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

You will work as a mid-level technical leader in the Field Operations Team to help develop the most impactful agricultural practices and products for farmers. This will include new trainings, technologies, physical products, or services that help One Acre Fund clients unlock higher impact. You will research, test, market, and troubleshoot new products and services.

The main responsibilities of this position are to help design and coordinate multiple field operations and research and development projects. You will report directly to the Impact Lead.

Responsibilities

• Innovations Strategy Implementation
  • Lead the development of a comprehensive innovations strategy to introduce and scale impactful agricultural products.
  • Monitor and evaluate innovation project performance, providing guidance for improvement.
  • Make data-driven recommendations for scaling successful innovations across markets.
• Product Research
  • Develop a systematic approach for evaluating product ideas based on feasibility, impact, scalability, and alignment with organizational goals.
  • Conduct research to evaluate new agricultural products, services, and interventions and partner with external partners for testing.
  • Develop criteria and frameworks for evaluating product feasibility and impact.
  • Launch and monitor demo plots to assess the effectiveness of new technologies.
  • Ensure accurate analysis and derive actionable recommendations for product rollouts.
• New Product Development and Management
  • Design new farmer-friendly product packages aligned with impact goals.
  • Conduct market research to identify opportunities and customer needs.
  • Provide ongoing support and customer care for new products.
• Market Access
  • Develop a structured buyback program for reliable market access for farmers.
  • Conduct campaigns to promote value crops and market opportunities.
  • Gather farmer data on market access to enhance buying practices.

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:

• Bachelors degree in agriculture, agronomy, crop or soil science, or related field.
• 3 to 5 years of relevant experience, such as farmer-facing research and extension service.
• Proficient in conducting both desk and field research for agricultural products.
• Experienced in project management.
• Ability to analyze data and make informed recommendations.
• Fluency in Chichewa/other local languages and English.
• Experience with farmer-level extension work.

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Zomba,Malawi

Benefits

Health insurance, housing, and comprehensive benefits

Contract Duration

1 year (renewable)

Eligibility

This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Malawi.

Application Deadline

15^th 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.