engages with senior decision makers within organization and constructively challenges colleagues, clients and stakeholders. 
• Excellent oral, facilitation and written communication skills; works well in diverse teams, with efficiency and diplomacy.

Relevant Experience

• Extensive experience working in various African countries on gender in agriculture (at analytical, policy and operational level), with experiences working in similar organizations or institutions. 
• Program design, implementation and management, monitoring and evaluation working with gender in agriculture, working with governments and institutional partners, women networks and civil society advocacy bodies. 
• Excellent track record in leading evidence-based analysis in the field of development, agribusiness and gender-related issues. 
• Good command of English, a working knowledge of French will be an advantage.

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.
  • Culture-carrier: Models the AGRA IRISE values by remaining responsible for actions undertaken and resources deployed; valuing people’s differences and embracing diversity and inclusion; striving for excellence and embracing continuous improvement, bold creativity and change; following moral conviction and always doing the right thing and operating under the principle of fairness in all undertakings.
  • 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 clients. Maintains high standards of personal integrity and provides support for professional development efforts linked to business objectives.
  • 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
  • Customer and market Orientation: Demonstrates knowledge of the customers they serve, competitors, suppliers, and the regulatory environment. Provides a balanced a responsive and proactive approach to meeting client needs; encourages staff to understand client needs and concerns; ensures provision of customized services and products as appropriate; Responds promptly and effectively to client and market needs. Adds business value based on own understanding and service of the customers and the market in which they work.  
  • 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; In-depth knowledge on MIS, M&E and development issues
• 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.
• Diversity & Inclusion: 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.
• Team Work: 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.

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 18th September 2023.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

AGRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer