Uganda Agronomy Lead

About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund equips more than 4 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 her income and assets on supported land by more than 40 percent, while permanently improving her climate resilience. This is all made possible by our team of 8,000+ full-time staff, drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. To learn more, please see our Why Work Here blog post.

Our Uganda program, founded in 2016, serves approximately 27,000 farmers. We offer bespoke training to coffee farmers to help them improve their yields, and distribute a range of different tree species through local nurseries situated close to farmers. Our team in Uganda is headquartered in Jinja, close to the districts we serve, and supported by a small presence in Kampala. To learn more about our work, look at our Uganda program blog

About the Role

Seeking an exceptional agronomist to drive excellence in our program agricultural extension, impact and research work; to design and implement complex research station and farmer field trials; and to scale the foot print and reach of new product and service ideas to all of the program smallholder farmers.

• You will Identify current knowledge gaps and research opportunities across the program; and prioritize, resource R&D efforts around these accordingly.
• Design complex research station, field, and program trials to test the viability and scalability of new product and service ideas e.g. new crop viability, new farmer products and services, farmer behavioral change, et.  You will be a part the Product Innovations team, and you will report to the Head of Product Innovations. This role is based in Jinja but you will manage the agronomy programs in the Eastern, Central and Western regions

You will

• Develop and implement agronomy strategies to improve crop yields and quality in Uganda, aligned with company goals and objectives.
• Provide technical guidance and support to agronomy teams, farmers, and other stakeholders on best practices in crop management, soil conservation, and irrigation.
• Conduct field trials and experiments to identify and recommend suitable crop varieties, fertilizers, and pest management practices for Ugandan farmers.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement sustainable agricultural practices, ensuring compliance with environmental and social standards.
• Analyze and interpret agronomic data to identify trends, opportunities, and challenges, and provide recommendations for improvement.

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 agronomy, crop management, or a related field, with a focus on tropical agriculture.
• Proven track record of improving crop yields and quality, and implementing successful agronomy projects in Uganda or similar contexts.
• Strong knowledge of Ugandan agricultural systems, including soil types, climate, and common crop pests and diseases.
• Experience with farmer engagement, training, and capacity building, with a focus on smallholder farmers.
• Familiarity with digital agriculture tools, including precision agriculture, mobile apps, and data analytics platforms.

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Uganda

Benefits

Health insurance, paid time off 

Eligibility

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

Application Deadline

06 February 2025. 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.