Openings at Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Leads in strategic analysis and conceptualization of projects, services, and events in support of gender integration in AGRAs business line and cross cutting areas. 
• Leads in provision of technical assistance and backstopping in developing and delivery of technical advisory and integrated solutions in fulfillment of AGRAs technical services as per relevance and desired impact. 
• Identifies and monitors key trends and knowledge in gender in agricultural policies, continental frameworks such as CAADP and Biennial reviews, and any relevant country planning frameworks. 
• Guides implementing partners in the design and implementation of projects and grants that enhance the positioning of AGRAs gender integration plans, enhancing female farmers productivity and empowerment indicators.  
• Guides implementing partners in the design and implementation of projects that integrate gender and enhance the enabling policy and institutional environment for gender equity in agriculture. 
• Advocates for effective gender mainstreaming in agriculture, including building knowledge and evidence to improve effectiveness of AGRAs gender advocacy work. 
• Be an internal champion for AGRAs gender integration work and popularize the agenda with AGRAs teams, partners, and grantees.
• Devise Advocacy and knowledge agenda for improving the gender integration pathways for AGRAs workstreams.   
• Communicates results through written and verbal communication.
• Creates background documents, writes project reports, analysis, technical briefs, and presentations, often on short timelines.
• Plans and facilitates the delivery of programs and grants in close collaboration with workstream teams and country teams.
• Tracks and regularly provides intelligence on key trends and opportunities within the continent and across AGRA focus countries.
• Oversees the improved coordination and investment in gender within AGRAs work, supporting country teams to explore opportunities presented by other partners through concepts and proposals.  
• Develops and advises on the relevant tools for monitoring and evaluation (including WEAI) of the gender integration work, implement successes and advises when remedial actions are necessary.

Relevant Experience

• 10-15 years’ relevant experience working in various African countries on gender in agriculture (at analytical, policy and operational level), with experiences working in similar organizations or institutions 
• Program design, implementation and management, monitoring and evaluation working with gender in agriculture, working with governments and institutional partners, women networks, and civil society advocacy bodies.  
• Excellent track record in leading evidence-based analysis in the field of development, agribusiness, and gender-related issues.
• Demonstrable ability to work in complex work dynamics and challenges. Able to adapt rapidly to new technical areas.
• Experience in developing and managing strong partnerships and relationships inside and outside the organization, managing conflicts, and building consensus. Comfortably engages with senior decision makers within organization and constructively challenges colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.
• Experience of end-to-end project management, including scoping and design, resourcing, risk management and quality assurance.
• Good command of English, a working knowledge of French will be an advantage
• Excellent oral, facilitation, and written communication skills; works well in diverse teams, with efficiency and diplomacy.

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• Masters’ degree in gender, agriculture, sociology, political science, public policy, international relations, gender and development, or any other relevant discipline related to gender and rural development. (PhD is desirable).
• Deep knowledge of gender in agriculture, with expertise in gender in agricultural production, gender in rural productive asset ownership systems and power structures, policies governing asset ownership and institutional (formal and informal) roles in gendered access to resources, knowledge, and assets. Specific areas of considerations are gender in seed systems and sustainable agriculture, gender in policy, state planning instruments and gender-budgeting, Gender data and evidence building amongst key considerations in agriculture. 
• Solid knowledge of international, continental, and regional planning and investment frameworks relating to gender in agriculture, i.e., familiarity with CAADP and Biennial review frameworks, regional bodies influencing planning for equitable and inclusive investments in agriculture, markets and trade institutions and policies. 
• Good team working skills, ability to deliver high quality products under pressure.
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrable ability to engage government, development partners and private sector.

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Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Leads in strategic analysis and conceptualization of projects, services and events in support of women in agribusiness.
• Leads in provision of technical assistance and backstopping in developing and delivery of integrated business solutions and services to women agripreneurs in Africa, refining models of services as per relevance and desired impact. 
• Identifies and monitors key trends and contextual dynamics which the support to women in agribusiness enterprises in in Africa.
• Guides implementing partners in the design and implementation of projects and grants that enhance the positioning of women in agribusiness and agri-trade, agri-finance and an equitable business enabling environment.
• Guides implementing partners in the design and implementation of projects that enhance women agripreneurship.
• Advocates for partnerships between women networks, governments and agribusinesses to upgrade women’s agri-businesses, to boost trade and market opportunities for increased viability and profitability. Mobilizes service providers to strengthen the VALUE4HER platform services to increase buy in from actors and women members.
• Advises women in agriculture stakeholders on needs and opportunities for women in agricultural market trade policies, finance, and investment opportunities and enabling an equitable business environment 
• Builds partnership with inclusive markets team and all other teams in AGRA to better leverage capabilities and investments to boost impact for women in agribusiness.
• Devise Advocacy and knowledge agenda for the initiative, lead the development of research and insights, useful for advocacy and improving the growth pathways for women’s agribusinesses.  
• Communicates results through written and verbal communication.
• Oversees the initial assessment of the Vaue4Her initiative and design of business case, and delivery of strategic implementation plan.  
• Creates background documents, analysis, briefs and presentations, often on short timelines.
• Plans and facilitates the delivery of programs and grants in fulfilment of VALUE4HER objectives.
• Tracks and regularly provides intelligence on key trends and opportunities within the continent and across AGRA focus countries.
• Oversees the improved coordination and investment in the VALUE4HER initiative and the women agripreneur networks in country and across the continent. 
• Develops the relevant tools for monitoring and evaluation of the initiative, implements successes and advises when remedial actions are necessary.

Relevant Experience

• Minimum 8-10 years’ experience working in various African countries in program design implementation and management working with women in agriculture networks, private sector government, development partners or other such institutions. 
• Experience in a management consulting firm in the broad field of strategy and/or other related areas (business efficiency, performance improvement, organizational change, business and sector intelligence, stakeholder engagement etc.) will be an added advantage.
• Extensive experience in markets and private sector engagement with agricultural systems targeting women. 
• Good command of English, a working knowledge of French will be an advantage.
• Aware of the new opportunities and priorities for agriculture development to both internal and external audiences.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work and meet deadlines within a fast-paced environment with multiple competing demands.
• Demonstrable ability to work in complex work dynamics and challenges. Able to adapt rapidly to new technical areas.
• Ability to deliver high quality products under pressure.
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrable ability to engage government, development partners and private sector.
• Experience in developing and managing strong partnerships and relationships inside and outside the organization, managing conflicts, and building consensus. Comfortably engages with senior decision makers within organization and constructively challenges colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.
• Experience of end-to-end project management, including scoping and design, resourcing, risk management and quality assurance.
• Good team working skills.
• Excellent oral, facilitation, and written communication skills; works well in diverse teams, with efficiency and diplomacy.

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• Masters’ degree in agribusiness, agricultural economics, gender economics, gender in agriculture, finance and investments or other relevant disciplines related to gender, agricultural or agribusiness development.
• Deep knowledge of women’s economic empowerment and market systems development and the demonstrated ability to catalyze change in addressing challenges faced by women.
• Solid knowledge of international, continental, and regional gender in markets policies and trade institutions.
• Possesses a good understanding of agriculture market development efforts in public, private and donor sectors in Africa.