Environmental and Social Governance Lead (Fixed-Term)
Vacancy
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The Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) lead will build systems to track, audit, and analyze our commitments. They will collaborate with partner teams to execute our commitments, and they will share our approaches with donors and lenders.LocationBurundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, ZambiaCareer LevelProfessionalsApply now
About One Acre Fund
Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund supplies 1 million smallholder farmers with the agricultural services they need to make their farms vastly more productive. Our 8,000+ team is drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. With operations across six core countries in Africa, we make farmers more prosperous by providing quality farm supplies on credit, delivered within walking distance of farmers’ homes, and agricultural training to improve harvests. On average, the farmers we serve harvest 50 percent more food after working with One Acre Fund.
To learn more about our work, take a look at our Why Work Here blog for more information.
About the Role
- As the ESG Lead at One Acre Fund, you will play a critical role in shaping and managing our comprehensive Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy. Reporting to the Head of the People Division with regular engagement with the Office of the CEO, you will oversee the development, implementation, and tracking of ESG policies and systems.
- This position demands a collaborative person capable of integrating ESG principles across our organization, ensuring compliance with global and local standards, and fostering a culture of accountability and improvement. The ESG Lead will coordinate across teams to achieve One Acre Fund’s ESG commitments, address emerging risks, and enhance the organization’s long-term sustainability and social impact
Responsibilities
- Global ESG Strategy and Risk Management
- Oversee the organization-wide ESG tracking system.
- Audit compliance with ESG policies and lead improvements in collaboration with relevant teams.
- Serve as the organizational representative on ESG to internal and external stakeholders, including donors, investors, and the board.
- Monitor industry trends and propose updates to One Acre Fund’s ESG policies to align with best practices.
- Develop fluency on our donor and investor-specific ESG commitments, and manage our global system to inform donors and investors about ESG events and changes, in close coordination with the Business Development and Investor Relations team.
- Staff Protection.
- Ensure compliance with occupational safety and health requirements across countries in coordination with in-country Health, Safety, and Security (HSS) leads.
- Build and execute anti-sexual harassment projects to reduce risks, support reporting, and aid victims.
- Environment Protection
- Collaborate with the Sustainability Lead to ensure compliance with Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) and other environmental commitments.
- Support the Impact Team in achieving measurable environmental benefits across programs.
- Cross-Functional Coordination
- Work closely with teams, including Impact, People, Business Development, Investor Relations, and Legal, to ensure ESG commitments are understood and executed effectively.
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
Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:
- 8+ years of experience in ESG, sustainability, or risk management, preferably in a multinational African context.
- Proven ability to manage organizational systems and lead compliance or audit functions.
- Strong collaboration skills, with experience coordinating across diverse teams and geographies.
- Expertise in occupational safety, anti-harassment, client/community safeguarding, and environmental compliance.
- Excellent project management, analytical, and communication skills.
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g., sustainability, environmental studies, HR, or risk management).
- Proficiency in English; additional languages relevant to our operational regions are valued.
Preferred Start Date
March 1, 2025
Job Location
Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Nigeria, Burundi
Benefits
Health insurance, housing, and comprehensive benefits
Contract Duration
5 years
Eligibility
This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Nigeria, Burundi.
Application Deadline
16th February 2025. Please note that we hire on a rolling basis which means that applications are reviewed and processed on a continuous basis until a hire is made.
One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @oneacrefund.org address. Please report any suspicious communication here ([email protected]), but do not send applications or application materials to this email address.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism are deeply connected to our organization’s mission and purpose. One Acre Fund aspires to build a culture where all staff feel consistently valued, represented, and connected – so that our team can thrive as professionals, and achieve exceptional impact for the farmers we serve.
We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.
