Research and Partnerships Manager / Director

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

We are seeking an experienced evaluation professional to lead our Research and partnerships work at One Acre Fund.

Responsibilities

Research

• Manage 2-4 long-term research studies that are of the highest strategic priority to our organization. These studies may be implemented internally by One Acre Fund and/or by an external organization.
• Dig into existing One Acre Fund research to allow the Office of the CEO and the business development team to make strategic plans around where to invest in program growth. This will be complementary to the annual impact assessments that the internal Monitoring and Evaluation team conduct.
• Prepare concise reports and dashboards to consolidate what is known internally about our client farmers and program impact.
• Coordinate with Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) teams when needed to collect and report on outcomes that are of high interest to donors.
• Expand our internal research agenda. Identify holes in what we know about Impact and suggest solutions or studies to deepen our understanding.
• Create a plan to build One Acre Fund's research profile. This may involve creating a robust dissemination strategy of our existing research or conducting activities that highlight ongoing research at One Acre Fund.

Partnerships

• Main measurement and evaluation related liaison for external research and evaluation partners.
• Represent One Acre Fund and our impact measurement work in donor and external facing meetings and presentations.
• Provide facts and data to the Business Development team that has been validated by the primary data collection undertaken by our teams.

Staff

• Mentor the in-country Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning teams on performance and technical issues.
• Potentially manage 1-2 staff members as the portfolio for this role grows.

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, you will have:

• 7 to 10+ years of academic or professional experience developing evaluations/research and analyzing findings.
• Successful track record in complex research and evaluation projects (e.g. high-level data analysis, an experience of data collection, field team management).
• Knowledge of evaluation concepts and mastery of experimental and quasi-experimental evaluation designs.
• Master communicator with an eye for design and visual presentation.
• Experience in engaging with multiple partners diplomatically and build meaningful strategic relationships.
• Data analysis skills such as regressions, propensity score matching, difference in difference design
• Knowledge of statistical software (e.g. Stata, R, Advanced Excel (can maintain complex spreadsheets)).
• Master's degree in a related field is required. PhD is a plus.
• Humility and personal stability.

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

1 September 2022

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.

Once a month, you'll receive a roundup of our latest news and job opportunities. 

Help us personalize your experience by telling us a little about yourself.