CIMMYT is a cutting-edge, non-profit, international organization dedicated to solving tomorrow’s problems today. It is entrusted with fostering improved quantity, quality, and dependability of production systems and basic cereals such as maize, wheat, triticale, sorghum, millets, and associated crops through applied agricultural science, particularly in the Global South, through building strong partnerships. This combination enhances the livelihood trajectories and resilience of millions of resource-poor farmers, while working towards a more productive, inclusive, and resilient agrifood system within planetary boundaries. CIMMYT is a core CGIAR Research Center, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources.
For more information, visit https://www.cimmyt.org/careers/jobs/
CIMMYT is seeking a Field Research Coordinator – Eastern Africa, to provide technical and operational coordination for the implementation of climate-smart agriculture research services supporting home-grown school feeding programmes across Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. The role will ensure the establishment and effective utilization of learning sites, reliable data collection, farmer learning, partner engagement and consistent project implementation across the three countries. The position will also involve undertaking project-related driving and field transport duties, where required, in accordance with organizational safety and vehicle-use policies.
Key Responsibilities;
Multi-Country Project Coordination and Partner Engagement
- Coordinate approved workplans, activities, partner commitments and schedules across Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
- Support the development, harmonization and tracking of project implementation plans, as instructed by the Principal Investigator (PI), maintaining comparability across countries while allowing adaptation to local conditions and priorities.
- Serve as an operational link among CIMMYT, National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) and local implementation partners.
- Convene coordination reviews, track milestones and actions, and escalate risks, delays and implementation issues.
- Align field activities with agricultural seasons, school calendars, procurement and data collection schedules.
Learning Site Establishment and Technical Quality
- Under the direction of the Project PI, participate fully booth technically and through local engagement in the identification, selection, validation, establishment, management and documentation of learning sites, in collaboration with CIMMYT, NARS teams and local community partners.
- Support land access arrangements, land preparation, planting, demonstrations, indigenous crop trials and field operations.
- Ensure learning sites follow agreed scientific, social and operational criteria and protocols, applied consistently across sires with appropriate local adaptation.
- Monitor site performance, management, risks and learning outputs, and ensure sites support evidence generation, farmer exchange and partner learning.
- Work with project scientists (CIMMYT and NARS) to adapt and apply protocols for climate-smart agriculture, indigenous crops, natural resource management, postharvest practices and school-feeding linkages.
- Identify partner capacity gaps and facilitate the technical support needed for effective implementation.
Farmer Learning, Country Teams and Community Engagement
- Provide day-to-day coordination and technical support to country coordinators and last-mile partners, clarifying roles, timelines, reporting, learning-site management and data collection requirements, while helping resolve implementation challenges.
- Coordinate farmer field days, exchanges, training, reflection sessions and school-community engagement.
- Promote gender-responsive and youth-inclusive participation, alongside transparent communication with communities.
- Ensure that communities, farmers, schools and local leaders understand the purpose of learning sites, expected benefits, respective responsibilities and the limits of project support.
- Support mechanisms for receiving, documenting and addressing community feedback and concerns, referring unresolved issues to project leadership.
Data Collection, Monitoring, Reporting and Learning
- Coordinate field surveys, site monitoring, farmer feedback and partner reporting across all three countries.
- Support the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team in applying approved data protocols, quality assurance, ethics and safeguarding standards.
- Support the training of country teams and partners on digital tools, data integrity and field documentation.
- Prepare monthly progress reports covering workplans, milestones and partner commitments, compliance and implementation matters, deviations and their causes, corrective actions, emerging evidence and lessons, as well as priorities for the following month.
- Include updated action plans, activities, timelines and guidance required.
- Document lessons from learning sites and incorporate them into project planning and reporting.
- Prepare field and mission reports and learning notes and contribute to technical briefs and case studies.
Field Logistics, Driving, Safety and Compliance
- Be able to safely operate and drive a field (terrain) vehicle under authorization from CIMMYT in the support of project vehicles to learning sites, partner meetings and field activities as required.
- Maintain a valid, AA-certified Kenyan driving license and comply with road safety, vehicle-use and journey management requirements.
- Carry out routine vehicle checks, maintain accurate trip and mileage records, and promptly report defects or incidents.
- Coordinate field logistics and comply with safeguarding, health, safety, environmental and inclusion requirements.
Other Responsibilities
- Identify and mitigate potential risks within the area of responsibility.
- Take reasonable care of own occupational health and safety, as well as that of others, in accordance with applicable CIMMYT Occupational Health and Safety policies and relevant country legislation.
- Participate in other team projects and activities as required.
Requirements
Education and Work Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Agricultural Development, Environmental Sciences, Rural Development or a related discipline. An advanced degree will be an added advantage.
- At least five (5) years of relevant experience coordinating agricultural research, climate-smart agriculture, field demonstrations or community-based projects.
- Experience working with partners and field teams, collecting and assuring the quality of data, and preparing progress reports is required.
- A valid Kenyan driving license appropriate for the assigned project vehicles is mandatory. AA-certified is an added advantage.
- Demonstrated practical driving experience, including driving in rural and remote field conditions, and the ability to travel frequently are required.
- Experience driving Manual four-wheel-drive vehicles on difficult terrain will be an added advantage.
Required Skills
- Thinking Challenge; Demonstrate sound judgment in resolving field-level issues, prioritizing activities and escalating risks.
- Interpersonal Skills: Possess strong coordination, communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Level of English Language Required: Good written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of relevant local languages will be an added advantage.
- Autonomy: Ability to work independently on field assignments within approved plans and safety protocols.
- Impact: Ensure timely and consistent delivery of learning sites, credible field evidence and productive partner engagement.
Additional Information
- This is a one-year, fixed-term position requiring frequent travel to project sites across Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
- Driving is an explicit responsibility of the role, alongside substantive research and field coordination duties.
- Monthly reporting will cover project progress, compliance, implementation fidelity, risks, corrective actions, lessons learned and forward plans.
- All duties will be performed in accordance with CIMMYT/CIFOR-ICRAF policies and applicable local regulations.
Benefits
This is a Locally Recruited Staff (LRS) position. CIFOR-ICRAF offers a competitive remuneration package commensurate with experience and qualifications. In Kenya, employment contracts are issued under ICRAF in compliance with Kenyan labour law. Locally recruited staff are eligible for a non-contributory pension scheme, comprehensive medical insurance, paid annual and statutory leave, and learning and development opportunities in line with CIFOR-ICRAF policies.
The appointment will be for a period of one (1) year, inclusive of a six-month probationary period.
The duty station will be in Lodwar, Turkana County, Kenya.