Job Title: Program Manager, Food Convergence Innovation for Africa (FCI4Africa)

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Reporting to: Technical Lead, Food Convergence Innovation for Africa (FCI4Africa)

Grade: 9

Fixed Term: 18 months

TechnoServe (TNS) Background:

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a better future. This simple idea has been at the heart of TechnoServe’s work around the world for over 50 years. TechnoServe is a pioneer in leveraging the power of businesses and markets to create sustainable pathways out of poverty.

The low-income communities in which we work are full of enterprising people. Their small-scale farms and businesses are the keys to economic development. But they face many challenges: low literacy, lack of access to jobs and markets, unpredictable political dynamics and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. For many women and young people, the challenges are even more daunting. Working with TechnoServe staff, people around the world are lifting themselves out of poverty. The results are amazing...when incomes increase and living conditions for families get better, they are able to access health care and education previously out of reach. Communities and even whole countries are better off. 

Program Description:

TNS is a core partner in the Food Convergence Innovation Africa (FCI4Africa) initiative, a consortium of 14 organizations spanning Europe, Africa, and Canada. This collaborative effort brings together diverse expertise from academic institutions, research centers, industrial companies, non-profit organizations, and technology providers. Through a multi-actor approach, the initiative engages stakeholders from agriculture, social sciences, IT, policy, and business to deliver a comprehensive response to the pressing challenges of creating sustainable, equitable, and climate-resilient food systems. A key goal is to facilitate regional and Africa-EU trade by leveraging innovative solutions and fostering collaboration across sectors.

As the lead organization for Use Case 2 under Work Package (WP) 5, TNS spearheads the development and implementation of digital and analytical tools in Nigeria and Kenya designed to empower value chain actors, certification bodies, and policymakers. These tools enable the verification and certification of African agri-food products against rigorous standards for fairness, sustainability (encompassing environmental, health, and social dimensions), and equity. Building on the success of the Micronutrient Fortification Index (MFI) in Nigeria and the Kenya Millers Fortification Index (KMFI)—part of the broader Millers for Nutrition Initiative funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation—TNS enhances product quality and drives market competition through robust, data-driven frameworks. By ranking fortified food products and advancing sustainability, these indices set consistent standards across diverse markets.

To further this mission, TechnoServe will integrate expanded metrics and objectives into existing index methodologies to align with FCI4Africa’s use cases, advancing traceability and sustainability in food processing. These efforts also strengthen organizational synergies with other key initiatives, including the USAID-funded AFFORD Program and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)-funded IGNITE Program.

Primary Functions & Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Technical Lead, Food Convergence Innovation (FCI) Africa, the Program Manager’s duties and responsibilities will include:

Program Management

• Develop and maintain detailed project work plans for WP5 and the K/MFI use-case, ensuring alignment with overall project objectives and consortium goals.
• Monitor and manage project timelines, budgets, and resources to ensure the efficient delivery of program activities.
• Identify and mitigate risks, adapting plans to address challenges while maintaining project momentum.
• Oversee project expenditures to ensure compliance with donor requirements and organizational policies.
• Monitor and update financial performance and prepare budget forecasts to maintain alignment with project goals.
• Track project indicators and outcomes to measure impact and progress against objectives.
• Support the development of tools and methodologies to evaluate the effectiveness of program interventions.
• Prepare and submit timely and accurate progress reports, highlighting achievements, challenges, and lessons learned.
• Document best practices and contribute to knowledge-sharing efforts within the consortium and across broader initiatives.

Team Leadership and Technical Oversight

• Support the Technical Lead with managing the use-case project team by engaging, onboarding, and deploying specialist consultants, service providers, and academic partners providing day-to-day guidance and oversight to ensure high-quality deliverables.
• Foster a collaborative and productive team environment, ensuring effective communication and coordination among internal team members.
• Support the technical lead in aligning the use-case with broader organizational initiatives, such as the AFFORD and IGNITE programs, to maximize synergies and impact.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of digital and analytical tools to enhance traceability and sustainability in food processing.

Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy

• Serve as the primary liaison with private sector partners, building strong relationships and facilitating collaboration to achieve program objectives.
• Support the Technical Lead with engaging key stakeholders, including government agencies, certification bodies, and other consortium partners, to align efforts and ensure buy-in.
• Represent TNS, alongside the Technical Lead, in consortium meetings, conferences, and other forums to advocate for program goals and priorities.
• Contribute to the development of communication materials that showcase program impact, innovation, and success stories.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree + 7 years relevant experience OR Master's Degree + 5 years relevant experience (International relations, development, economics, business administration, or other relevant subjects)
• 5 years of experience with knowledge management and communications methods and approaches in an international development context
• Strong project management skills including the ability to anticipate demand and manage multiple tasks and projects while meeting tight deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Outstanding written communication skills including prior experience writing and editing donor-facing deliverables.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and passion for identifying gaps and proposing solutions for continuous improvement.
• Detail-oriented with strong organisational skills.
• Proven team player with strong interpersonal and cross-cultural skills.
• Excellent computer skills in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Internet.
• Detail orientation, including strong organisational, analytical and quantitative skills.

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at recruitment@tns.org or call +1 202 785 4515.