AGRA is an African-led institution working to transform agriculture across the continent. It supports the empowerment of 33 million smallholder farming households, aiming to shift agriculture from subsistence to a thriving, sustainable business model. Smallholder farmers face persistent challenges such as limited access to improved seeds, weak market linkages, and inadequate farming knowledge. AGRA provides uniquely African solutions designed to overcome these issues and build resilience, leading to increased harvests, reduced hunger, and improved household incomes.
AGRA’s programs are aligned with the development priorities of its focus countries. It provides farmers with access to improved seed varieties, promotes knowledge sharing for sustainable farming practices, and facilitates linkages to profitable markets. The organization also plays a critical role in policy development, working with governments to create an enabling environment for private sector involvement in agricultural transformation.
Through alliances, partnerships, and networks, AGRA promotes youth and gender inclusiveness in agriculture, ensuring that women and young people actively participate and benefit from the sector. The organization’s interventions are driven through four primary focus areas:
- Policy and state capability – supporting governments in developing enabling environments for agricultural investment.
- Seed systems – enhancing availability and access to high-quality seeds to improve productivity and food security.
- Sustainable farming – advancing resilient farming methods, including irrigation and mechanization.
- Inclusive markets and trade – strengthening farmer linkages to markets, ensuring commercialization and reinvestment.
In addition to these areas, AGRA prioritizes youth, gender, and inclusiveness to guarantee equity and empowerment for all participants in agriculture.
AGRA is recruiting a Chief of Partnerships and Business Development (CPBD) to lead its institution-wide partnership and fundraising agenda. This is a senior leadership role reporting directly to the President and forming part of the Executive Committee. The role requires a strategic and values-driven leader with strong networks across development, investment, philanthropy, and agricultural sectors.
About the Position
The Chief of Partnerships and Business Development (CPBD) is tasked with shaping and leading AGRA’s approach to partnerships, fundraising, and strategic collaboration. The role combines resource mobilization, relationship stewardship, and the creation of investment platforms to support the organization’s mission of transforming African agriculture.
The CPBD will manage and expand AGRA’s ecosystem of funders, donors, and partners. The role also requires designing innovative investment and partnership models aligned with AGRA’s strategic priorities. As a visible representative of the organization, the CPBD will engage global platforms, governments, and financial institutions to amplify AGRA’s presence and attract capital for food systems transformation.
The position requires an individual with integrity, cross-cultural intelligence, and the ability to influence diverse stakeholders. It is a leadership opportunity suited to a senior executive with strong networks across philanthropy, development, and investment sectors, who is passionate about African-led transformation.
Key Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the CPBD position are organized into five primary areas:
- Partnership Strategy and Stewardship
- Develop and execute a multi-year institutional partnership and resource mobilization strategy.
- Serve as AGRA’s senior-most relationship manager, cultivating trust and long-term engagement with external stakeholders.
- Craft and communicate a clear, coherent value proposition to donors and partners, aligning with Africa’s agricultural transformation priorities.
- Resource Mobilization and Investment Partnerships
- Expand AGRA’s funding base beyond traditional aid sources by engaging philanthropic capital, climate finance, private sector partnerships, diaspora funding, and ownership structures that reflect demographic realities.
- Establish systems for pipeline development, proposal generation, donor reporting, and compliance with funder requirements.
- Design and structure catalytic finance mechanisms such as challenge funds, blended finance models, and investment alliances that can attract co-investment.
- Team Leadership and Organizational Influence
- Lead and mentor a high-performing team within Development Cooperation, Institutional Partnerships, and Private Sector Engagement.
- Promote a culture of co-creation, collaboration, and partnership building across AGRA’s internal structures.
- Support regional and country-level directors in developing and maintaining partnerships aligned with organizational priorities.
- Ensure coordination between centralized and decentralized partnership teams for efficient implementation.
- Strategic Initiatives and Positioning
- Spearhead initiatives that align AGRA with evolving global and continental agricultural development needs.
- Represent AGRA at international forums such as COP, WEF, and SDG summits, strengthening the organization’s global profile.
- Design and implement initiatives that enhance AGRA’s visibility, particularly in areas like youth employment, nutrition, and climate-smart agriculture.
- PIATA Leadership and Evolution
- Act as the institutional lead for the Partnership for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa (PIATA).
- Reimagine the structure and direction of PIATA to enhance collaboration and co-investment among funders.
- Ensure PIATA evolves into a more impactful platform that strengthens alignment across governments, investors, and implementers.
Candidate Profile
The CPBD position requires a leader who is globally fluent yet anchored in Africa’s context. This person must have proven ability to navigate both high-level strategy and operational realities, while inspiring confidence among diverse stakeholders. The position is suited to someone with credibility across multiple sectors, strong networks, and the capacity to innovate new models of collaboration.
Ideal attributes include:
- Influence and collaboration skills that enable trust-building across different organizations and individuals.
- Strategic and entrepreneurial capacity to design new partnership structures and pursue novel opportunities.
- Adaptability to manage both global-level engagements and local-level realities.
- A values-driven approach consistent with AGRA’s mission of African-led transformation.
This role is both outward-facing and internally influential, requiring strong stakeholder engagement abilities, team leadership skills, and the ability to foster institutional alignment.
Requirements
Key requirements for this position include:
- Substantial experience in partnerships, resource mobilization, or related leadership roles.
- A history of leading multi-country, multi-partner strategies, preferably within Africa.
- Demonstrated success in fundraising with institutional donors or mobilizing private and philanthropic capital.
- Familiarity with agricultural development, sustainable finance, or related sectors.
- Experience engaging high-level stakeholders, such as multilateral agencies, global investors, and government officials.
- Proven track record of building and managing high-performing, diverse teams.
- An advanced degree in a relevant discipline such as international development, economics, business, or agriculture.
Application Process
This position is open to individuals who are passionate about contributing to African agricultural transformation. AGRA is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in its hiring process.
Interested candidates are invited to submit a cover letter and an updated curriculum vitae to [email protected]. Applications must be received before midnight on 19 September 2025.
Confidentiality is guaranteed throughout the recruitment process. Recommendations of potential candidates may also be submitted to the same email address.
