Engagement Officer, FOLU (Nairobi) at Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

Job Reference: EO/FOLU/10/2020

Founded in 2006, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), is an African-led African-based organization that seeks to catalyze Agriculture Transformation in Africa. AGRA is focused on putting smallholder farmers at the center of the continent’s growing economy by transforming agriculture from a solitary struggle to survive into farming as a business that thrives. As the sector that employs the majority of Africa’s people, nearly all of them small-scale farmers, AGRA recognizes that developing smallholder agriculture into a productive, efficient, and sustainable system is essential to ensuring food security, lifting millions out of poverty, and driving equitable growth across the continent.

Under its strategy, AGRA looks to catalyze and sustain an Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa to increase incomes and improve food security for 30 million farmers. Under this strategy, AGRA is delivering through an approach that simultaneously catalyzes change at farmer level, strengthens input and output market systems and puts government at the center to enable and champion private-sector-led agricultural growth at national level.

The Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) is a self-governed Coalition of organizations and individuals working collaboratively to achieve a shared objective: the urgent transformation of food and land use systems to deliver a better future for people, nature and climate. FOLU supports science-based solutions and helps to build a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities to unlock collective, ambitious action. Globally, FOLU country platforms are operating in: China, Colombia, Ethiopia, India, and Indonesia, with partner networks in Australia, the UK and the Nordic region.

FOLU has been active in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) since 2018 through its partnership with AGRA and the publication of reports such as the People, Health and Nature: a Sub-Saharan African Transformation Agenda. The next phase of FOLU’s strategy will look engage more deeply in SSA through allocating additional technical resources to region to develop and operationalize engagements on food and land use integration at national and regional levels. AGRA will play a key role in leading FOLU’s engagement in SSA due to their unique network and expertise in the region.

To support this objective, AGRA is seeking to recruit an experienced and exceptional individual to the role of Engagement Officer, FOLU

Role Summary

The Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) Engagement Officer will be responsible for building relationships, convening actors and driving effective communications for the AGRA and Food and Land Use Coalition’s (FOLU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) work program.  The Engagement Officer’s role will involve outreach and engagement, relationship management; and external and internal communications. S/He is responsible for leading the FOLU communications and engagement strategy in AGRA, communications and preparations for convening FOLU partners and networks in the region and to identify means and channels for the promotion of FOLU analysis and research findings through online media channels or through taking part in regional and international events such as AGRF and the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit.

The role will be based in Nairobi, Kenya with frequent travel approximately 20% per year.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Support FOLU Core Partners to deliver their programmes of work by promoting the work of Core Partners, including WRI, AGRA and GAIN, through FOLU channels and networks in SSA.
• Identify key stakeholders and organisations across the food and land use sector to provide input to specific projects, or to provide other forms of ad hoc advice and support.
• Collaborate with the FOLU Programme Management Office communications team, the AGRA communications team and wider FOLU communications network to create a unified communications and outreach strategy.
• Communicate the case for change through collaborating and coordinating with the FOLU Technical Officer. Develop and implement a FOLU outreach and communications strategy
• Translate research into compelling communications materials and content aligned with key frameworks (e.g., Malabo Declaration) and priorities of influential stakeholders (including policymakers, African Union delegates, UNECA officials and others). Materials will include thought leadership pieces, blogs, briefs plus more.
• Draft briefing papers for policymakers, speech notes for AGRA management. FOLU PMO management; external stakeholders such as African Union Commissioners,
• Prepare strategic briefs and advice notes for FOLU Ambassadors and potential partners, and more.
• Contribute to the FOLU social media strategy through targeted use of online channels.
• Develop media content that will form part of the FOLU communication on the AGRA web pages and other partner web pages.
• Identify opportunities for stakeholders to engage in FOLU regional and international initiatives. This will include activities such as ensuring FOLU SSA partners are playing an active role in feeding into the build up to the Food Systems Summit in 2021 or liaising with the Food Systems Economics Commission to ensure that sub-Saharan African decision-makers and leaders are involved in their work.
• Establish/strengthen and manage the FOLU Ambassador network in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Equip key messengers, including FOLU Ambassadors, to speak to sub-Saharan Africa-specific FOLU challenges and opportunities.
• Utilize economic and evidence-based analysis to inform storytelling and take a collaborative approach and, where possible, root messaging in local realities and contexts.

Academic, Professional Qualifications and Relevant experience

• A Master’s degree in degree in development communications, media, international development, marketing or similar 
• Experience managing complex initiatives (profit and not-for-profit) with proven ability to develop high impact partnerships
• Minimum 7 years of relevant work experience, primarily in Africa
• At least three (3) years’ mid-Level management experience designing and implementing programs in a relevant sector
• Experience with resilience, food systems, climate change initiatives in a similar environment will be an added advantage
• Experience writing content suitable for different audiences, including high level stakeholders
• Experience with web and digital content creation and management
• Experience in building coalitions or networks of organizations
• Thoroughly familiar with and experience in working with R&D and analytics organisations
• Analytical, excellent data mining ability
• Strong ability to influence positively both upwards and downwards across cultures and countries
• An experienced team member
• Deep understanding of both the government and private sector policies and governance structures
• Results and detail orientated with a hands-on approach
• Excellent problem solving/decision making skills
• Intelligent, motivated self-starter with strong interpersonal skills and work ethic
• Fluency in English required; ability to communicate in French will be an advantage

An attractive remuneration package commensurate with this position’s responsibility will be negotiated with the successful candidate.