Impact Division Chief of Staff (Manager)

About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund supplies 1 million smallholder farmers with the agricultural services they need to make their farms vastly more productive. Our 8,000+ team is drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. With operations across six core countries in Africa, we make farmers more prosperous by providing quality farm supplies on credit, delivered within walking distance of farmers’ homes, and agricultural training to improve harvests. On average, the farmers we serve harvest 50 percent more food after working with One Acre Fund. 

To learn more about our work, take a look at our Why Work Here blog for more information.

About the Role

The Impact Division supports all One Acre Fund programs to generate more impact, wherever we work. It comprises many functions including Agricultural Research, Extension, Agroforestry, MEL, Insurance, Nutrition, and Payments for Ecosystem Services.

We are looking for an exceptional collaborator to 1) improve coordination of many different actors to implement our Impact Strategy, 2) increase the reach and effectiveness of Impact Division leadership, and 3) lead strategic research, communications, or operational initiatives.  Additionally the Division Manager will represent the Impact Director internally and externally to further increase access to leadership.

The Chief of Staff will report to the Global Director of the Impact Division.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate Implementation of Impact Strategy
  • Lead annual impact goal-setting, aligned with our long-term impact strategy.
  • Track progress against the impact strategy, annual goals, interim milestones, and other organizational indicators.  
  • Coordination across Impact Division: Ensure fluid collaboration between technical support teams and operational teams through clear work planning and frequent communication.
• Increase the reach of Impact leadership:
  • Support Impact Director to free up 20% of time to focus on what’s most important.
  • Conduct regular prioritization reviews with division leadership to ensure we’re focused on the right areas.
  • Represent Impact Director internally in cross-department meetings or projects.  Be a “whip” to prepare for meetings or move complex projects forward.
  • Represent Impact Director externally by following up on partnerships and early stage opportunities.  
  • Take on direct management responsibilities from division leadership, as appropriate.
  • Prepare work deliverables (email/memo drafts, concept notes, slide-decks, research).
• Lead strategic Initiatives
  • Lead high-priority research or operational initiatives. Specific projects will depend on your background and interests, organizational priorities, team bandwidth, and timing. 
  • For example, you may: lead an impact-focused internal campaign; research a new technology or partnership; launch team-building and culture initiatives; improve impact communications or Q&A forums; temporarily fill critical leadership gaps; support recruitment and onboarding.

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, we are seeking an impact-oriented professional with 6+ years of relevant work experience, with at least 2 years of experience in management roles that required strategic leadership experience. Candidates who fit the following criteria are encouraged to apply:

• Passion for enabling others to succeed
  • Genuine passion for sustainably improving farmer livelihoods.
  • Motivated by helping others.  This role isn’t about individual achievements but about supporting teams across One Acre Fund to achieve our common mission.
• Ag/Development Research Skillset
  • University (or higher) degree in Agriculture or a related field (e.g. Ecology, Environmental Science).
  • Proficiency in Excel (maintaining complex spreadsheets) required. Experience with study design and analysis preferred.
  • Enthusiasm for learning and an openness to new ideas.
• Collaborative Leadership
  • Proficient in understanding the motivations and capacities of people from diverse backgrounds to bring them together to collaborate effectively.
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication across a wide range of audiences - from non-technically-trained colleagues to external experts.  
  • Demonstrated leadership experience, whether at work or outside of formal employment.
• Productivity
  • Demonstrated project management skills and an ability to move multiple complex projects towards concrete outcomes.
  • Systematic thinker, able to track dozens of diverse tasks and initiatives.
  • Insistence on high quality outputs, practical design, and efficiency.
• Other requirements
  • English required.  Swahili, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, or French a plus.
  • Willingness to travel within East Africa

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Kigali, Rwanda, or  Nairobi, Kenya

Benefits

Health insurance, housing, and comprehensive benefits

Eligibility

One Acre Fund can support a work permit for this role. However, nationals of (or those with an extensive professional background and work history in) our countries of operation are preferred.

Application Deadline

22 December 2024. Please note that we hire on a rolling basis which means that applications are reviewed and processed on a continuous basis until a hire is made.

One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @oneacrefund.org address. Please report any suspicious communication here (globalhotline@oneacrefund.org), but do not send applications or application materials to this email address.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism are deeply connected to our organization’s mission and purpose. One Acre Fund aspires to build a culture where all staff feel consistently valued, represented, and connected – so that our team can thrive as professionals, and achieve exceptional impact for the farmers we serve.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.