Reports To:
Manager, Eastern & Southern Africa -- Sustainable Agriculture
Location:
Kenya - Nairobi
The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit organization that works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. Based in New York City, with offices throughout the United States and worldwide, the Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers.
As a member and secretariat of the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) -- an international coalition of leading conservation organizations -- the Rainforest Alliance's Sustainable Agriculture works with farmers to ensure compliance with the SAN standards for protecting wildlife, ecosystems, workers' rights, and promoting the well-being of farmers, their families and communities. Farms that meet the SAN's rigorous environmental, social and economic standards are awarded the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal. The SAN standards are applied by producers of major commodity crops (including bananas, pineapple, coffee, cocoa, tea, citrus and flowers) that profoundly affect the economies, environments, cultures and politics of tropical countries. Today more than 840,000 farms in 43 countries are certified and Rainforest Alliance Certified products are widely available in mainstream markets.
Position Summary:
The Associate, Kenya will coordinate, support and participate in in-country activities, events and services related to Rainforest Alliance certification, in order to achieve established goals and deliverables. S/he will maintain relationships with important stakeholders and partners the tea, coffee and flower sectors and ensure that farmers, farmer groups and processors have the information, training and tools needed to achieve certification.
Responsibilities:
- Oversee planning and implementing of projects and partnerships in the tea, coffee and flower sectors across Kenya under the oversight of the Manager, Eastern & Southern Africa;
- Promote and disseminate information about Rainforest Alliance Certification to farmers, farmer groups, cooperatives, processors and exporters under the oversight of the Manager, Eastern & Southern Africa;
- Oversee the work of Rainforest Alliance's implementing partner (Partner Africa) in Kenya, ensuring they have the skills and materials necessary to provide training to farmers, farmer groups, processors and exporters to facilitate compliance with the SAN standards and Rainforest Alliance certification requirements; provide direct diagnostics and technical assistance to farmers or farm groups as required;
- Lead Rainforest Alliance's relationship with the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) and coordinate training work with the Ethical Tea Partnership Regional Manager in Kenya;
- Develop and/or adapt, in coordination with the Training Manager, technical support tools -- manuals, designs, self-evaluations, checklists, and other materials -- for use by local technical assistance providers, farmers, and group administrators;
- Identify, gather information and organize outreach activities with key stakeholders in the tea, coffee and flower sectors, including producers and producer groups, processors, exporters, NGOs, and representatives of important government agencies;
- Compile and maintain up-to-date information about tea, coffee and flower production and producers: production volumes, types, principle markets and producers, the outlook for certification;
- Provide support on hosting visits to Kenya by Rainforest Alliance staff and others that they may arrange, such as journalist tours;
- Communicate with Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Landscapes on a regular basis and prepare periodic reports as required; and
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in agronomy or related field; project management training and experience is an added advantage; Master's degree preferred;
- Minimum 4 years of tea and/or coffee sector experience in Kenya; must be familiar with supply chains and production and processing activities;
- Farmer training and/or extensionist experience, especially in the design, organization and delivery of training events;
- Familiarity with certification/verification issues and systems, ideally involving agriculture and small-scale producers preferred;
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills in English and Swahili; other local languages are an advantage;
- Proven ability to work effectively in cross-cultural situations;
- Excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office and Internet);
- Experience in the development of work plans and budgets; ability to work independently and in a team towards defined objectives and goals; and
- Willingness and ability to travel extensively in Kenya up to 50% of the time and to spend significant periods in rural areas.
Salary:
Commensurate with experience.
Notes:
Only candidates authorized to work in Kenya will be considered.
Application:
Send resume, cover letter and salary history to Human Resources, Rainforest Alliance, 233 Broadway, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10279; Fax: 212-677-2187; E-mail: Personnel@ra.org. If emailing, use the following format in the subject line: first name and last name, job title of position you are applying for.
The Rainforest Alliance is an equal opportunity employer.
