POSITION: Program Manager 

You will lead a highly collaborative, youth-driven, agriculture-tech-finance program that blends business skills, financial inclusion, market systems, and innovation. This is a role for someone with energy, leadership flair, humour, humility, and serious business acumen.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS
Because you will:

• Work with youth MSMEs, agripreneurs, farmer organizations, and cooperatives across 20+ counties in Kenya
• Lead a team designing solutions using tech, finance, business coaching, and value chains
• Be at the centre of a national transformation movement for young people
• Co-create a program with our partners

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Program Leadership and Strategy

• Drive overall implementation of program components (enterprise development, markets, clusters, technology adoption).
• Lead annual work planning, budgeting, and reporting.
• Ensure program alignment with outcomes and targets.
• Provide technical direction to regional teams and partners.

2. Youth-Focused Business Development and Capacity Building

• Oversee development and rollout of the business development activities .
• Guide enterprise assessments, clustering, and tailored business support.
• Ensure youth-led MSMEs build strong business systems, financial discipline and market readiness.
• Supervise Business Service Providers

3. Market Systems and Value Chain Strengthening

• Coordinate mapping, research and development of value chain clusters.
• Facilitate linkages with buyers/offtakers, agri-tech providers and service providers.
• Promote technology adoption for efficiency and profitability.

4. Consortium Coordination

• Serve as EAMDA’s focal point to partners.
• Participate in program committees and partner forums.
• Ensure consortium partners align implementation in counties.

5. Youth Engagement and Safeguarding

• Ensure youth-friendly approaches, safe programming, and safeguarding compliance.
• Promote participation of young women in leadership, markets, and farmer organization structures.

6. MEAL and Reporting

• Work with MEAL Lead to track performance, collect data and drive adaptive management.
• Lead documentation of lessons, case studies & innovation pilots.

7. Team Leadership

• Supervise regional coordinators, business advisors, and technical assistants.
• Build a fun, high-energy, accountable culture within the EAMDA team.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Must-Have

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Agriculture, Development Studies OR related field.
• Master’s degree / MBA (strong business acumen essential).
• 10+ years of experience in program management, enterprise development, or market systems.
• Experience working with youth programs, MSMEs, cooperatives, or financial inclusion.
• Strong experience in multi-stakeholder project coordination.

Nice-to-Have

• Experience in agri-value chains, technology adoption, or rural market development.
• Familiarity with donor-funded programs
• Understanding of gender and safeguarding standards