Agronomy Advisor

Job Description

TECHNOSERVE BACKGROUND

TechnoServe works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. We are a nonprofit organization that develops business solutions to poverty by linking people to information, capital, and markets. Our work is rooted in the idea that given the opportunity, hardworking men and women in even the poorest places can generate income, jobs, and wealth for their families and communities. With more than four decades of proven results, we believe in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The primary objective of the TNS Agronomy Program is to increase coffee production among coffee farmers through both yield improvement and behavioral shifts due to price incentives. This production improvement will be achieved by educating farmers on agronomy and regenerative best practices, farm management, and assisting them in applying these techniques at an individual farm level. TNS will use two-year Farm College training and individual farm visits to improve farmer knowledge of agronomy techniques and oversee implementation.

II. POSITION DESCRIPTION

Support the implementation of strategies that will enable smallholder coffee farmers to achieve sustainable increases in coffee quality and yields as per TechnoServe quality requirements. The position is responsible for the day-to-day execution of the coffee agronomy program, activity planning, local stakeholder relations management, and supervision of Farmer Trainers’ project deliverables to ensure the timely achievement of targets.

III. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Responsibilities as Agronomy Advisor

1.1. Planning and Management of Farmer Trainers

• Submit weekly work plans detailing weekly trainings and attendance/observation plans.

• Review Farmer Trainers’ weekly work plans and provide feedback and support as needed.

• Collect weekly training plans and data from Farmer Trainers and relay them to the respective supervisors.

• Clearly communicate goals, roles, and responsibilities to all staff.

• Provide feedback, coaching, and development activities related to performance management, following HR guidelines.

• Notify the Program Manager of any performance issues as soon as they are observed.

• Develop a team spirit among all direct reports.

• Submit Farmer Trainer of the Month nominations for their team.

1.2. Conduct Monthly Agronomy Training for Farmer Trainers

• Model the monthly agronomy training to Farmer Trainers at the local training demonstration plot.

• Supervise teach-backs and provide feedback.

• Ensure all training materials reach Farmer Trainers on time.

1.3. Observe Farmer Trainers Delivering Training at Demo Plots

• Ensure the training observation tablet and paper forms are completed for each training event observed; meet the target of observing 5 training events per week and addressing each Farmer Trainer twice per training module.

• Complete the training observation form and provide feedback and coaching to the Farmer Trainer.

• Check attendance forms and cross-check the number of farmers reported as present. Ensure reported data is accurate.

1.4. Visit Farmers

• Select farmers at random and conduct attendance spot checks using a digitalized tablet system; meet the target of visiting 5 farmers per week during training weeks and 10 farmers during off-training weeks.

• Discuss training, farmer adoption, and challenges.

• Complete the Best Practice Checklist.

1.5. Visit Demo Plots

• Meet with Focal Farmers and discuss any challenges.

• Check demo plot status, complete the required form, and provide feedback to the Farmer Trainer.

• Visit demo plots according to weekly targets and relay information using the systems provided; meet the target of visiting 6 demo plots per week. All demo plots must be visited at least once every quarter.

1.6. Attendance Monitoring and Evaluation

• Collect, check for completion, and submit the complete set of Farmer Trainers’ attendance sheets to the Program Manager within one week of training completion.

• Discuss attendance issues with Farmer Trainers and the Program Manager and develop an action plan.

• Compile weekly attendance updates and submit them to the Program Manager.

• Ensure high-quality, error-free training attendance data is collected, reviewed, and delivered to the M&E team on a timely/monthly basis.

• Complete the Attendance Spot Check Tablet Form for each Focal Farmer Group supervised.

1.7. Impact Reporting

• Collect farmers’ success and impact stories and farmers’ quotes on a quarterly basis, following the provided guidelines, and share the stories with the supervisor.

• Capture high-quality photos to accompany the impact stories, following the guidelines provided.

1.8. Prepare and Check Farmer Trainers’ Expenses

• Collect official voucher receipts for transport and accommodation and verify them for accuracy before submission.

• Submit the documents to Finance in a timely manner.

1.9. Stakeholder Management

• Create and maintain good working relationships with stakeholders.

• Hold meetings with Agricultural Development and Administration Offices of the appropriate Woredas once every quarter.

• Meet with Kebele leaders to provide progress reports every quarter.

• Support Farmer Trainers in mobilizing farmers at the Kebele level.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Program Manager.

IV. REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture, Plant Science, or Agriculture. Equivalent relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree.

2. At least four years of professional experience, ideally in the private sector, in Coffee Agronomy.

3. Strong planning skills and experience working within strict timelines.

4. Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.

5. Willingness to spend significant time and actually live in rural areas.

6. Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and local languages. Oromifa is required.

7. Computer literacy and business acumen.

8. Renewed motorcycle riding license; ability and willingness to ride a motorcycle is a MUST.

How to Apply

Qualified and interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume as a single document (either Word or PDF) by October 16, 2026 through: >>https://recruiting.ultipro.com/. Applications will be reviewed and considered as received/on a rolling basis. Please note that we are not accepting CVs that are not sent through the indicated link.  

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe’s vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.