One Acre Fund, a well-established agricultural development organization, is currently seeking to recruit a dedicated and detail-oriented professional for the position of Tupande Soko Operations Specialist (Fixed-Term). This role is situated within the Market Access team under the Tupande program and will be based in Sagana, Kenya. The position offers a unique opportunity to support the operations that directly impact the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers in Kenya and across the African continent.
Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund is an international non-profit organization that has grown significantly over the years. It currently serves more than 5.5 million smallholder farmers across nine African countries, where agriculture is a principal economic activity. The organization supports farmers with quality farm supplies, tree seedlings, accessible credit, advanced agronomic training, and a variety of other agricultural services. Through its work, farmers are not only empowered to improve their income and productivity, but also their resilience against economic and climatic shocks.
With a workforce of over 9,000 full-time employees, One Acre Fund continues to expand its operations, backed by its commitment to professional development, integrity, and sustainable growth. The advertised role is part of this growth and aligns with the organization’s ongoing mission to build efficient and accountable agricultural value chains.
About the Role
The Tupande Soko Operations Specialist will work in the Market Access team, which is central to supporting the organization’s efforts to ensure that smallholder farmers benefit from secure, transparent, and high-integrity agricultural value chains. This role involves ensuring compliance with operational procedures, performing inventory checks, verifying goods movements, and identifying risks and process gaps throughout the sourcing, aggregation, delivery, and processing phases.
The successful candidate will be expected to foster accountability, drive system efficiency, and promote integrity across the organization’s operations. The role is field-intensive—with about 60–70% of the time spent at rural aggregation and processing sites—and will require frequent travel to monitor activities on the ground. The reporting line for this position is directly to the Soko Chief of Staff, and the individual will work in close collaboration with cross-functional operational teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Inventory Management and Auditing
- Conduct weekly, monthly, and random inventory audits across aggregation centers, storage sites, and processing units.
- Reconcile physical inventory records with digital or manual documentation, flagging inconsistencies or errors for further investigation.
- Maintain comprehensive audit logs that capture every activity conducted during stock takes, including photos and supporting documentation.
- Prepare structured inventory reports with clear findings and actionable recommendations.
- Operational Controls and SOP Compliance
- Develop and deploy value chain-specific controls that are sustainable, scalable, and tailored to operational realities on the ground.
- Monitor compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) throughout the entire Market Access value chain—from sourcing to processing.
- Investigate operational inefficiencies and provide inputs for system improvements and internal control enhancements.
- Risk Management and Reporting
- Proactively identify and report operational losses, procedural violations, or irregularities that may compromise the organization’s objectives.
- Collaborate with relevant teams to design and implement corrective and preventive measures.
- Provide insights into compliance risks and opportunities for process redesign or digitization where applicable.
- Cross-functional Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement
- Partner with logistics, sourcing, aggregation, and processing teams to ensure seamless flow of operations and timely resolution of issues.
- Lead or support internal training sessions to foster a deeper understanding of compliance requirements and inventory management protocols.
- Engage with internal data teams and system engineers to ensure robust integration of monitoring data into the organization’s digital platforms.
- Process Improvement and System Development
- Continuously assess field-level processes and propose innovations to increase transparency, reduce loss, and enhance team accountability.
- Support the deployment and evaluation of digital tools used for inventory and compliance tracking.
- Act as a change agent, guiding frontline teams in adapting to new compliance or inventory protocols.
Career Development and Professional Growth
One Acre Fund has a robust professional development framework in place. Employees receive:
- Weekly one-on-one check-ins with their immediate supervisor.
- Access to a range of training programs tailored to individual and team needs.
- Mentorship from seasoned professionals within and outside the organization.
- Semi-annual performance reviews focused on professional aspirations and career trajectory.
This role is ideal for a professional seeking to grow within a mission-driven organization that offers a long-term path in agriculture operations, compliance, and systems management.
Qualifications and Attributes
This position requires a candidate with a solid background in operations or agri-business and a strong alignment with One Acre Fund’s values of integrity and accountability. Specific qualifications and characteristics include:
- Minimum of 3 years’ experience in operational fieldwork, agribusiness execution, or value chain development.
- Strong attention to detail and the ability to detect inconsistencies or process loopholes.
- Demonstrated integrity and the ability to handle sensitive operational data responsibly.
- Excellent critical thinking skills to assess risks and develop practical, field-oriented solutions.
- Proven experience in collaborative roles that require engaging multiple stakeholders and balancing competing priorities.
- Understanding of smallholder value chains and rural aggregation systems.
- Familiarity with agri-trade compliance and certification standards such as GlobalGAP, Rainforest Alliance, or FSSC 22000.
- Knowledge of tree crop sourcing, aggregation, and processing is an added advantage.
- Willingness to travel extensively (up to 70%) to field sites in rural areas.
Additional Details
- Job Location: Sagana, Kenya
- Contract Type: Fixed-term, 2 years
- Start Date: As soon as possible
- Eligibility: Open only to citizens or permanent residents of Kenya
- Benefits: Health insurance, paid time off, ongoing career development support
- Field Component: Approximately 60–70% field-based
Application Deadline
The deadline for applications is 04 November 2025. However, candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The position may be filled before the deadline if a suitable candidate is identified.
Important Notice on Recruitment Ethics
One Acre Fund adheres strictly to ethical recruitment practices. Candidates will never be asked to pay any fees or take any form of paid test as part of the recruitment process. All official communication from the organization will originate from email addresses ending in @oneacrefund.org. If any suspicious activity is observed, candidates are encouraged to report it to [email protected]. Please note that applications should not be sent to this email address.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
One Acre Fund is an equal opportunity employer. The organization is committed to building a work environment where diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism are not only promoted but are embedded into its organizational culture. The goal is to ensure that all team members—regardless of race, gender, religion, age, or background—feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute meaningfully to the organization’s mission.
This commitment is not only internal. It is reflected in the organization’s broader mission to support millions of farmers from diverse backgrounds, working to improve agricultural outcomes and economic opportunities across Africa.
Conclusion
The Tupande Soko Operations Specialist position at One Acre Fund presents an exciting opportunity for professionals who are passionate about operational excellence and want to play a pivotal role in the agricultural transformation of Kenya. This role offers a unique combination of fieldwork, compliance monitoring, and collaboration across multiple teams in a dynamic, high-impact environment.
Individuals who meet the criteria and are ready to make a difference in the agricultural value chain are encouraged to submit their applications before the deadline.
