Program Director: Agricultural Enterprise-led Market Ecosystems for Resilience, Growth and Equity

Job Summary:

• We are seeking a dynamic and motivated Program Director to lead the anticipated five-year AgEMERGE (Agricultural Enterprise-led Market Ecosystems for Resilience, Growth and Equity) program in Kenya, based in Nairobi.
• AgEMERGE is a market-led program that deploys a delivery model that combines direct technical assistance and Dutch commercial partnerships with a Local Investment Facility. The Program Director will manage this milestone-based grants facility and co-investment portfolio, including awards to local businesses. The PD will also lead the consortium, liaising with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN), coordinating with sub-national regional leadership and in-country partners, supervising the project teams, and overseeing implementation and resource management in project offices. This role includes financial and administrative oversight and accountability, reporting, risk management and monitoring and evaluation of the project.

Program Overview:

• AgEMERGE is a five-year, €15 million Food and Nutrition Security program funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) in Kenya. Implemented by a consortium led by TechnoServe, AgEMERGE takes a catalytic, market-led approach centered on the middle of the value chain, strengthening the midstream businesses (aggregators, processors, traders, and logistics providers) that connect farms to markets. A Market Systems Development approach will be adopted to maximise localisation and sustainability. A strong emphasis on inclusive value chains, women’s empowerment and creating economic opportunities for youth will be a cross-cutting priority.
• Working across three market corridors and 14 predominantly Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) counties, the program will reach approximately 85,000 farmers, pastoralists, and MSMEs (at least 50% women and youth). AgEMERGE will crowd in commercial investment and Dutch partnership to build a market-driven, climate-resilient, and inclusive agri-food system.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

•  Lead overall implementation and management of the program, from inception to close-out, ensuring that the program achieves established goals, objectives and targets.
• Provide strategic guidance, leadership, management and general technical oversight of the program.
• Drive the program’s catalytic, market-led strategy across the three corridors (Commercial Growth, Adaptive Crops, and Coastal-Northern) and five activity pathways, adjusting intensity and sequencing to market maturity.
• Oversee the Local Investment Facility and its grant windows (Local Systems & Delivery; Local Trade & Investment; and Local Research, Innovation & Learning), ensuring milestone-based disbursement, cost-share, due diligence, and compliance.
• Cultivate and activate Dutch commercial partnerships and the investment pipeline — working with European development finance and government credit agencies such as EKN, RVO, FMO, and Dutch firms to connect Kenyan market actors to Dutch knowledge, technology, and capital.
• Ensure integration of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), climate resilience, and nutrition as market-system priorities across all activity pathways and grantee engagements.
• Continuously develop operational efficiencies and drive innovations in delivery.
• Oversee development and submission of project deliverables on time and within budget.
• Recruit, lead, manage, and supervise delivery teams comprising long- and short-term team members and consortium partners.
• Serve as the primary liaison with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN), the Government of Kenya (national and county) entities and all counterparts, implementing partners, and stakeholders involved with the program.
•  Act as a spokesperson for the program and present its work regionally/globally.

Basic Qualifications:

•  A master’s degree or equivalent in agriculture, agribusiness, agricultural economics, economics, business administration, international development, or other relevant field with eight years of experience, or other relevant field (or a bachelor’s degree with 12 years of experience).
• At least eight years of relevant professional experience in international development.
• Experience leading and managing large teams with a high level of leadership, interpersonal, technical, and analytical experience, as Team Leader, Chief of Party or other Program Director level role.

Preferred Qualifications:

•  Experience in agricultural market systems development, food and nutrition security, and private sector/agribusiness development.
•  Experience leading EKN, other Dutch, or bilateral/European donor-funded projects is highly desirable; Dutch government experience a strong plus.
•  Prior work experience or collaboration with private sector companies and businesses.
•  Experience working in Kenya, or in the East Africa region is preferred.
•  Demonstrated ability to interact effectively and collaboratively with a broad range of public and private sector counterparts and other key stakeholders.
•  Experience successfully implementing gender-integrated programs is a plus.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

•  Strong communications and interpersonal skills with evidence of ability to lead diverse teams and achieve results.
•  Demonstrated ability to coordinate and engage with a wide range of organizations (Private sector, government, NGOs).
•  Ability to effectively motivate and manage teams in a multi-cultural environment.
•  Ability to work under tight deadlines while managing multiple tasks and activities.
•  Ability to develop well-written, cohesive analyses and reports.
•  Ability to clearly communicate a high level strategy to internal and external stakeholders, while driving execution of a work plan and achievement of short-term milestones.
•  Ability to use adaptive management principles to make strategic, data-driven decisions in the face of uncertainty and complexity.