Current Opportunities at African Agricultural Technology Foundation

• Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager - Rice, the officer shall provide support in agricultural digital tools to drive the adoption of agricultural technologies within AATF towards enhancing productivity, efficiency and innovation.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Develop and implement a comprehensive digital lab and strategy aligned with the organization's goals and objectives.
• Collaborate with data management team to identify, evaluate, and implement digital tools, platforms, and technologies to optimize agricultural processes, data collection, analysis, and decision-making.
• Responsible for digital transformation projects, ensuring timely delivery, budget adherence, and stakeholder engagement.
• Collaborate with internal teams (IT, projects, operations, etc.) and external partners (Public and Private) to integrate digital solutions seamlessly.
• Monitor trends in agriculture, emerging technologies, and best practices to recommend continuous improvements and innovative solutions.
• Provide training and support to staff and partners on digital tools, ensuring effective adoption and utilization.
• Ensuring data and information security by integrating and upholding digital security systems.
• In-depth understanding of modern digital and information technologies.
• Ensure effective functioning of the digital lab and digitization initiative at AATF

Competencies

• Strong understanding of agricultural processes, data management, IoT, AI, and other relevant technologies.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Effective communication skills to collaborate with diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Excellent high-level networking skills and ability to build and sustain relationships with key partners, especially project partners in digitization of information.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to plan and prioritize work activities to meet set goals and objectives.
• Demonstrable effective communication skills
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills.

Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree in computer science, information technology, agriculture informatics, or related field; advanced degree preferred.

Experience:

• Proven experience (5 years) in digital transformation, IT project management, or related roles, ideally within the agriculture or agribusiness sector.
• Be proficient in the use of ; SQL, NoSQL databases (e.g., MySQL, MongoDB), Data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI), GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS), Remote sensing tools (e.g., Google Earth Engine, ENVI), Precision agriculture tools (e.g., Climate Field View, Ag Leader), Cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud), Cloud-based IoT platforms (e.g., AWS IoT, Azure IoT Hub), Machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch) and AI platforms (e.g., IBM Watson, Google AI), R script , Python and Javascript.
• Hands-on experience in implementing and integrating digital tools and technologies, including IoT, AI, and data analytics, in an operational environment.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity best practices and tools to protect sensitive data.
• Familiarity with web and mobile application development environments (e.g., Visual Studio, IntelliJ IDEA, Android Studio, Xcode).
• Experience in collaborating with cross-functional teams, including IT, operations, marketing, and external partners, to achieve digital goals.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in written and spoken English. A working knowledge of a 2nd language – French/Portuguese would be an added advantage.

go to method of application »

• Under the direct supervision of the Senior Manager: Agribusiness, Policy and Commercialization, the officer shall provide technical support on Agribusiness Development, conduct baseline and feasibility studies, and drafting concept notes, business plans, market and impact assessment for all AATF projects.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Project Business plan development
• Designing of training modules for Value Chain Actors and implementation of training.
• Designing and implementing scaling and commercialization approaches for last mile delivery.
• Technical backstopping and quality control ensuring quality of the data collected and proper analysis considering the context.
• Contribute to the identification of constraints and barriers (financial, technology, infrastructure, human resources/skills, marketing, regulatory, policy, institutional) that must be addressed and devise strategies for implementation of the prioritized actions/recommendations.
• Build linkages with other value chain development partners / actors for synergies and complementarities.
• Contribute to the appraisal of capacity-building needs related to the development, competitiveness, inclusiveness and improved impacts of agribusiness and value chain development; and contribute to developing training materials and to training courses and activities.
• Play lead role in Agribusiness planning, market assessment and programmatic guidance for the partners.
• Establishment of a viable market information systems for use by value chain actors.
• Identify, analyze and recommend the resources, skills and capacities of small farmers under each prioritized commodity emanating from AATF projects.
• Identify and compile recommendations for the capacity development of producers and associations to access financial and other services and resources.
• Analyze the current livelihoods practices and income generating occupations of the target communities/groups/associations and suggest socially acceptable, and economically viable approaches/techniques for sustainable and diversified income generating options.
• Develop linkages between market and value chain players to strengthen public private partnership for marketing of agricultural products.
• Analyze technical and policy issues, strategies and programmes to support the development, competitiveness, inclusiveness and improved impacts of agribusiness, food systems and value chain development.
• Planning, Design, and implementation of Feasibility Studies
• Working closely with the Monitoring, evaluation Accountability and learning (MEAL) to implement studies.
• Report writing, filing and fiduciary support to the Unit.

Competencies

• Ability to build and sustain relationships with key constituents (donors, research institutions, media, government institutions, etc.)
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral 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 technical writing and editing skills.
• Fluency in English. Knowledge of French or Portuguese would be an added advantage

Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics/Agribusiness Management or any other related and equivalent disciplines from a recognized institution of higher learning

Experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in Agricultural value chains at the national or international level in providing business and management development services, hands-on experience in design and implementation of development projects.
• Documented experience in conducting baseline, feasibility and market studies and impact assessments.
• Experience and knowledge in various agricultural Technologies.
• Proven experience linking farmer businesses to diverse types of market.
• Extensive experience working in and with the private sector, market systems approach, inclusive business/market models, and public-private partnerships.
• Professional experience with agro-based private sector entities.
• Practical experience in socioeconomic quantitative and qualitative data analysis using statistical analysis software such as STATA, R, SPSS etc.
• Experience in technical writing with proven ability to write high quality technical reports, policy briefs and journal articles.

go to method of application »

• Under the direct supervision of the Senior Manager: Agribusiness, Policy and Commercialization, the officer shall provide technical support on Agricultural value chains and Market development to catalyse commercialization and scaling of AATF products.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Contribute to the planning, designing and implementation of market studies.
• Support the design of surveys questionnaires and overall research design by providing quality inputs specifically relevant to the needs of SMEs in the targeted sub-sectors / value chains.
• Coordinate data analysis and reporting on the market studies and value chain analyses.
• Conduct value chain analyses for each of the selected commodities in targeted areas entailing the agronomic production profiles (e.g. agricultural management practices, land ownership and use practices); value chain mapping (key stakeholders, flow of supplies and products, flow of funds and information, etc.); functional analysis of each value chain (profiling of industry structure, adoption of skills, technology and innovation); climate change implications; economic analysis of potential opportunities to add value along the chain; and policy and institutional conditions necessary to create suitable enabling environment for value chain development.
• Mobilization and engagement of value chain players such as farmer cooperatives and marketing groups, Savings and Credit Associations.
• Creation of linkages between value chain players across and within AATF projects.
• Designing and implementation of farmer outreach programmes.
• Analyze technical and policy issues, strategies, and programmes to support the development, competitiveness, inclusiveness and improved impacts of agribusiness, food systems and value chain development.

Competencies

• Ability to build and sustain relationships with key constituents (donors, research institutions, media, government institutions, etc.)
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral 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 technical writing and editing skills.
• Fluency in English. Knowledge of French or Portuguese would be an added advantage

Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness Management or any other related and equivalent disciplines from a recognized institution of higher learning

Experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in Agricultural value chains and markets at the national or international level in providing business and management development services, hands-on experience in design and implementation of development projects.
• Experience in Agricultural Markets analysis.
• Experience in conducting market linkages.
• Experience and knowledge in various agricultural Technologies.
• Extensive experience working in and with the private sector, market systems approach, inclusive business/market models, and public-private partnerships.
• Knowledge of national food systems and agricultural value chain and scaling/commercialization of Agricultural technologies.
• Practical experience in socioeconomic quantitative and qualitative data analysis using statistical analysis software such as STATA, R, SPSS etc.
• Professional experience with agro-based private sector entities will be an added advantage
• Proven experience linking farmer businesses to diverse types of market.
• Extensive experience working in and with the private sector, market systems approach, inclusive business/market models, and public-private partnerships.
• Professional experience with agro-based private sector entities.
• Practical experience in socioeconomic quantitative and qualitative data analysis using statistical analysis software such as STATA, R, SPSS etc.
• Experience in technical writing with proven ability to write high quality technical reports, policy briefs and journal articles.
• Proven experience developing training programs for smallholder farmers and other value chain actors