Burundi Innovations Specialist

One Acre Fund

One Acre Fund

Muramvya, Burundi
Posted on Aug 8, 2025

About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund equips 5.5 million smallholder farmers to make their farms more productive. Across nine countries that together are home to two-thirds of Africa's farmers, we provide high-quality farm supplies, tree seedlings, accessible credit, modern agronomic training, and a wide range of other agricultural services. On average, this model enables any farmer to increase their income and assets on supported land by more than 35 percent, while permanently improving their resilience. This is all made possible by our team of 9,000+ full-time staff, drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions.

To learn more, please see our Why Work Here blog post.

About the Role

The Project Specialist is responsible for the coordination of trials implemented by the Innovations field team as well as ensuring that data and lessons learnt are captured to support the department’s objective to scale up products contributing positive impact for farmers programme-wide. They are likely to have a particular focus, for example on Agroforestry

Responsibilities

Project Management

  • Take responsibility for overseeing agricultural research projects - ensuring that the project leads are following the right course of action and that maximum learnings can be obtained.
  • Determine, independently, the good objectives to achieve and the indicators to measure for the project
  • Identify any bottlenecks during project implementation and work with the project leads to troubleshoot. Put in place solutions quickly and effectively.
  • Identify and propose recommendations to improve the running of projects
  • Ensure all project documents are up to date and well-filed.
  • Make sure that the project lead is communicating the project updates with the right stakeholders at the right time
  • Work with the Projects coordinator (JL4) to prepare them to scale the successful projects

Data collection and analysis

  • They should ensure that all necessary data points are incorporated into trial surveys and that the questions ensure the best possible, usable, responses.
  • Reviewing coding of surveys in CommCare and modifying of Scripts in R
  • Oversee the analysis of data in Excel and R- ensuring a rigorous evaluation is undertaken and that the data outputs are reliable
  • Support on any statistical challenges faced during analysis, including data cleaning, formulae error, and R script coding.
  • Ensure high quality written reports which generate useful recommendations for products to scale to phase 3 or other phase 2 trials to initiate. Ensuring the data manager shares these and that the relevant internal stakeholders are abreast.

Lead the Product Innovations Impact Modelling

  • Develop sound impact model designs and to develop the necessary data collection tools to capture the required data.
  • Work closely with the Global Data team to validate impact models.

Strategy

  • Collaborate with the rest of the Impact Team to ensure a manageable workload for the team; a broad trial portfolio and an ambitious overall impact potential.
  • Support the team to best understand how OAF calculates impact and how to prioritise workstreams.

Field Team management

  • Ensure close collaboration with the Field Team, for example in execution of the Agroforestry Programme.
  • Support the Field Operations Team to develop SoPs for trials, such as rolling out of Agroforestry programmes, and ensure that our high standards are upheld for all trials.
  • Organise regular sharing and learning events, to collect feedback from the Innovation team and to carry out participatory strategy design.

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:

  • Experience leading a team, delegating tasks, and/or mentoring direct reports\
  • Experience in agriculture, development or innovation.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods.
  • Proven skills in analyzing data and presenting complex results in a digestible manner.
  • Advanced skills and prior experience with Google Sheets/Microsoft Excel; preferably R also.
  • Ability to set goals and take ownership of their achievement.
  • Ability to build teams and collaborate with colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
  • Languages: French required, Kirundi preferred, English preferred

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Muramvya, Burundi

Benefits

Health insurance, paid time off

Eligibility

This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Burundi.

Application Deadline

06 November 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 (globalhotline@oneacrefund.org), 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.