RTI is currently seeking qualified candidates for a Senior Agricultural Policy & Institutional Capacity Building Specialist position on the USAID-funded Feed the Future Crop and Dairy Market Systems Development Activity. The goal of the activity is to improve productivity and incomes of smallholder Kenyan farmers and strengthen market systems. The Senior Agricultural Policy & Institutional Capacity Building Specialist is responsible for leading Priority Area 3, Policy Environment for Market Systems Development. He or she will facilitate public-private dialogue forums, engaging public sector stakeholders, including county governments, to and improve national and county level policy formulation related to target value chains. This position will be in Nairobi, Kenya, with frequent travel to Western and Eastern Kenya.
Responsibilities:
Support initial value chain assessment and strategy development, including serving as the primary liaison for RTI home office governance short-term technical experts
Develop and maintain relationships with national and county level public and private sector stakeholders in agriculture sectors
Lead the project’s strategy for working through county governments and improving policy formulation processes
Facilitate public-private dialogue between county governments and private agribusinesses
Develop, adapt, and oversee implementation of governance self-assessment and participatory tools
Build capacity of county governments to make productive investments in agriculture and utilize data to drive decision-making; Provide ongoing support to government counterparts to implement action plans and evaluate investments; Organize cross-county learning and exposure visits.
Train local partners as service providers for the public sector
Lead interventions to improve accountability of public sector agricultural service delivery
Design and lead capacity building interventions for national-level private sector associations to analyze and advocate for enabling policies.
Oversee grant making related to project Priority Area 3
Manage a team of approximately 3 staff based in regional hubs (Eldoret, Kisumu, and TBD Eastern)
Minimum Qualifications:
Master’s degree in public administration, economics, business, agricultural or rural development and at least 9 years of experience in agricultural policy or market systems projects;
Experience in economic growth, agricultural development, or governance programs is required.
Demonstrated understanding of private sector agribusiness and investment; Knowledge of market facilitation approach (or M4P) is preferred.
Demonstrated knowledge of Kenyan agricultural policy environment, including county-integrated development plans, food safety standards, traceability systems, seed and fertilizer policies, and animal feed policies.
Demonstrated success building relationships with Kenyan government and private sector stakeholders.
Knowledge of global best practices for local governance and accountability.
Experience with organizational capacity assessments and institutional capacity strengthening.
Experience in Kenya is required.
Experience with USAID grant-making is preferred.
Ability to build consensus and demonstrated ability to recruit and develop high performing teams; demonstrated ability to manage international and national staff.
Experience and demonstrated capacity to build and sustain partnerships to achieve development results.
Excellent oral and written skills in English. Fluency in Kiswahili preferred.
Demonstrated ability to be collaborative across projects, flexible and creative.
Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills.
