TechnoServe Agronomy Business Advisor Job in Kenya

TechnoServe Recruitment Notice
 

Job Vacancy: Agronomy Business Advisor – Nespresso AAA Program
 

TechnoServe Background: TechnoServe works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. 

We are a nonprofit organization that develops business solutions to poverty by linking people to information, capital and markets. 

 

With more than four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.
 

Program Description: TechnoServe has entered into a partnership with Nespresso SA to introduce the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality(TM) Program in Kenya.

The overarching goal is to reduce poverty of smallholder coffee farmers in Kenya through increased coffee incomes as a result of improved yields, quality and market access to Nespresso’s AAA supply chain.

Position Description: The Business Advisor – Agronomy shall provide training and technical advice to farmers registered in the AAA project so as to enable the farmers to achieve sustainable increase in coffee quality and yields.

Key roles and responsibilities

• Provide technical support to cooperative society leaders and farmers so as to sustainably improve coffee productivity and quality, to be achieved through:

1. Creating awareness of the AAA standards and agronomy best practices for sustainable coffee production.


2. Identifying and maintaining demonstration plots on selected farmers’ coffee farms for use in the farm college training.


3. Delivering a standard set of monthly agronomy best practices trainings to coffee farmers through the farm college model.


4. Supporting Focal Farmers to maintain cohesive and active focal farmer groups which ensures regular attendance to monthly training by both male and female farmers.


5. Carrying out regular farm assessment visits to coffee farmers registered in the farm college with the objective of advising the farmers on ways to improve adoption of the best practices that they have been trained in.

• Train, mentor, coach and supervise assigned Farmer Trainers on all technical and operational aspects of their work and in their interaction with farmers when delivering training and during farm assessment visits.


• Undertake relevant monitoring, evaluation and reporting activities such as collecting and collating of various data streams such as cherry harvest progression, farm and household surveys, attendance to training, adoption of best practices, demo plots yields measurement, impact stories, etc.


• Support the development, adaptation/translation and review of various technical materials such as lesson plans, training aids, record books, surveys, fact sheets, etc.


• Plan and hold regular meetings with the leadership of the assigned cooperative clients to review progress of project implementation, share learnings and to jointly seek solutions to challenges.


• Build and improve the Program’s continuous interaction with relevant stakeholders such as county government agriculture officers; coffee service providers (marketing agents, millers, inputs suppliers), and other entities working in partnership with AAA wet mills.


• Any other duties assigned by the Coffee Program Manager.

Minimum Required skills and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in any of the following fields: agriculture, agronomy / crop science, horticulture or related agricultural sciences.


• Demonstrated professional work experience of at least four (4) years in the private / not-for-profit sector, two (2) of which working in the coffee sector with strong experience in the following areas:

1. Training smallholder farmers through a structured adult learning methodology.


2. Conducting farm assessments and audits, and advising farmers on solutions for improved adoption of agronomy best practices.


3. Developing and adapting training materials

• Well-developed computer skills ¡n Excel, Word and PowerPoint, with demonstrated experience in business analysis and modelling.


• Strong planning skills and experience working to deliver quality work outputs within strict time lines.


• Good interpersonal, collaborative and cross-cultural skills.


• Strong planning skills and ability to generate innovative solutions in highly dynamic work situations.


• Demonstrated ability to prepare and present well-written, cohesive analyses and reports.


• Strong written and oral communication skills in English and Kiswahili. Knowledge of local Kenyan languages is an advantage.


• Willingness to spend time living, working and travelling in project sites located rural areas.


• Possess a valid Kenyan driving license.

How to Apply:
 

Please submit your application (by email only) to [email protected] with the position title placed in the subject line. 

Please include

(1) cover letter describing your interest, 

(2) curriculum vitae 

(3) Current salary. 

Please include all requirements in a single document (pdf).

Applications will be treated confidentially. 

Deadline for applications is 13th November 2017. 

Note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
 

TechnoServe is an Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities, Females and Individuals with Disabilities.