Job description
Organization
Description
Description
Most
of the world’s poor are farmers, representing the largest and most uniform
group of poor people in the world. One Acre Fund is a start-up NGO in Kenya,
Rwanda, and Burundi that is innovating a new way of helping farm families to
achieve their full potential. Instead of giving handouts, 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 have laser-like focus on generating better lives for the
people that we serve.
of the world’s poor are farmers, representing the largest and most uniform
group of poor people in the world. One Acre Fund is a start-up NGO in Kenya,
Rwanda, and Burundi that is innovating a new way of helping farm families to
achieve their full potential. Instead of giving handouts, 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 have laser-like focus on generating better lives for the
people that we serve.
We
are growing quickly. In five years, we have grown to serve 135,000 farm
families with more than 1400 full-time field staff. In three more years, we
will at least quadruple in size, while adding several new countries. Our
approach has won widespread validation, winning grants from the highly
competitive Echoing Green and Skoll Foundations, and the global Financial
Times/ IFC award for “basic needs financing” in 2010 and 2011.
Website: www.oneacrefund.org
are growing quickly. In five years, we have grown to serve 135,000 farm
families with more than 1400 full-time field staff. In three more years, we
will at least quadruple in size, while adding several new countries. Our
approach has won widespread validation, winning grants from the highly
competitive Echoing Green and Skoll Foundations, and the global Financial
Times/ IFC award for “basic needs financing” in 2010 and 2011.
Website: www.oneacrefund.org
Job
Description
Description
Rapid
organization growth translates into great career opportunities for our staff.
We invest heavily in careers – we want to develop our next group of country
directors, R&D directors, and partnership leaders. In their first year,
our program associates lead 3-5 internal consulting projects, such as:
organization growth translates into great career opportunities for our staff.
We invest heavily in careers – we want to develop our next group of country
directors, R&D directors, and partnership leaders. In their first year,
our program associates lead 3-5 internal consulting projects, such as:
–
Impact innovation: A program associate recently designed a new harvest storage
product and farmer training, and tried it with a few hundred farmers. The trial
demonstrated an increase in harvest profits by more than 10%. Next year, we
expect to sell this product to over 40,000 farmers.
Impact innovation: A program associate recently designed a new harvest storage
product and farmer training, and tried it with a few hundred farmers. The trial
demonstrated an increase in harvest profits by more than 10%. Next year, we
expect to sell this product to over 40,000 farmers.
–
Growth innovation: A staffer recently designed a new viral marketing
initiative. She identified our best and most enthusiastic farmers, and turned
them into volunteer “replication agents” who are empowered to recruit
new groups of farmers. Our staff person designed the trial protocols, trained
10 field staff to test the idea, and observed the trial in-field, resulting in
25% higher client enrollment. We are now rolling this out across more than 200
field sites.
Growth innovation: A staffer recently designed a new viral marketing
initiative. She identified our best and most enthusiastic farmers, and turned
them into volunteer “replication agents” who are empowered to recruit
new groups of farmers. Our staff person designed the trial protocols, trained
10 field staff to test the idea, and observed the trial in-field, resulting in
25% higher client enrollment. We are now rolling this out across more than 200
field sites.
–
Operations rotation: In addition to internal consulting projects, program
associates also spend time paired with a regular “operating unit,”
which has 50+ staff. This is an opportunity to observe how regular operations
work, while also building leadership skills by mentoring a larger number of
staff.
Operations rotation: In addition to internal consulting projects, program
associates also spend time paired with a regular “operating unit,”
which has 50+ staff. This is an opportunity to observe how regular operations
work, while also building leadership skills by mentoring a larger number of
staff.
In
their second year,
our strongest performers take leadership over a relatively independent pilot
within the One Acre Fund network, while earning a significant and sustainable
salary increase. Examples include:
their second year,
our strongest performers take leadership over a relatively independent pilot
within the One Acre Fund network, while earning a significant and sustainable
salary increase. Examples include:
–
Burundi: One Acre Fund plans to launch one new country per year, for the next
five years. A program manager moved to Burundi early in 2011 to direct field
operations for an initial 400-farmer pilot. Six months later, that pilot is now
being quadrupled in size and is our newest country launch.
Burundi: One Acre Fund plans to launch one new country per year, for the next
five years. A program manager moved to Burundi early in 2011 to direct field
operations for an initial 400-farmer pilot. Six months later, that pilot is now
being quadrupled in size and is our newest country launch.
–
Farmers United: One of our program managers piloted an innovative trial in a
new area of Kenya. This trial helps farmers to save up for farm inputs over
time, in addition to taking loans, and has high potential to scale rapidly.
Over two years, he has created a field organization of 80 staff from scratch.
His organization, called “Farmers United,” cooperates closely with
our existing field units, but also operates with a high degree of independence
within the One Acre Fund umbrella.
Farmers United: One of our program managers piloted an innovative trial in a
new area of Kenya. This trial helps farmers to save up for farm inputs over
time, in addition to taking loans, and has high potential to scale rapidly.
Over two years, he has created a field organization of 80 staff from scratch.
His organization, called “Farmers United,” cooperates closely with
our existing field units, but also operates with a high degree of independence
within the One Acre Fund umbrella.
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. Because
of our rapid growth, we constantly have new high-level roles opening up and
opportunities in many functions and countries. This results in fast career
growth for our staff.
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. Because
of our rapid growth, we constantly have new high-level roles opening up and
opportunities in many functions and countries. This results in fast career
growth for our staff.
Qualifications
We
are seeking exceptional professionals with 2 to 5+ years of work experience,
and a demonstrated long-term passion for international development. They will
serve in a career-track position that combines both field and management
experience.
are seeking exceptional professionals with 2 to 5+ years of work experience,
and a demonstrated long-term passion for international development. They will
serve in a career-track position that combines both field and management
experience.
We
are looking for truly extraordinary candidates that will help take our
organization to the next levels of impact and scale. This is a competitive
posting for a career-track role with minimum initial commitment of two years.
Candidates who fit the following criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:
are looking for truly extraordinary candidates that will help take our
organization to the next levels of impact and scale. This is a competitive
posting for a career-track role with minimum initial commitment of two years.
Candidates who fit the following criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:
- Strong
work experiences. Examples include a demanding professional work
experience, or successful entrepreneurial experience (e.g. starting a
field program in a developing country, leading a conference, starting a
business, solid Peace Corps accomplishments) - Leadership
experience at work, or outside of work - Top-performing
undergraduate background (please include GPA and test scores on your
resume) - Humility
and personal stability. We have a fantastic and likeable team. We are
looking for passionate professionals that combine strong leadership skills
with good humor, patience, and a humble approach to service - A
willingness to commit to living in rural areas of East Africa for
at least two years – this is a long-term, career-track role. The ideal
candidate will have at least one year demonstrated experience
working in the developing world, although this is not a strict requirement
- Language:
English & French fluency required - Ability
to cook/ laugh – desirable
Preferred
Start Date:
Flexible
Start Date:
Flexible
Compensation: Starts very modest.
However, this is a career-track role with fast raises for performance, paying a
meaningful salary for long-term placement in developing nations.
However, this is a career-track role with fast raises for performance, paying a
meaningful salary for long-term placement in developing nations.
Benefits: Health cover,
immunizations, flight, room and board.
immunizations, flight, room and board.
Career
development:
Quarterly management consulting-style career reviews and constant feedback.
Your manager will invest significant time in your career development.
development:
Quarterly management consulting-style career reviews and constant feedback.
Your manager will invest significant time in your career development.
Sponsor
International Candidates: Yes
International Candidates: Yes
How to apply
To
Apply
Apply
- Complete
this form. - Email
cover letter and resume to jobs@oneacrefund.org (Subject line:
“Program Associate Rwanda Search” + name of the site that
referred you). - If
you are a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV), please submit a copy of
your Description of Service (DOS).