Description

Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) invites applications for a Project Manager to join our dedicated and talented team in Kenya on our mission to create business solutions to poverty through Kenya-Canada Grain Resilience & Aggregation Investment Network (K-CAN GRAIN) initiative.

MEDA's work is built on a foundation of Mennonite business roots and faith-based values, within the global context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We believe business solutions are effective interventions to address poverty. Through a market-systems approach and strategic partnerships, MEDA enables access to finance and provides business and technical expertise to build transformative agri-food market systems that create decent jobs, allowing traditionally excluded groups to become active participants in a sustainable economy. MEDA welcomes all who share our values and want to join us in our mission. To find out more about MEDA, please visit our website at www.meda.org.

The Project Manager will lead the Kenya-Canada Grain Resilience & Aggregation Investment Network (K-CAN GRAIN) initiative, a CAD 20 million, five-to-seven-year program designed to strengthen Kenya's grain aggregation, post-harvest management, and resilience ecosystem. The role holder will oversee project implementation in Kenya, beginning in the Mau Narok/Nakuru corridor, through a hub-and-spoke grain resilience model that integrates modern grain handling infrastructure with aggregation services, post-harvest loss reduction, market access, finance, digital traceability, and structured offtake systems. The Program Manager will drive strategies that improve food security and economic opportunities for cereal producers, aggregators, and SMEs, particularly women and youth, while managing partnerships with government institutions, producer organizations, private sector actors, financial institutions, and other ecosystem stakeholders to achieve sustainable and inclusive market systems change

Occasional international travel.

Job Status: Full-Time

Expected Start Date: To be confirmed, contingent upon confirmation of funding

Location(s): On site

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

Project and Team Leadership

• Provide overall leadership to the K-CAN GRAIN project team and project partners to ensure coordinated, high-quality, and timely implementation of project activities and achievement of intended outcomes.
• Lead project planning, annual work planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and reporting in alignment with donor requirements, MEDA policies, and strategic priorities.
• Oversee the implementation of project interventions aimed at strengthening grain aggregation systems, reducing post-harvest losses, expanding structured market access, and increasing opportunities for women- and youth-led participation in the grain economy.
• Ensure that project implementation remains aligned to the approved theory of change, phased implementation approach, and expected results framework, including co-design, pilot activation, and replication stages.
• Provide leadership to direct reports and foster a strong team culture focused on collaboration, accountability, learning, and performance.
• Communicate project priorities and strategic direction clearly to staff and partners, ensuring alignment of day-to-day efforts with broader program outcomes.
• Work closely with technical, finance, procurement, communications, IKM, legal, and people & culture teams to support effective and integrated delivery of project activities.

Partnerships, Representation, and Stakeholder Engagement

• Manage and strengthen relationships with key project stakeholders, including government institutions, county authorities, producer organizations, private sector actors, financial institutions, and strategic partners involved in the grain ecosystem.
• Represent MEDA and the K-CAN GRAIN project in project-related meetings, stakeholder engagements, and coordination forums, in collaboration with project partners and regional leadership.
• Support coordination across consortium and delivery partners to ensure effective collaboration, clear roles, and alignment around project priorities and expected results.
• Contribute to strengthening MEDA's profile and positioning in inclusive agrifood market systems development and grain resilience programming in Kenya.
• Build and maintain productive working relationships that support effective project implementation, systems change, and long-term sustainability of project investments and partnerships.

Governance, Compliance, and Risk Management

• Ensure project operations comply with donor contractual requirements, MEDA policies and procedures, local regulations, safeguarding standards, GESI commitments, environmental requirements, and financial controls.
• Oversee project governance, risk management, issue escalation, and adaptive decision-making to respond effectively to implementation, political economy, operational, finance, and climate-related risks
• Review and approve key project reports, budgets, plans, and major implementation documents to ensure quality, coherence, and compliance before submission.
• Ensure sound fiduciary oversight and effective use of project resources, including strong financial management, procurement discipline, and accountability for results.
• Support a culture of evidence-based management, continuous improvement, and learning across the project lifecycle

Any other duties and/or requirements as assigned

REQUIREMENTS

Education:

• Master's degree in international development, Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Business Administration, Agricultural Sciences, Economics, Geography, or a related field.

Experience:

• Significant experience managing complex donor-funded programs from inception through implementation, including work planning, budgeting, donor reporting, and partner coordination.
• Experience working on programs supported by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) or similar bilateral/multilateral donors is a strong asset.
• Demonstrated experience leading multi-stakeholder projects involving public sector, private sector, and civil society partners.
• Experience in market systems development, value chain development, agrifood systems programming, or enterprise-led development is strongly preferred.

Technical Expertise:

• Strong project and program management capability, including planning, execution, performance monitoring, and risk management.
• Strong financial oversight and donor compliance capability, including management of budgets, reports, and controls.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing staff and coordinating cross-functional teams in dynamic environments.
• Experience navigating complex stakeholder and political economic contexts and building productive partnerships and alliances

Project Requirements:

• Experience or familiarity with one or more of MEDA's technical focus areas, including market systems, inclusive financial services, gender equality and social inclusion, environment and climate resilience, and private sector engagement.
• Experience in agrifood systems, post-harvest management, producer aggregation, SME support, or grain value chain development is highly desirable.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS INCLUDE:

• Ability and willingness for frequent travel in the region

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 13, 2026 @ 8:00 PM ET.

MEDA welcomes and encourages applications from all genders, backgrounds, religions, cultures, nationalities and abilities.

Accommodation is available on request for candidates with disabilities taking part in the selection process.

MEDA is not in a position to sponsor or assist candidates in obtaining work permits. Employees are required to establish that they will be able to work legally in the country the role is in during the course of employment.

MEDA does not use AI for screening, assessing or selecting applicants