Strategic Partnerships Manager / Senior Associate (Fixed-Term)

One Acre Fund is a nonprofit organization that supplies smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa with the farm inputs, financing, training, and market access they need to grow more food and earn more income. Operating across nine countries including Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the organization works with millions of farming families who rely on small, rain-fed plots of land as their primary source of livelihood. By delivering quality seeds, fertilizer, and agricultural services directly to rural farmers, One Acre Fund reports helping clients achieve approximately 45% more farm income on the same land area. One Acre Fund's sustainability and climate mission is embedded throughout its programs. The organization focuses on climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, including agroforestry and tree-planting initiatives, financing and insurance products to help farmers weather climate-related shocks, and innovation in climate-resilient agricultural practices. These efforts are designed to strengthen the long-term resilience of smallholder farmers who are among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, while also contributing to carbon sequestration and reduced agricultural emissions across the continent. What distinguishes One Acre Fund is its last-mile delivery model, which brings bundled services directly to farmers in remote rural areas, combined with a rigorous impact measurement methodology including social return on investment analysis. The organization also prioritizes gender-smart agriculture, with women comprising more than 50% of its client base, and maintains a strong commitment to evidence-based programming and transparent reporting on outcomes.

About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund equips 5.5 million smallholder farmers to make their farms more productive. Across nine countries that together are home to two-thirds of Africa's farmers, we provide high-quality farm supplies, tree seedlings, accessible credit, modern agronomic training, and a wide range of other agricultural services. On average, this model enables any farmer to increase their income and assets on supported land by more than 35 percent, while permanently improving their resilience. This is all made possible by our team of 9,000+ full-time staff, drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. To learn more, please see our Why Work Here blog post.

About the Role

By 2030, our organisation will serve 10 million farm families annually. This growth will be fuelled by fundraising, and at One Acre Fund, our fundraising relies on industry-leading grant and partnership management. We have a 10-person grant management team within our larger Business Development department, responsible for stewarding our highest-value donor partnerships, and are now looking for new Strategic Partnerships Senior Associates / Managers to join this team.

These roles will manage some of our highest-value donor partnerships, leading the coordination and monitoring of grant-funded activities. All roles will report to leaders within our Global Business Development team, while closely coordinating with leaders for the relevant programs. All roles will also interact closely across 1AF’s programming, building deep fluency with our approach to smallholder agriculture: equipping farmers with high-quality products/services to increase their harvests and profits, build their climate resilience, and improve their long-term livelihoods.

Specific roles will have major emphasis areas based on the nature of each donor partnership, helping the organisation pioneer new approaches to thematic priorities including conservation agriculture, engaging women and youth farmers, and smallholder insurance.

Responsibilities

Drive thematic partnerships happening in the field: You will bring an ambitious vision of smallholder prosperity to life in new thematic areas for the organisation, helping us build the capacity to deliver impact to smallholders through conservation agriculture, women/youth engagement, and/or smallholder insurance:

• Project Management and Coordination: Partner with program teams to set goals, design and run project activities, anticipate challenges, and keep every part of the plan moving forward smoothly.
• Collaborative Problem Solving: Work closely with program staff to tackle day-to-day and long-term challenges, bringing real-world insights directly to org leadership and the donor.
• Program Fluency: Spend dedicated time in the field with farmers and staff to fully understand work and ensure that all we do in the partnership remains tailored to what farmers really need.

Own, manage and/or support key donor relationships: You will ensure One Acre Fund builds and maintains an excellent relationship with our partners, translating field impact into clear, compelling narratives and keeping our partners deeply connected to our progress:

• Donor Engagement: Act as the main point of contact for all funder communications, seamlessly bridging the gap between donors and field teams in whatever ways are needed, including regular communications, coordinating visits, and more as required.
• Storytelling and Reporting: Through deep program fluency, deliver clear, high-quality narrative and financial updates that demonstrate to our partners the true impact of their support.
• Grant Administration: Manage the essential day-to-day details of the funding, including accurate data tracking, invoices, and otherwise ensuring all grant operations are running smoothly and on time.

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:

• Bachelor's degree in International Development, Public Policy, Business, Economics, or a related field. 
• 5-10 years of professional experience in international development, strategic partnerships, grant management, consulting, or project management, depending on role level.
• Experience in a public-facing role and with managing external stakeholders, preferred.
• Strong writing and communication skills.
• Excellent organisational skills with a willingness to take initiative and be proactive.
• Proven negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable with data and working in Google Sheets, preferred.
• Fluency in English required.

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Kigali, Rwanda, Nairobi, Kenya or the United States

After you apply, we will notify you which opening/s you are being considered for based on your experience and existing work eligibility for each location as follows:  

• Kigali, Rwanda: One Acre Fund can support a work permit for this role. However, nationals of (or those with an extensive professional background and work history in) our countries of operation are preferred.
• Nairobi, Kenya: Open to citizens or permanent residents of Kenya.
• US: Open to citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.

Benefits

Health insurance, housing, and comprehensive benefits

Contract Duration

2 years, renewable with a high chance based on good performance.

Travel Requirement

At least two weeks per year. Candidates based in the US should expect to spend four weeks visiting our programs in their first year, with a minimum of two weeks annual travel expected thereafter.

Eligibility

This role is open to all applicants; however, candidates with citizenship or permanent residency in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, or Burundi are strongly preferred.

Application Deadline

23 October 2026. Please note that we hire on a rolling basis which means that applications are reviewed and processed on a continuous basis until a hire is made.

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, color, 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.