Partnership Lead - Coalition of Implementers for Fertilizer and Soil Health

About The Coalition

The Coalition of Implementors for Fertilizers and Soil Health, launched at the African Fertilizers and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit in May 2024, is a united group of stakeholders – which includes the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), the African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI), and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) representing the CGIAR through the Excellence in Agronomy Initiative – that will build on the significant donor interest generated through the Dakar 2 Summit, the Lomé Declaration, and the AFSH Summit and help convert opportunities into programs on the ground. The Coalition is dedicated to advancing climate-smart agricultural technologies and supporting smallholder farmers across Africa; and contributes to the implementation of the Action Plan and Soil Initiative for Africa.  We work with a network of stakeholders, including the African Union, ECOWAS, and other regional economic communities, to drive agricultural productivity, climate adaptation, and agricultural value chains. Our mission is to develop new technologies, build institutional capacity, and unlock donor funding for large-scale agricultural programs

Position Summary

IFDC is recruiting on behalf of the coalition for the above position. The Partnership Lead will play a pivotal role in developing and managing strategic partnerships to support the coalition’s mission. This role requires a dynamic and results-oriented individual with a strong background in agriculture, soil health, and fertilizer use, as well as experience in coalition building and stakeholder engagement. 

Responsibilities

1. 1 Partnership Development:

·       Identify and engage potential partners across government, private sector, academia, and non-profit organizations.

·       Develop and implement partnership strategies to advance the coalition’s goals.

·       Foster and maintain strong relationships with existing partners.

2.   Stakeholder Engagement:

·       Facilitate effective communication and collaboration among coalition members.

·       Organize and lead stakeholder meetings, workshops, and events.

·       Ensure all partners are aligned with the coalition’s objectives and activities.

3.   Resource Mobilization:

·       Identify funding opportunities and secure financial and in-kind resources to support coalition initiatives.

·       Prepare grant proposals, reports, and other documentation required by funders.

·       Manage budgets and track financial contributions from partners.

4.   Program Management:

·       Oversee the implementation of partnership projects and initiatives (in collaboration with the Technical Lead).

·       Monitor and evaluate the impact of partnership activities.

·       Provide regular updates and reports to the coalition leadership and partners.

5.    Advocacy:

·       Represent the coalition at conferences, forums, and other public events.

·       Advocate for policies and practices that support sustainable fertilizer use and soil health improvement.

Reporting and Work Relationships

This position will report to the Executive Director.

Location

This is a National recruitment with a duty station in the IFDC office based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Benefits

IFDC's benefits include annual and sick leave, health and group life insurance coverage, a 13th-month salary, social security and pension contribution in compliance with local laws and end-of-contract benefits.

Salary Clause

The salary grade for the above position is BG 10 with a proposed starting salary of KES 478,677 gross per month.

The determination of new employee salaries takes into account various factors. These include the salary range linked to the assigned job grade, the candidate's qualifications in relation to the job's responsibilities and prerequisites, internal fairness, the competitive state of the job market, as well as potential organizational and budgetary considerations.

Diversity Clause

IFDC is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion, and offers equal employment opportunities based on ability, performance, and potential. Equal opportunity is integral to the recruitment and selection practices at IFDC. IFDC recognizes the value in recruiting employees with different backgrounds, knowledge, experiences, perspectives, and beliefs. IFDC recognizes and values the contribution of people with a diverse background in capabilities, experience, and perspectives. Diversity encompasses gender, age, experience, education, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and cultural backgrounds as well as other dimensions such as lifestyle and family responsibilities.

About Program/Project

There are several ongoing initiatives that need to be operationalized.

The Dakar 2 Summit, Feed Africa: Food Sovereignty and Resilience, organized by the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) in early 2023, generated the strong political will of African Heads of State and development investment support to urgently deliver climate-smart agricultural technologies to millions of farmers, structured around the development of "Food and Agriculture Delivery Compacts."

The Lomé Declaration on Fertilizers and Soil Health in West Africa and the Sahel, signed in May 2023 under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the resulting Roadmap, developed under the auspices of the World Bank in anticipation of the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Action Plan, laid out actions and commitments to implement the AFSH Action Plan in the ECOWAS region.

The African Union’s 10-year Action Plan and the Soil Initiative for Africa was endorsed at the AFSH Summit held in Nairobi in May 2024, and this will generate significant donor interest and investments, which form an unprecedented opportunity to help Africa meet its food security and soil health challenges.

The Coalition, launched at the AFSH Summit in May 2024, is a united group of stakeholders – which includes the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), the African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI), and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) representing the CGIAR through the Excellence in Agronomy Initiative – that will build on the significant donor interest generated through the Dakar 2 Summit, the Lomé Declaration, and the AFSH Summit and help convert opportunities into programs on the ground. Specifically, this would include:

·       Work with the African Union, ECOWAS, and other regional economic communities (RECs) and stakeholders to drive agricultural productivity and inclusive agricultural transformation that supports smallholder farmers, climate adaptation, and agricultural value chains.

·       Develop a unique value proposition for donors and thereby unlock funds for large-scale programs. 

·       Multiply impact, transfer knowledge, and harmonize actions across the region. 

·       Support institutional and human capacity building of key stakeholders. 

·       Develop new technologies to meet emerging global 

Required Skills

·       Master’s degree in agriculture, environmental science, business, or a related field. 

·       At least 7 years of experience in partnership development, stakeholder engagement, or a related field. 

·       Strong understanding of issues related to fertilizer use, soil health, and sustainable agriculture. 

·       Proven track record of successfully managing partnerships and securing funding. 

·       Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills. 

·       Ability to work independently and as part of a multi-national/multi-cultural team. 

·       Proficiency in project management and using relevant software tools. 

·       Fluency in English and French would be preferred.  

·       Willingness to travel as required.