About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund supplies 1 million smallholder farmers with the agricultural services they need to make their farms vastly more productive. Our 8,000+ team is drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. With operations across six core countries in Africa, we make farmers more prosperous by providing quality farm supplies on credit, delivered within walking distance of farmers’ homes, and agricultural training to improve harvests. On average, the farmers we serve harvest 50 per cent more food after working with One Acre Fund.

To learn more about our work, take a look at our Why Work Here blog for information.

About the Role

• We’re searching for someone to lead the Seed Innovation Centre which will be located at the Rwanda Institute of Conservation Agriculture.
• You will create a generation of seed professionals and support Rwandan-led seed companies to access proprietary materials – to improve yields for Rwandan farmers and beyond!
• You will be experienced in research and development of seed technology/plant breeding relevant to the region in addition to leading educational programs for professionals.
• You will bring a knowledge of UPOV standards and membership, and a working knowledge of OEDC and ISTA standards as they relate to seed inspection, variety protection and certification.
• Over the next 5 years, you will support Rwandan-led seed companies to grow to reach their full potential through support with their professional capacity building and development of new seed products.
• The contribution to the development of the Rwandan seed industry will create millions of dollars of additional impact for smallholders through greater access to improved seed products.
• You will lead the Seed Innovation Department with the Seed Systems Change Division within our Rwanda program.
• Reporting directly to the Director of Seed Systems Innovation you will manage a USD 7.1M budget for the next 7 years.
• You will grow a team of up to 20 seed trainers and researchers in production, quality control and breeding over the next 2-3 years who will report directly to you.

Responsibilities

• Build a team of seed professionals to support the development of Rwanda seed companies in seed quality control (ISTA standards), field production (OEDC standards) and variety release (UPOV standards) – breeding experience is required though breeding will not be part of the role initially.
• Develop a professional training program targeting young agriculture graduates and experienced seed professionals within Rwanda.
• Lead variety development services – getting access to licensed materials for Rwandan seed companies building on your existing network with the national breeding program at RAB and global CGIAR variety release programs.
• Create a flagship trial site at RICA and expand OAF’s existing trials network to offer DUS and VCU trials to Rwandan and international seed companies.
• Oversee a partnership with the Rwanda inspectorate to help develop a network of private seed inspectors to bolster national seed inspection and certification services.
• Work with government, regulators and private partners to develop a well-published national variety list and protected variety list.
• Develop an ISTA-certified seed quality testing lab at RICA to support seed companies to get access to independent seed quality tests including pathology testing and export permits for certified seeds over the next 3-4 years.

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:

• 5+ years of experience in seed product development or breeding space in grain crops (maize, beans, rice, wheat or similar).
• Experience and qualifications in leading university or professional level educational programs
• PhD in plant breeding (or other PhD in agronomy plus years of experience working in plant breeding)
• English and Kinyarwanda required

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Kigali / Busegera, Rwanda

Benefits

Health insurance, housing, and comprehensive benefits

Eligibility

This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Rwanda

Application Deadline

29 November 2022

One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @oneacrefund.org address. Please report any suspicious communication here ([email protected]), but do not send applications or application materials to this email address.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism are deeply connected to our organization’s mission and purpose. One Acre Fund aspires to build a culture where all staff feel consistently valued, represented, and connected – so that our team can thrive as professionals, and achieve exceptional impact for the farmers we serve.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace.