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
