Strategy & Proposal Development Program Officer

This position will be based in Nairobi, on a renewable three year term contract and will report to the Director Strategy, Monitoring and Evaluation.

Key responsibilities will include assisting in strategic program planning and facilitating alignment of programs to the strategy goal; periodically reviewing and facilitating the effective vertical and horizontal  integration of AGRA programs including at country level; exploring new opportunities for program integration; developing new proposals for fine-tuning existing programs and improving strategies and field implementation; assisting in identifying and creating synergies across interventions and developing integrated strategic plans across programs; liaising with smallholder farmer organizations and commodity associations in Africa; reviewing the alignment between the program objectives and strategies and recommending necessary revisions where necessary; identifying the need and drawing up the TOR for specific strategic studies and assisting program officers to identify and design specific parts of proposal developments; guiding and supervising organizations that are sub-contracted to implement special surveys or studies required for developing new programs and assessing effects and impacts; assessing field reports to determine possible implications for implementation and agree on corrective action with appropriate decision-makers; undertaking regular field visits; facilitating, acting as resource person and joining if required any external strategy missions; identifying and participating in additional networks that can benefit project implementation.

Applicants to this position should have an MSc degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics or other relevant field. A PhD will be an added advantage. The incumbent must also have at least five years of relevant experience in project designs and M&E. In addition, s/he should have 10 years professional experience, with at least 5 years in agricultural development and related fields as well as experience working with rural communities. S/he should also have experience of training and supervising teams of project officers and a willingness to undertake regular field visits and interact with different stakeholders.

For all the positions, the ideal candidates should have strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the ability to work both with autonomy and with a team in diverse cultural contexts. They should also have outstanding written and oral communication skills in both English and French except for the Strategy and Proposal Development Officer position, where knowledge of French is an added advantage. Proficiency in computers is essential. Attractive remuneration packages commensurate with the responsibilities of the positions will be negotiated with the right candidates. If you believe you can clearly demonstrate your abilities to meet the relevant criteria for these roles, please submit your application with a detailed CV, stating your current position, remuneration, e-mail and telephone contacts, quoting the relevant reference number on both application letter and envelope. To be considered your application must be received by 10th April 2009 addressed to:

The Director
Executive Selection Division
Deloitte Consulting Limited
“Kirungii”, Ring Road, Westlands
P O Box 40092 00100, Nairobi, KENYA
or by email: agra@deloitte.co.ke

Tel:  +254 20 423 0000
Fax: +254 20 444 8966

For more information, applicants can visit the AGRA web site www.agra-alliance.org.