Private-sector style career development in a growing
social enterprise
An excellent career development opportunity
social enterprise
An excellent career development opportunity
Industry: Nonprofit/International Development
Function: Policy Innovation and Implementation
Employer: One Acre Fund
Job Title: Policy Innovation Officer
Job Location: Bahir Dar, Ethiopia or Rubengera, Rwanda, and Zomba, Malawi
(other rural postings possible)
Function: Policy Innovation and Implementation
Employer: One Acre Fund
Job Title: Policy Innovation Officer
Job Location: Bahir Dar, Ethiopia or Rubengera, Rwanda, and Zomba, Malawi
(other rural postings possible)
Duration: Minimum 2 years commitment, full-time job
Organization 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
growing NGO in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania that is innovating a new
way of helping farm families to achieve their full potential. Instead of giving
handouts, One Acre Fund 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 50-100% average gain in farm income per acre. We have laser-like focus
on generating better lives for the people that we serve.
largest and most uniform group of poor people in the world. One Acre Fund is a
growing NGO in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania that is innovating a new
way of helping farm families to achieve their full potential. Instead of giving
handouts, One Acre Fund 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 50-100% 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 eight years, we have grown
to serve 180,000 farm families with more than 2000 full-time field staff. Our
approach has won widespread validation, winning grants from The MasterCard
Foundation and Gates Foundation.
to serve 180,000 farm families with more than 2000 full-time field staff. Our
approach has won widespread validation, winning grants from The MasterCard
Foundation and Gates Foundation.
Website: www.oneacrefund.org.
Job Description One Acre Fund
believes that policy is all about implementation. No matter how good or
bad the policy, its execution on the ground is what changes lives.
believes that policy is all about implementation. No matter how good or
bad the policy, its execution on the ground is what changes lives.
To help craft policies, which work on the ground, we
are starting a new Government Services unit which is working together with
regional and national partners to support government-led policy initiatives in
agriculture. Following the lead of host governments, we support them with field
implementation that changes the lives of millions of people. Our long-term goal
is to help government to transform the agricultural ecosystems of whole
countries. These projects generally utilize our existing field expertise in
farm input distribution, rural mass marketing, and scalable training programs.
are starting a new Government Services unit which is working together with
regional and national partners to support government-led policy initiatives in
agriculture. Following the lead of host governments, we support them with field
implementation that changes the lives of millions of people. Our long-term goal
is to help government to transform the agricultural ecosystems of whole
countries. These projects generally utilize our existing field expertise in
farm input distribution, rural mass marketing, and scalable training programs.
For these initiatives, we need both skilled Government
Relations staff (see, for example, our Africa Government Officer posting) and
also entrepreneurial field staff based in rural areas to focus on
implementation.
Relations staff (see, for example, our Africa Government Officer posting) and
also entrepreneurial field staff based in rural areas to focus on
implementation.
· Regional and National Strategy Design: The Policy
Innovation Officer will work with other One Acre Fund staff and high-level
government officials to develop ideas to improve livelihoods of smallholder
farmers and the efficiency of the agricultural sector.
Innovation Officer will work with other One Acre Fund staff and high-level
government officials to develop ideas to improve livelihoods of smallholder
farmers and the efficiency of the agricultural sector.
· Program Implementation: The Policy Innovation
Officer will roll out region-wide and eventually nationwide programs. Examples
of past projects include a farm input system that delivers seed and fertilizer
to several hundred thousand farm families; farm input marketing programs for
similar numbers; and training support for 10,000+ extension agents.
Officer will roll out region-wide and eventually nationwide programs. Examples
of past projects include a farm input system that delivers seed and fertilizer
to several hundred thousand farm families; farm input marketing programs for
similar numbers; and training support for 10,000+ extension agents.
· Team Management: The Policy Innovation Officer will
screen, hire, and develop a staff of 30-150 full-time country national staff,
depending on the project, to support scaled implementation.
screen, hire, and develop a staff of 30-150 full-time country national staff,
depending on the project, to support scaled implementation.
· Innovation Trials: The Policy Innovation Officer
will conduct an ambitious slate of trials within several districts, in order to
discover new and effective mechanisms for promoting mass agricultural
training—and to identify promising interventions One Acre Fund could scale-up
across its entire network of smallholder farmers.
will conduct an ambitious slate of trials within several districts, in order to
discover new and effective mechanisms for promoting mass agricultural
training—and to identify promising interventions One Acre Fund could scale-up
across its entire network of smallholder farmers.
· Collaboration with Key Officials: The Policy
Innovation Officer will update high-level officials in the ministry of
agriculture on a regular basis. The Policy Innovation Officer will also
collaborate with important leaders at partner institutions.
Innovation Officer will update high-level officials in the ministry of
agriculture on a regular basis. The Policy Innovation Officer will also
collaborate with important leaders at partner institutions.
Career Growth and Development
One Acre Fund invests in building management and
leadership skills. Your manager will invest significant time in your career
development. We provide constant, actionable feedback delivered through
mentorship and through regular management consulting-style 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. This results
in fast career growth for our staff.
leadership skills. Your manager will invest significant time in your career
development. We provide constant, actionable feedback delivered through
mentorship and through regular management consulting-style 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. This results
in fast career growth for our staff.
Qualifications
To start up and build this new team, we are seeking
exceptional professionals with 2 to 5+ years of work experience. We are looking
for truly extraordinary candidates who will help governments achieve the next
levels of impact. Only 3% of applicants make it to a phone screen. Candidates
who fit the following criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:
exceptional professionals with 2 to 5+ years of work experience. We are looking
for truly extraordinary candidates who will help governments achieve the next
levels of impact. Only 3% of applicants make it to a phone screen. Candidates
who fit the following criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:
· Strong operational work experiences. We are looking
for strong leaders with direct operating experience, ideally of an entrepreneurial
and unstructured nature.
for strong leaders with direct operating experience, ideally of an entrepreneurial
and unstructured nature.
· Intelligence, creativity, and a desire to make
things work. We need people to develop creative ideas to improve the quality of
government services, who can then get out to the field and figure out how to
make these ideas work in practice.
things work. We need people to develop creative ideas to improve the quality of
government services, who can then get out to the field and figure out how to
make these ideas work in practice.
· Leadership experiences at work, or outside of work.
· Top-performing undergraduate background (please
include GPA and test scores on your resume).
include GPA and test scores on your resume).
· Humility and personal stability. We are looking for
passionate professionals who combine strong leadership skills with good humor,
patience, and a humble approach to service.
passionate professionals who combine strong leadership skills with good humor,
patience, and a humble approach to service.
· A willingness to commit to living in 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.
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.
· Professional/technical skills—high levels of
proficiency with PowerPoint, Excel and other software programs.
proficiency with PowerPoint, Excel and other software programs.
· Language: Ethiopia—English required, Amharic
desirable; Rwanda—English and French required.
desirable; Rwanda—English and French required.
Preferred Start Date
Flexible
Compensation
Starts modest. However, this is a career-track role
with fast raises for performance, paying a meaningful salary for long-term
placement in developing nations.
with fast raises for performance, paying a meaningful salary for long-term
placement in developing nations.
Benefits
Health insurance, immunizations, flight, room and
board.
board.
Sponsor International Candidates
Yes
How to apply:
Complete this form (http://myjotform.com/form/40471746260553).
You will be prompted to submit your CV and cover letter. You may also be asked
to submit work samples for some positions. Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
(RPCVs), please submit a copy of your Description of Service (DOS) in the
appropriate section.
You will be prompted to submit your CV and cover letter. You may also be asked
to submit work samples for some positions. Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
(RPCVs), please submit a copy of your Description of Service (DOS) in the
appropriate section.