African Agricultural Technology
Foundation (AATF)
Job Vacancy: Project
Manager – Open Forum on Agricultural
Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB)
Location: Nairobi
About African Agricultural Technology
Foundation (AATF)
The African Agricultural Technology
Foundation (AATF) is an international not-for-profit organisation that
facilitates and promotes public/private partnerships to promote food security
and enhance livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
The foundation is driven by the
vision of prosperous and food secure Africa, where the livelihoods of
smallholder farmers are transformed through innovative and practical
agricultural technologies capable of addressing their farm productivity
constraints and delivering results.
Founded in 2003, AATF works with
African governments, private and public technology owners and developers, NGOs,
seed companies and African farmers to identify and access technologies that
address farmers’ key problems and empower them through availability of a choice
of agricultural innovations that generate wealth and health for their families
and communities.
You can find further details on AATF
from their website: https://www.aatf-africa.org/.
Role Profile: Project Manager – Open Forum on
Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB)
The Open Forum on Agricultural
Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB) is an advocacy initiative aimed at facilitating
the flow of information from the scientific community to policy makers and the
public.
Launched in 2006, OFAB provides a
community platform that works to enhance knowledge-sharing and awareness on
biotechnology to raise understanding and appreciation of agricultural
biotechnology and contribute to building an enabling environment for sound
decision making.
The OFAB Project works with partners
and collaborator in the seven countries to design and deliver its campaigns and
influencing work on the continent. As head of the Project Secretariat, the OFAB
Project Manager will provide strategic leadership of OFAB’s advocacy, campaigns
and influencing, ensuring attainment of maximum impact.
The incumbent will be expected to
develop innovative advocacy, campaigns and influencing strategies and oversee
their effective and efficient implementation at country level. H/She will
represent AATF at high-level decision-maker discussions, media and other
collaborators.
The Manager will have direct
supervision of four staff and will also have responsibility for the performance
of partner countries and Project contractors.
Duties and Responsibilities
Strategy & Leadership
·
Responsible for the development and
shaping of OFAB’s long-term high profile strategy on influencing and providing
AATF with advise on campaigns, advocacy and influencing
·
Plans and oversees implementation of
advocacy, campaigns, and influencing work plans including research and policy
analysis by Country Chapters, partners and collaborators through regular
interactions with country host partners and other partners;
·
Contributes to the strategy,
management and leadership of AATF as a member of the Management Team
·
Leads and manages the OFAB Project
Secretariat, including teams in seven countries and a multi-million budget
·
Supports resource mobilisation
efforts to support the Project, advocacy and AATF work
·
Ensures a high level of collaboration
between AATF and its partners at the national, regional and global levels on
advocacy, campaigning and influencing work to maximise impact and manage risk,
while ensuring the quality and accountability
·
Assesses the overall effectiveness of
the advocacy and campaigns and makes needed changes in approach and technique.
Advocacy and representation
·
Provides support to the AATF
Leadership to maximise the impact of high-level external engagements on
advocacy with international public officials, politicians, organisations and
the private sector.
·
Identifies and ensures utilisation of
visibility opportunities at regional and global levels that will contribute to
the delivery of OFAB milestones
·
Engages with public officials,
politicians, organisations and the private Sector in and outside Africa and
gives interviews as needed to communicate OFAB’s campaign and advocacy
messages.
Public Engagement and Programme
·
Ensures synergy between OFAB’s
influencing, advocacy and campaigns with AATF’s corporate strategy
·
Understands and applies Public
Engagement strategies for campaigning, advocacy and public mobilisation.
·
Builds campaigns and advocacy
strategies that are informed by and integrated in programming work, country and
regional advocacy strategies and national campaigning
·
Oversees implementation and
monitoring of OFAB Project grassroots and high-level communication and advocacy
campaigns in line with the project’s primary outcomes
·
Oversees documentation, information
management and sharing that include effective management of OFAB websites and
social media.
·
Develops and implements media
outreach strategy to guide productive media relations and use to improve public
perceptions towards biotechnology in Africa
·
Oversees implementation of internet
and other digital platforms and communication strategies to support OFAB
grassroots advocacy and communication campaigns
·
Creates and or maintains efficient
issue tracking and managing systems for effective monitoring and management of
biotech issues
·
Guides development and implementation
of OFAB issues management strategy for coherent, efficient and effective
monitoring, tracking and management.
Required Competencies
Essential
·
Demonstrated advocacy and
communication skills including excellent public relations and communication
abilities – written, editorial and spoken
·
Demonstrated strong advocacy,
campaigns and influencing experience in a range of contexts.
·
Excellent research and public
speaking skills
·
Proven experience leading effective
policy influencing and understanding of policy development processes
·
Experience in writing, publishing and
disseminating advocacy briefs
·
Knowledge of main players in
agricultural biotechnology; A good understanding of the SSA agricultural policy
environment
·
Demonstrated strategic and creative
leadership, especially for sensitive situations/environments
·
Strong skills in diplomacy,
networking, influencing, negotiation and conflict mediation
·
Ability to use information technology
effectively as a tool and resource
·
Ability to plan and prioritise work
activities to meet organisational goals and supervise virtual teams
·
Outstanding management and
coordination skills in a complex network setting, with experience in
effectively assessing and managing risk.
·
Demonstrated networking skills and
ability to build and sustain relationships with key partners
·
Demonstrated initiative and ability
to work effectively under pressure and independently and within a team
·
Strong team dynamics with sound
organisational and people management skills
·
Strong financial and budget
management experience
·
Good knowledge of the politics of
agriculture and especially biotechnology in Africa
·
Demonstrated experience and
understanding of knowledge management
·
Fluency in written and spoken English
·
Ability to travel on very short
notice for up to 12 weeks per year.
Desirable
·
Experience of fundraising for
advocacy, campaigns and influencing
·
Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese
Qualifications and Experience
·
Master’s degree in Communications,
International Relations, Political Science, International Development, Public
policy or related field
·
At least 10 years of successful and
progressive experience in advocacy, campaigning and communications, with at least
5 years active advocacy experience
Terms of Appointment
This is an internationally recruited
position and will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.
The position is on a 3-year full-time
contract, renewable based on performance and availability of funds.
Job Title: Stewardship Manager
About African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF)
The
African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) is an international
not-for-profit organisation that facilitates and promotes public / private
partnerships to promote food security and enhance livelihoods of smallholder
farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
The
foundation is driven by the vision of prosperous and food secure Africa, where
the livelihoods of smallholder farmers are transformed through innovative and
practical agricultural technologies capable of addressing their farm
productivity constraints and delivering results.
Founded
in 2003, AATF works with African governments, private and public technology
owners and developers, NGOs, seed companies and African farmers to identify and
access technologies that address farmers’ key problems and empower them through
availability of a choice of agricultural innovations that generate wealth and
health for their families and communities.
You
can find further details on AATF from their website:
https://www.aatf-africa.org/.
Role Profile: Stewardship Manager
Under
the direct supervision of the Director, Programme Development and
Commercialisation, the Stewardship Manager is responsible for formulation and
implementation of post permit biosafety compliance and advising management on
the genetics, breeding, and seed systems components of projects and their
impact on delivery of products emanating and general stewardships issues.
Duties and Responsibilities
·
To develop and drive the
implementation of Quality Management Systems for conventional and transgenic
crops
·
To design appropriate product
stewardship strategies and plans to guide deployment of AATF products to
farmers in target countries
·
To ensure timely engagement of,
foster transparency and best practices among, and provide stewardship support
for partners’ institutions in target countries
·
To conduct product stewardship visits
and audits with project partners and compile reports for circulation among
project teams
·
To ensure that AATF projects meet the
audit criteria and methods that conform to Excellence Through Stewardship’s
(ETS) Objectives, Principles and Management Practices
·
To track stewardship targets against
work plans, manage information and data related to product stewardship and
consistently seek to increase technical knowledge about stewardship through
interaction with the AATF technical team
·
To actively investigate new
stewardship approaches, technologies and processes that will enhance the
efficiency of product deployment
·
To develop, revise, implement and
maintain standard operating procedures for stewardship including product
traceability, resistance management, incident-response, plant product
integrity, product discontinuation and product withdrawal
·
To develop product user-guidelines
and other documentation, and build capacity of stakeholders for optimal
utilisation of the products from AATF projects
·
To provide information on all
principles for the responsible handling of products, combined with specific
instructions for use for partners and target beneficiaries of products
·
To provide communication, training,
and data analysis support for product stewardship
·
To work in multi-functional teams to
create robust product stewardship reviews according to product stewardship
principles
·
To facilitate, coordinate and
implement process for product stewardship reviews for products
·
To ensure that requirements
associated with changes to products are accounted for in stewardship processes
·
To collaborate with
stakeholders to establish standardised procedures and respond to business
product stewardship needs
·
To create commercial product
stewardship support materials
·
To track action items to closure and
report on those metrics periodically
·
To advise on product stewardship
issues including product misuse, potentially adverse effects, and potential
environmental impacts.
Qualifications and Experience
Essential requirements:
·
At least a Master’s degree or
equivalent from a recognised University in Agricultural Sciences or related
discipline
·
At least 10 years of relevant
experience and sound knowledge in product stewardship and management with a
reputed private or public sector seed entity, preferably in Africa
·
Experience in seed manufacturing and
related Quality Management System
·
Knowledge of Resistance Management
for biotech traits
·
Knowledge of ETS
·
Quality Management Systems in seed
production, knowledge of ISO is an advantage.
·
Fluency in English, with working
knowledge of French.
Other required competencies:
·
Strong organisational skills and
attention to detail
·
Ability to work in a team environment
and contribute to high priority and time-sensitive activities including
proposal development and resource mobilisation
·
Excellent writing skills, including
the ability to translate regulatory policy information into stewardship
requirements that must be followed by growers and sales professionals
·
Demonstrated ability to lead,
motivate and participate in diverse and cross-geographic teams and networks
·
Demonstrated computer proficiency,
including Microsoft Office, use of spreadsheets and databases, and the ability
to source data and documents from the internet
·
Demonstrated skills in networking and
interpersonal relationships
·
Ability to understand management
systems and how these can be developed, standardised, and audited.
Terms of Appointment
This
is an internationally recruited position and will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.
The
position is on a 3-year full-time contract, renewable based on performance and
availability of funds.
This
position is based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Job Title: Communications Officer – East and Southern Africa
Location: Nairobi
About African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF)
AATF
is an international not-for-profit organisation that facilitates and promotes
public / private partnerships to promote food security and enhance livelihoods
of smallholder farmers in SSA.
AATF
works with African governments, private and public technology owners and
developers, NGOs, seed companies and African small holder farmers to identify
and access technologies that address farmers’ key problems and empower them
through availability of a choice of agricultural innovations that generate
wealth and health for their families and communities.
AATF
is a registered charity under the laws of England and Wales and has host
country status with the Government of Kenya.
The
Foundation depends on the ongoing support and collaboration of different
partners and investors to meet its objectives.
Under
the direct supervision of the Senior Manager Communications & Partnerships
, and overall guidance of the Executive Director, the Communications Officer –
East and Southern African will have responsibility over building the visibility
of AATF, telling its story and promoting the brand among target audiences both
in and outside Africa.
S/he
will be responsible for designing and implementing AATF’s communications
outreach utilising a fitting mix of channels and tools.
S/he
will work closely with AATF management, projects and partners to ensure
alignment of communication efforts with the organisation strategy and
initiatives.
Functions / Key Results Expected
Corporate
Communications
·
As a key member of the Communications
Unit, you contribute to development of the AATF communications strategy and
direction in support of raising visibility and positioning the organisation
appropriately
·
Lead the development, implementation
and monitoring of AATF East and South Africa regional communications in line
with the overall communications and corporate strategies and project goals
·
Provide strategic advice to AATF
management, staff and partners on communications ensuring preparedness for
media engagement and other presentation opportunities including preparation of
press releases, talking points and speeches
·
Cultivate a healthy working relationship
with regional media maintaining a database, managing media activities and
ensuring appropriate plans are drawn, implemented and monitored in support of
engagement with AATF
·
Ensure consistent use of messages
across the organization and among project partners, monitoring effectiveness of
the messages in delivering results and making necessary adjustments
·
Anticipate and prepare staff and
partners to proactively manage possible controversies through a well-structured
and disseminated issues management plan
·
Develop and disseminate appropriate
knowledge products and communication materials (technical and non-technical)
including reports, leaflets, brochures, web materials and videos, ensuring
clear messaging and adherence with organisational branding guidelines
·
Guide effective identification,
selection and utilisation of events for organisational visibility, ensuring
brand alignment and fitting media coverage.
·
Liaise with human resources
department to build internal communications systems to support to build team
cohesiveness
·
Monitor and report on progress with
communication initiatives, working closely with Monitoring and Evaluation
office
·
Guide on consultancy support needs
and requirements and oversee performance in line with AATF policies.
Project
Communications
·
Work with project leads in developing
workplans, identifying and packaging stories that demonstrate AATF’s work and
results for dissemination to key audiences
·
Work with advocacy teams to support
outreach to key audiences as per project goals. Any other duties assigned from
time to time.
·
Produce talking points, website
stories, media briefings, AATF project brochures, thematic summaries, executive
bios, and Q&As
·
Produce photos and video of AATF
programmes for AATF photo archive
·
In collaboration with programme team
develop and disseminate quality communication materials to a range of external
and internal audiences, including AATF project brochure, thematic summaries,
Q&As and talking points to keep external stakeholders effectively informed
and engaged
·
Assist in collecting testimonies and
case studies from the field as required
·
Produce for projects regular
contextual analysis documents, briefings, trends report, situation updates,
research, draft advocacy position papers, talking points, key messages, and
ad-hoc reports
·
Provide media relations and support
public relations activities for AATF projects , including distributing press
releases, coordinating interviews, and hosting media visits to AATF projects
·
Assist in collecting testimonies and
case studies from the field as required, or other tasks as needed at AATF
Impact of Results:
The
key results have impact on AATF’s corporate brand positioning, visibility and
reputation, including overall success with implementation of AATF projects,
initiatives and strategies.
The
results will build AATF as a strong development partner.
Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
·
Ability to build and sustain
relationships with key constituents (donors, research institutions, media,
government institutions, etc.)
·
Ability to work in a
multidisciplinary environment.
·
High-level interpersonal and
cross-cultural skills including ability to build alliances and collaborative
relationships with sensitivity to diversity.
·
Ability to maintain high standards of
integrity; establish straightforward, productive relationships; treating
individuals with fairness and respect.
·
Excellent writing and editing skills
·
Fluency in English. Knowledge of
French or Portuguese would be an added advantage
Recruitment Qualifications
Education:
·
Master’s degree in Communications,
Public Relations, Journalism or any other related and equivalent disciplines
from a recognized institution;
Experience:
·
At least Five (5) years’ experience
in public relations and communications
·
Documented experience with the production
of written materials – such as reports, briefing notes, position papers,
talking points, etc.
·
Experience of leading communication
activities (including information management) in a challenging environment
·
Understanding of media handling,
pitching and media management
·
Experience delivering communications
assets across multiple channels, including print, social, and digital, with a
solid knowledge and use of media and multimedia platforms
Language Requirements:
·
Fluency in written and spoken
English.
·
A working knowledge of French would
be an added advantage
Submission of Applications
Qualified
candidates are invited send their applications on or before 7 February 2020 to
aatf-hr@aatf-africa.org and clearly indicate on the email subject
–Communications Officer – East and South Africa
African
Agricultural Technology Foundation is an equal opportunity employer; committed
to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified
female and male candidates from all religious and ethnic backgrounds and any
other diversity groups to apply and become a part of our organization.