About the Role

As a Market Access Strategy and Operations Associate, you will be an essential part of the Kenya Tupande team and part of one of the largest social enterprises in Africa. Tupande’s vision is to “transform every farming community in Kenya by delivering sustained food security and pathways to prosperity.” Our culture code guides us in how we seek to achieve this vision.

You will contribute to the design and implementation of our market access program for key value chains, involving youth, in multiple aspects of the program, fostering their growth, and ensuring their voices are heard. You will report directly to the Market Access Deputy Director.

Responsibilities

Lead market access projects: 

• Develop and implement a comprehensive market access strategy for one or more value chains aimed at improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers by facilitating their entry into markets.
• This will include establishing strategic partnerships (e.g. with local buyers and processors) to create reliable market channels and building the capacity of farmers through training initiatives so that they can adhere to quality control measures.

Team management:

• Recruit and mentor a team of market access employees (e.g. buyback officers), providing clear direction, setting goals, and conducting regular performance evaluations to ensure the team’s success and to foster a collaborative work environment.

Youth engagement strategy development and implementation:

• Develop a comprehensive youth engagement strategy aligned with market access program objectives. This includes Identifying youth outreach channels to reach out to potential youth participants in targeted value chains.
• Identify goals and important metrics for measuring the effectiveness of youth engagement efforts.

Youth empowerment and training:

• Design training programs that equip youth with the skills needed to participate in the market access program.

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, the ideal candidate will have a background in managing complex projects and coordinating across multiple teams in a fast-growing organization, and a propensity for innovation. Candidates who fit the following criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:

• 3 to 5+ years of work experience in one of our countries of operation in dynamic organizations is required
• Backgrounds in any (not all) of the following: agriculture, youth programming, rural development, project management, grant management
• Experience working on or managing rural development programs
• A Bachelor’s degree. Post-graduate degree preferred.
• Language: English required, Swahili is a plus