SNV is a not-for-profit international development organization that applies practical know-how to make a lasting difference in the lives of people living in poverty. We use our extensive and long-term in-country presence to apply and adapt our top-notch expertise in agriculture, energy, and WASH to local contexts. SNV has an annual turnover of €130 million, over 1,250 staff in more than 25 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. We are proud to be a not-for-profit organization that uses project financing to implement our mission. This requires us to work efficiently and to invest in operational excellence.

In its current Strategic Plan period (2019 – 2022), SNV will more explicitly aim for systems change during project preparation and implementation - by strengthening institutions and kick-starting markets that help many more to escape poverty beyond our projects. We will continue to position ourselves as a premium organization, with decentralized management.

For more information on our operations in Kenya and SNV generally visit our website: www.snv.org

The Veggies for Planet & People (V4P&P) is a five-year project (2020-2025) being implemented by SNV, the Netherlands Development Organisation and the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) with the support of IKEA Foundation. The project is implemented in two countries: Ethiopia and Kenya.

The overall project objectives are:

1. To create jobs and income, particularly for youth and women, in the vegetable sector in Ethiopia and Kenya
2. To improve environmental and human health through safe production of vegetables.

The project will achieve these objectives by establishing 200 Vegetable Business Networks (VBNs) (120 in Kenya, 80 in Ethiopia) to engage an estimated 4000 women and youth in market activities designed to improve their livelihoods and diets.

The V4P&P project has four main outcome areas:

1. Identification, assessment and strengthening of Vegetable Business Networks (VBNs)
2. Promotion of use of regenerative and circular technologies in vegetable production
3. Building of strong commercial vegetable seed systems
4. Awareness and demand creation for sustainable technologies, business services, seeds, other inputs, and safe vegetables and vegetable products.

The project uses an action-oriented approach in which new tools and technologies are developed, piloted, and scaled through Vegetable Business Networks (VBNs). The VBNs are platforms for networking and boosting the functioning of food systems as well as through public and private sector partners. VBNs are composed of farmer groups, agrodealers, input distributors, irrigation service providers, government bodies, financial service providers, other business support services and consumers.

The Project Officer will work within the Veggies for Planet and People project team and report to the Project Manager.

Key Responsibilities

• Developing Vegetable Business Networks within the counties of focus
• Develop the various KPI metrics with the VBNs based on the Veggies framework in measurement and reporting on jobs and income created among the VBNs.
• Implementation of capacity development interventions for VBNs in the vegetable growing enterprises with regards to regenerative practices and enterprise development
• Coaching and mentoring of VBNs with the aim of scaling farm and value chain enterprises Stakeholder Mapping and Selection; selection of model farmers, farmers, input suppliers, product up-takers and other service providers based agreed criteria
• Designing vegetable production and business models fitting to the job creation ecosystem
• Training of VBN farmers on vegetable production and marketing models
• Facilitating farmer learning and knowledge development through field days and exchange visits.
• Supporting establishment/strengthening farmer aggregation and marketing enterprises
• Coordinate and foster collaboration with food system actors such as private sector players, regulatory bodies, county and national governments as well as other implementing organisations
• Contribute to planning, monitoring, and learning within the project by developing knowledge products, facilitating cross learning between projects both internally and externally and documentation of lessons learnt and best practices
• Provide support to link project activities with the Agri-food sector as well as nexus coordination with the other SNV sectors
• Profile and position SNV towards potentially interested donors for vegetable enterprise development beyond for the specific theme and ensure additional funding through submission of successful proposals.
• Preparing high quality project reports

• Degree in a relevant discipline; Agribusiness, Horticulture, Business Studies, Entrepreneurship; Master’s degree will be an added advantage.
• Thorough and up to date knowledge of academic and donor thinking in the respective thematic field like youth employment and enterprise development, regenerative agriculture/agroecology.
• Five (5) years’ work experience in an international (development) organization and sound experience in thematic area of working with smallholder farmers on vegetable production and markets.
• Experience working in Western region of Kenya
• Technical knowledge and familiarity in specific topics of value chain development for small holder farmer’s production, markets, food safety, food losses, resilience etc.
• Skills in food system approaches and value chain development processes; including stakeholder engagement; the public sector actors, research institutions, private sector and consumer organisations.
• Experience with strengthening of farmer organizations and MSMEs                                          
• Demonstrated ability to successfully work in a multicultural team.
• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills and experience working in a matrix organization;
• Ability to travel to project locations often.

Contract Duration: 2 years with possibility of extension.

Desired start date:ASAP

Qualified and interested candidates are invited to send their applications (Cover letter and CV) through the "I'M INTERESTED" tab on this page on or before 30th September 2022.

NB:

•    Only applications that meet the above criteria will be considered.
•    We do not appreciate third-party mediation based on this advertisement.
•    Applicants are not required to undertake any medical checks before selection or pay any money at any stage of the recruitment process.