ABOUT ONE ACRE FUND

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund supplies smallholder farmers with the agricultural services they need to make their farms vastly more productive. We provide quality farm supplies on credit, delivered within walking distance of farmers’ homes, and agricultural trainings to improve harvests. We measure our success by our ability to make farmers more prosperous: On average, farmers harvest 50 percent more food after working with One Acre Fund.

We are growing quickly. We currently serve more than 800,000 farm families in Eastern and Southern Africa, with more than 7,500 full-time staff, and we aim to serve 1 million farm families by 2020.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Government Relations Specialist will be responsible for coordinating our Local Government Relations Team across our established areas of operation in Tanzania which include Iringa, Mbeya, Songwe and Njombe regions. The Specialist will lead a team of staff across the regions of operation and be responsible for their professional development. They will also serve as a focal point for One Acre Fund departmental leadership for advice on government and regulatory questions in Tanzania. The Specialist will participate in stakeholder meetings and oversee the production of quarterly reports as well as manage strategies to resolve government-related risks in the field. Additionally, s/he will coordinate all regional and district approvals for our scouting and existing areas of operation. He/she will also play an active role in coordinating field events and act as a link between our field headquarters in Iringa and our Government Relations team member in Dar es Salaam.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Management and professional development support to 4 local government relations staff across Iringa, Mbeya and Njombe regions.
• Act as a key deputy and the main point of contact for all government relations inquiries from other departments and the Tanzania Country Leadership team based at our Iringa headquarters, responding to questions and requests in a timely and comprehensive manner with minimal supervision from the manager.
• Communicate effectively with the other departments by proactively seeking their feedback on GR support to the field and developing strategies to align with them.
• Manage highest-level local government relationships with government officials (councillors, DAICOs and Regional Commissioners) and the regional regulator, TAMISEMI.
• Create and implement professional development initiatives for the Local Government Relations Team in Iringa, Mbeya, Njombe and Songwe areas of operation.
• Create efficiencies within the Local Government Relations Team through delegation and strategic use of staff resources.
• Oversee the tracking and resolution of risks and issues affecting field-facing operations.
• Track compliance of One Acre Fund operations with government regulations, oversee the team’s support to the Innovations, Field Operations, Logistics and Corporate Operations departments on licensing processes in Iringa, Mbeya, Njombe and Songwe regions.
• Oversee planning and execution on logistics for events that the Government Relations department holds in the field with local and national government officials as well as politicians
• Oversee timely preparation and delivery of quarterly reports to all levels of local government in our established regions of operation.
• Review country strategies and policies, and advise One Acre Fund departments on next steps.
• Use people management and project planning tools to coordinate Local Government Relations staff and adequately respond to requests from department heads.
• Act as a focal point for the global and national Government Relations Department.
• Any other duties as assigned by the Government Relations Analyst or departmental leadership.

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

We are seeking an exceptional professional with 3-5 year(s) of work experience and ideally a demonstrated passion for our mission.  Candidates who fit the following criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:

• Experience working with government stakeholders; past experience working for an NGO encouraged. 
• Able to analyze and interpret data to create strategies and solutions. 
• People and team management experience. 
• Strong educational background; Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership experience at work, or outside of work, enthusiasm for learning, and openness to feedback.
• Ability to build teams and collaborate with colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
• Language: English and Swahili required.