Sector Leader Agri-food

Company Description

SNV is a global development partner, deeply rooted in the countries where we operate. Driven by a vision of a better world where all people live with dignity and have equitable opportunities to thrive sustainably, SNV strengthens capacities and catalyses partnerships that transform agri-food, energy, and water systems. We help strengthen institutions and effective governance, reduce gender inequalities and barriers to social inclusion and enable adaptation and mitigation to the climate and biodiversity crises.

With 60 years of experience and a team of approximately 1,600 people, we support our partners in more than 20 countries in Africa and Asia, tailoring our approaches to different contexts to achieve large-scale impact and create more equitable lives for all.

Job Description

We are currently looking for an Sector Leader Agri-food

Location: Kigali, Rwanda

The Sector Leader will provide strategic and operational leadership for SNV Rwanda’s Agri-Food sector, including the Seas of Change (SoC) Rwanda programme which works at the nexus of Regenerative Agriculture and Productive Use of Renewable Energy. As a key member of the Country Management Team, the Sector Leader steers the strategic direction, quality, and performance of SNV’s agri-food sector portfolio, supports national positioning, resource mobilisation, and programme innovation, and ensures internal coherence across the country portfolio.

This role includes line management of Project Managers within the agri-food sector and advisory contributions to strategic projects. The Sector Leader strengthens SNV’s visibility and influence in national agri-food systems transformation and works collaboratively across sectors to support inclusive, sustainable development.

Qualifications

Your key responsibilities:

Strategic Sector Leadership and Positioning:

• Translate SNV’s global agri-food strategies to the national context.
• Lead the design and implementation of a country-level agri-food sector strategy aligned with SNV Rwanda’s multi-annual strategic plan.
• Align sector strategy with SNV’s cross-cutting themes: gender equality and social inclusion, climate adaptation, and youth employment.
• Champion the agri-food sector in the Country Management Team and represent it in national and regional fora.
• Identify emerging trends, policy developments, and funding opportunities in the agri-food sector.

Business Development and Resource Mobilisation:

• Lead and coordinate the agri-food sector pipeline and business development strategy, including for Seas of Change Rwanda.
• Develop and maintain donor and partner relationships that support long-term programme sustainability.
• Lead the design of strategic, high-quality, and impactful funding proposals, in collaboration with project teams and SNV’s global business development team.
• Contribute to business development for other sectors (e.g., Energy and Water) as needed.

Programme Leadership:

• Provide strategic leadership for the Seas of Change Rwanda programme, including management of implementation partnerships.
• Oversee investment brokering and ecosystem development activities, with a strong private sector orientation.
• Strengthen capacities of agri-food actors, including SMEs, producer organisations, and investors, to support inclusive, climate-smart, and nutrition-sensitive food systems.
• Foster strong collaboration with the SNV Global SoC programme team to share lessons and align strategies.
• Contribute thought leadership in inclusive business, agri-finance, and market systems transformation.

Team and Portfolio Management:

• Manage and coach Project Managers and Advisors in the agri-food sector ensuring alignment with sector strategy and SNV values.
• Lead performance management, team development, and succession planning.
• Monitor implementation of sector programmes to ensure quality, timeliness, compliance, and impact.
• Support internal learning and reflection across the agri-food portfolio.

Representation and Advocacy:

• Represent SNV and the agriculture sector at high-level national platforms, with government stakeholders, at donor roundtables, and technical working groups.
• Position SNV as a thought leader in food systems transformation and agri-food innovation.
• Cultivate partnerships with key stakeholders, including government institutions, private sector actors, development partners, and civil society.

Knowledge Management and Learning:

• Develop and implement a national knowledge and learning agenda for the agri-food sector.
• Lead cross-project learning and innovation efforts in collaboration with the global sector team.
• Promote dissemination and uptake of SNV’s evidence, tools, and success stories at national and global levels.

Your background

To be considered for this role, you must have:

• Master’s degree in agriculture, agribusiness, agricultural economics, rural development, or a related field.
• Minimum 8–10 years of experience in senior leadership roles in agriculture/food systems, including programme and people management.
• Demonstrated experience in investment facilitation, market systems development, or ecosystem building for inclusive agri-food sectors.
• Proven success in business development and donor engagement.
• Preference for a candidate with a strong background in regenerative or conservation agriculture.
• Strong track record of managing complex, multi-stakeholder partnerships.

Additionally, we are looking for:

• Entrepreneurship – Strong ability to identify opportunities and mobilise resources.
• Strategic Thinking – Able to link global strategies with local realities.
• Leadership – Motivates, develops, and steers high-performing teams.
• Networking and Influence – Builds strategic relationships and represents SNV effectively.
• Results Orientation – Drives quality and accountability across programmes.
• Communication – Strong written and verbal communication skills in English (French and/or Kinyarwanda an advantage).

Additional Information

• Initial contract duration: 2 years
• Duty station: Kigali Rwanda
• Expected start date: July 2025

Working at SNV

We are home to 57 nationalities working in +/-22 countries. Our global working language is English, all our country offices using a mixture of languages on a day-to-day basis. We promote (international) career development, with a reinforced commitment to diversity and inclusion in the fullest senses. Our team is comprised of a mix of both people with longstanding tenure, willing to share their institutional knowledge, and people with other backgrounds and experience. All with an inquisitive view and united in ‘ONE SNV’ working towards our purpose. SNV is an equal opportunities employer.

How to apply

If you meet the requirements and are excited about this opportunity, we would love to hear from you. Apply today by uploading your CV and motivation letter by 1st May 2025 at the latest.

Read Full Description