Cooperative Advisor Horticulture FFT2 at Agriterra, Nairobi

For this role, Agriterra is looking for a Cooperative Advisor to provide expert advice and coordinate advisory trajectories with reputable avocado and potato cooperatives and farmer organisations in Kenya. You will have an advisory and coaching role in building development trajectories aimed at strengthening cooperatives and farmers’ organisations and making them more resilient to climate shocks.

To achieve this, the successful candidate combines practical field experience with a strong understanding of the value chain. The CA’s strong analytical skills allow them to assess opportunities to support farmer organisations in becoming more competitive in their respective value chains, through economically viable business that empowers smallholder members to become more resilient to shocks or other constraints preventing them from accessing better markets (domestic & export) consistently.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Cooperative advisory work

• Guide and empower targeted cooperatives through comprehensive project interventions—from initial development and scoping to in-depth assessments, hands on training, and strategic advisory support—all within the strategic framework established by the project lead.

• Drive cooperative success through tailored advisory pathways focused on governance excellence, financial sustainability, business growth, and production optimisation—all while managing personal and team responsibilities to meet every project milestone

Administration & Reporting

• Transform data into impact by documenting progress, analysing setbacks as learning opportunities, monitoring implementation effectiveness, and sharing breakthrough insights that scale success across the programme.

Business Development & Stakeholder Management

• Drive innovation by identifying opportunities in operational excellence, project optimisation, and market development, translating insights into compelling action plans together with the project lead. Contribute to project proposals and represent Agriterra in the network.

Communication

• Keep the project team connected and informed through regular updates on achievements, emerging opportunities, and challenges, enabling swift strategic responses and continuous improvement.

Quality Assuarnce

• Uphold Agriterra’s reputation for excellence by ensuring all services meet established standards while providing specialised, responsive support that consistently delivers value to cooperative partners within agreed timelines.

Supervision

• Supervise project staff on small projects. Delegating tasks, coaching and guiding less experienced team members to enhance their skills and performance

Technical Expertise Development

• Lead knowledge advancement as a specialist trainer, contributing to Agriterra’s intellectual capital through coaching, learning facilitation, and systematic capture of new insights and lessons learned. Remain up to date with industry developments through continuous professional development, and promote the integration of new knowledge across the organisation

Organisational Sustainability

• Guide cooperatives toward financial independence by developing robust organisational frameworks that enhance climate-smart service delivery and provide members with the agricultural extension support they need to thrive sustainably.

Organisation

In this role, you will report directly to the Senior Cooperative Advisor and Project Lead for FFT 2 (Horticulture). You will guide project staff members in your role as project lead for small-scale projects.

What do you bring

Educational background

• You have a bachelor’s degree in business economics, agri-business, business administration or a related field.
• Your career shows at least 5 years of experience in an international work environment supporting agricultural development projects.

Experience

• You have experience in facilitating connections between farmers and buyers, processor and exporters; quality assurance, market requirements and risk management options (e.g. forward contracts).
• You are familiar with avocado and potato value constraints and support in scouting relevant partners with expertise or technologies for enhanced integrated pest and disease management, post harvest excellence, reinforced seed systems and market linkages.