Friday, December 16, 2011

ONE ACRE FUND LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICERS JOBS IN KISII AND BUNGOMA

Industry: Nonprofit / International Development / Agriculture / Microfinance

Function: Local Government Officer (two vacancies)

Employer: One Acre Fund

Job Location: Bungoma and Kisii

Commitment: Long Term Career Position

Organization Description

One Acre Fund is an agricultural NGO in Kenya, Rwanda, and Burundi that is innovating a new way of helping farm families to achieve their full potential. One Acre invests in farmers to generate a permanent gain in farm income.

We provide farmers with a "market bundle" that includes education, finance, seed and fertilizer, and market access. Our program is proven impactful – every year, we weigh thousands of harvests and measure more than 100% average gain in farm income per acre.

We are growing quickly. In five years, we have grown to serve 70,000 farm families with more than 500 full-time field staff.

Job Description

One Acre Fund is a rapidly growing organization; increasing the number of sub-locations, districts, and members we serve in each year.

We are seeking two local government officers to serve as: a first point of contact for local officials; an administrator for reports and meetings; a resource for risks and issues involving local officials. They would begin engaging with local government officials through district meetings and forums (DAC, DDC, and DSHF) in Bungoma and Kisii.

This role would report to the government relations analyst and demonstrate a strong understanding of local government structures, have an interest in agriculture, be prepared to travel regularly in western Kenya, and be an effective communicator. The role requires someone with IT skills, and a diploma or undergraduate degree.

Primary Duties of the Local Government Officer
  • Draft reports for new district introductions and quarterly operations updates, in consultation with FDs
  • Arrange new district introduction meetings and track operations meetings
  • Gather information on the activities of government and other non-state actors at the local level
  • Track risks and issues emanating from local officials that affect 1AF’s operations, and coordinate resolutions
  • Report back to operations staff on local government relations, including risk/issue reporting
  • Draft responses to local officials, in consultation with FDs, following reports on risks/issues
  • Maintain key local government official contacts database and track interactions
  • Provide 1AF field staff training on building relations with local officials
  • Provide updates on local government relations at FD meetings
  • Coordinate 1AF involvement in district shows and arrange field days and DAO functions
  • Manage local government engagement budget
If you have these skills and experiences in these areas, please highlight them on your cover letter and resume.

Career Growth and Development

One Acre Fund invests in building management and leadership skills. We provide constant, actionable feedback delivered through weekly mentorship and through regular career reviews. We also have regular one-on-one meetings, where we listen to and discuss career goals, and work collaboratively to craft roles that each person can be passionate about.

Qualifications

We are seeking exceptional professionals with a minimum of three years of work experience, and a demonstrated long-term passion for sustainable agricultural development in Kenya.

We are looking for extraordinary candidates that are proactive; please only apply if you fit these criteria:
  • Strong work experiences: Examples include a demanding professional work experience in business or NGO’s, or successful entrepreneurial experience.
  • Leadership experience at work, or outside of work: Demonstrated experience leading a team and managing other people.
  • Proven ability to set and meet targets on the job
  • Clear communicator/mentor
  • Proactively solve problems
  • Top-performing diploma or undergraduate degree in social sciences, administration, finance, accounting, agriculture or other relevant fields, from a recognized college or university (please include grades and test scores)
  • Minimum C+ in KCSE or equivalent
  • Integrity and a positive attitude
  • Demonstrated computer skills in email, internet usage, Microsoft Office
  • High quality work with a strong attention to detail
  • A willingness to commit to living in Bungoma or Kisii for a long term position
  • Languages: Fluent in Kiswahili and English required
  • Passionate about serving smallholder farmers
Please highlight the following skills if you have them
  • Experience working in agriculture and/or rural development
  • Experience in dealing with government officials at local and national levels
  • Experience in producing neat and timely reports for internal and external audiences
  • Experience in communications across project teams, including coordination of meetings and memos
Timeline: Resumes should be submitted by Dec. 30th.

We will begin interviews in January and plan to have new officers begin in February.

Compensation: Competitive Salary with Performance Based Incentives

Benefits: NSSF and NHIF, airtime and small transportation allowances

Career development: Twice annual career reviews and constant feedback. Your manager will invest significant time in your career development.

One Acre Fund is an equal opportunity employer.

To Apply

Email cover letter and resume to kenyajobs@oneacrefund.org (Subject line: Local Government Officer + the place you heard of the position) and include salary expectations.