Project Officer – Agriculture & Livelihoods (Vihiga & Nyamira ) at Practical Action Kenya

The Project Officer will coordinate the field level activities in the project intervention areas with the primary responsibility of promoting agribusiness activities among youth ages between 18 – 35 years. The function involves directly supporting young people to start and/or grow their agribusinesses while earning an income to support their livelihoods. This will include supporting the young people access skills and knowledge, finance and markets as well as working with different stakeholders to ensure an enabling markets and policy environment that supports growth of youth led agri businesses. The role works closely with the technical staff both in the Kenya and UK office.

Qualifications:

• The ideal candidate will be an experienced Project Management professional and a Graduate in Agriculture/Agribusiness/Natural Resource Management/Social Science/Development studies or any other relevant subject.
• You will have over five (5) years of relevant work experience where at least three (3) years’ experience in a rural development field with demonstrated ability to work with young people and create space for youth leadership; an innovator with excellent understanding of low input systems and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP); public and private sector engagement skills including building linkages between youth entrepreneurs and multiple market actors, experience implementing market-based agro-enterprise initiatives in rural contexts and strong experience in activity planning and implementing in a way that ensures gender inclusion is embedded.
• The project requires extensive engagement with youth in the county of operation hence the Project Officer will be expected to either relocate or already live within their county of operation but need not to be “natives or local residents” the county (Homabay, Siaya, Kisumu, Migori, Nyamira, Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia and Vihiga Counties). The operations office for Practical Action will be Kisumu field office.