The Ecosystem Lead will design, steward, and grow Impact Hub Nairobi's issue-based ecosystem focused on agriculture, circular/regenerative food systems, climate innovation, and sustainability. This role will blend facilitation, multi-stakeholder orchestration, and strategic leadership to translate ecosystem insights into impactful collaborations, pilot projects, policy influence, and enterprise opportunities. Over a 24-month period (part-time), the postholder will guide the ecosystem through activation to consolidation, establishing sustainable communities of practice, creating shared roadmaps, and developing investable pipelines that align with circular agricultural principles.
Key Responsibilities
Stakeholder Engagement & Partnership Development
Identify, build, and nurture strategic partnerships with stakeholders across the agricultural value chain, including farmers, businesses, NGOs, research institutions, and policymakers.
Serve as the key point of contact for project stakeholders, ensuring they are aligned with project goals and engaged in meaningful collaboration.
Drive the development of new partnerships that align with the principles of agricultural circularity and can scale impact.
Ecosystem Strategy & Coordination
Develop and implement a comprehensive ecosystem strategy that supports circularity in agriculture, fostering cross-sector collaboration and innovation.
Map and analyze the agricultural ecosystem to identify opportunities for integrating circular economy solutions at different stages of the value chain.
Monitor and support the operationalization of partnerships, ensuring successful execution of joint initiatives.
Capacity Building & Knowledge Sharing
Lead efforts to build the capacity of ecosystem actors on circular agriculture practices, through workshops, training programs, and knowledge-sharing platforms.
Develop and disseminate tools, resources, and case studies that drive the adoption of circular economy principles within agriculture.
Create an ecosystem of knowledge exchange, bringing stakeholders together to share best practices, lessons learned, and innovative solutions.
Policy Advocacy & Thought Leadership
Engage with policymakers to advocate for enabling policies that support circular agriculture and sustainability at local, regional, and national levels.
Position the project as a thought leader in the space of agricultural circularity by publishing reports, thought pieces, and presenting at relevant forums.
Develop and execute an advocacy strategy to raise awareness and mobilize resources for circular agriculture.
Monitoring & Impact Measurement
Design and implement monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess the effectiveness of ecosystem activities and partnerships.
Regularly report on ecosystem developments, key challenges, and opportunities for improving collaboration and impact.
Use data and insights to adjust strategies, ensuring continuous learning and adaptation of the project.
Qualifications
Education:
A Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics, Environmental Science, Sustainability, Business Administration, or a related field. A Master's degree is preferred.
Experience:
Experience: 7 - 10+ years across ecosystem building, partnerships, innovation/entrepreneurship, or systems-change programs; Kenyan agri/food/climate experience is a plus.
Demonstrated ability to work with diverse stakeholders (farmers, businesses, government, NGOs) and manage multi-stakeholder partnerships.
Experience in developing and executing strategies for systemic change, especially within agriculture or sustainable development.
Knowledge of the circular economy, agricultural sustainability, and Kenya's agricultural policy landscape