Job Reference: SPA/SMEL/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:
- 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 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
Strategy Planning and Analytics Officer. Job Reference: SPA/SMEL/08/2023
Role Purpose
The Strategic Planning and Analytics Officer will be responsible for providing strategic research and develop new strategies and tactical processes to enable AGRA to meet its transformation objective.
Role Summary
S/He will be expected to develop high impact research and delivery of strategic initiatives as may be determined by AGRA’s Leadership from time to time. The Strategic Planning & Analytics Officer will support strategy development, execution and adaptation; performance planning; and analytics; to ensure AGRA’s interventions are grounded in a robust agriculture transformation across AGRA’s focus countries and the continent.
Key Measures of Performance
- Successful planning, incubation and delivery of strategic initiatives as required.
- Successful strategy execution and organizational performance review.
- Successful planning and implementation of special initiatives as required.
- Timeous Strategy adaptation.
- Comprehensive analysis of data and timely generation of summaries.
Major Duties and Responsibilities
Purpose – Adapt
- Align processes, resources-planning and division goals with overall strategy.
- Program analysis in support of the overall program development & innovation work
- Creates and maintains a knowledge center as a repository of databases and resources for access by AGRA policy makers and the general public in the priority countries.
- Construct forecasts and analytical model.
- Develop plans to materialize strategy and analyze business proposals.
- Define the company’s direction, developing strategic plans, assessing performance, aligning goals, and supporting organizational change.
Engagement – Persuade
- Builds strategic partnerships in collaboration with the resource mobilization team, technical teams and in-country teams.
- Showcases AGRA Management and staff, AGRA’s Board of Directors, and key external stakeholders’ efforts by preparing project documents.
- Advise on the development, structuring, and occasional management of investments and contracts in this area.
- Establishing processes to improve management & access to data in support of advanced analytics processes and procedures.
Delivery – Adapt the Project Cycle
- Develop and implement data analyses, leveraging collection systems and other strategies that optimize statistical efficiency and quality.
- Interpret data using analytics, research methodologies, and statistical techniques.
- Serve as liaison between staff and management by analyzing and interpreting data for company procedures, policies, and workflows.
- Prepare, analyze, and summarize operational results for use by various key stakeholders, creating reports, specifications, instructions, and flowcharts.
- Conduct full lifecycle of analytics projects (including pulling, manipulating, and exporting data) from project requirements documentation to design and execution.
- Evaluate key performance indicators, provide ongoing reports, and recommend business plan updates.
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 business administration, public policy, development economics/studies or other related field.
- A Master’s degree will be an added advantage.
Required Skills/Abilities
- Ability to drive the annual strategic planning process for large organizations, framing emergent issues and incorporating lessons learnt and key insights to strengthen the design process.
- Knowledge of business operations and procedures.
- Demonstrable strategic thinking abilities.
- Advance Analytical skills and mindset with problem-solving aptitude.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Deep knowledge of, and experience in, strategy development, execution and review at institutional and territorial level, as well as design and roll-out of analytical frameworks, tools, processes and other documents to facilitate the strategic planning process.
Relevant Experience
- Experience working in various African countries in program design, implementation and management working with government, development partners or other such institutions.
- Experience in a management consulting firm in the broad field of strategy and/or other related areas (business efficiency, performance improvement, organizational change, business and sector intelligence, stakeholder engagement etc.) would be an advantage.
- Experience of end-to-end project management, including scoping and design, resourcing, risk management and quality assurance.
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; Is proactive in managing conflict over differences when it arises rather than avoiding it; 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 18th September 2023.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
AGRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer