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Executive Director Position: SAF-A

Kenya

Deadline: 10 Feb 2026

Join a dynamic organization making a difference across Africa. SAF-Africa seeks a highly qualified and experienced Executive Director to provide strategic leadership and guide the organization in achieving its mission of empowering smallholder farmers across Africa.

About SAF-Africa

The Sustainable Agriculture Foundation – Africa (SAF-Africa) is a non-profit that improves farmer incomes and food security by providing smallholder-relevant innovations and helping farmers access these innovations through markets. We scale up climate-smart agricultural practices and foster empowerment of women, youth, and disadvantaged groups across Africa.

Vision: A world in which smallholders, communities, and nature thrive together.

Mission: Scaling up collective action on markets and innovations so that farming can better serve smallholder families, rural communities, and nature.

Our Strategic Approach

  • Climate Resilience: Providing climate resilience and financial tools, empowering smallholder farmers to secure livelihoods and improve productivity through agricultural insurance and financial solutions.
  • First Mile Access: Bridging the gap between farmers and access to advice, markets, inputs, technology, and finance through last-mile delivery solutions.
  • Catalytic Intermediaries: Scaling through catalytic market initiatives and entities that ensure sustainability of our programs and long-term impact.
  • Bridging R&D Gaps: Deep local engagement with proven capabilities in bridging research and innovation, developing commercialization proofs of concepts.

Our Programmes

  1. Agri-Entrepreneurship Development (AED): Developing rural Agri Entrepreneurs (AEs) each serving between 150 and 200 farmers through a one-stop shop capable of offering all the agricultural needs of the farmers.
  2. Seed Systems Development: Catalyze access to quality, affordable and climate-smart seed technologies for smallholder farmers through a unique variety commercialization approach with a goal towards better and resilient livelihoods using a multi-partnership approach.
  3. Climate Resilience & Inclusive Finance Solutions (CRIFS): Designing, implementing and scaling financial products and services that support smallholder farmers and agricultural communities in addressing the challenges posed by climate change.
  4. Catalytic Entities: The approach of scaling through catalytic market initiatives and entities that ensure sustainability of the initiatives.
  5. Research and Development: Identification of opportunities, developing solutions, tests and validations, knowledge sharing, informing policy and capacity building.

Cross-Cutting Themes

  • Food Security & Nutrition: Commitment to producing nutritious and safe foods to improve diets across communities.
  • Climate Adaptation: Helping smallholders deal better with the consequences of climate change through resilient practices.
  • Soil Health: Holistically improving soil quality, supporting both agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability.
  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Programs designed to support women, youth, and vulnerable groups including people with disabilities.

Our Geographic Reach

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya with an African mandate, SAF-Africa implements programs across multiple countries i.e Tanzania, Nigeria, Sudan, and Zambia to empower smallholder farmers and strengthen agricultural value chains. SAF-Africa continues to expand its reach across the African continent, building on the 40-year legacy.

Our Impact: 2030 Targets

  1. Supporting agricultural products and services across Africa worth $50M
  2. Reach 1.5M smallholder farmers with climate-smart innovations
  3.  Create 500K jobs across value chains
  4. Empower 300k women through our programmes
  5. Engage 228k young people by participating in agriculture
  6. Support and strengthen 1,000 enterprises

About This Opportunity

Start Date: Targeted at Q1, 2026 (role is currently vacant)

Reporting Structure: The Executive Director is a Board member and currently reports directly to the Board of Directors’ Chair

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Contract Terms:

  1. One-year renewable contract with 90-day probation period
  2. A competitive salary will be offered considering the current size and ambitions of SAF-Africa
  3. 10% employer pension contribution. Employee to contribute 5%
  4. Medical cover included
  5. Immigration and relocation support available

Why Join SAF-Africa?

As the Executive Director, you will be the driving force behind SAF-Africa’s vision and impact during a pivotal state of stability and planned growth. The organization is rebuilding after recent transitions and is positioned for significant expansion across Africa.

  • Lead Transformative Impact: Guide an organization reaching 1.5 million smallholder farmers by 2030, creating 500,000 jobs, and empowering 300,000 women across Africa. Your leadership will directly shape food security, climate resilience, and economic opportunity for millions.
  • Strategic Partnerships: Work with prestigious partners including USAID, Gates Foundation, Swiss Development Corporation, and leading African institutions. Build relationships with government authorities, donors, and private sector leaders.
  • Innovation at Scale: Lead cutting-edge programs in agricultural insurance, seed systems, climate adaptation, and financial inclusion. Drive innovation that bridges research and commercialization while ensuring sustainability.
  • Vision & Strategy: Lead organizational growth and expansion into new markets including Rwanda, South Sudan, and Ethiopia. Focus on improving access to quality seeds, helping farmers manage risks, and establishing agribusiness hubs.
  • Leadership Excellence: Guide a lean, high-performing team with exceptional institutional capacity. Provide transformational leadership that is both visionary and hands-on, with strong people-focused approach.
  • Stakeholder Relations: Build and maintain strong relationships with donors in the U.S., and Europe, Asia government entities across Africa, and represent the organization effectively to major stakeholders and boards.

The Executive Director’s Role

  1. Setting Vision & Strategy: Define SAF-Africa’s long-term vision and strategic direction. Set goals, identify growth opportunities, and make high-level decisions aligned with the mission.
  2. Leadership & Decision-Making: Provide overall leadership to SAF-Africa’s team and organization. Ensure effective decision-making, operational cohesion, and strategic guidance.
  3. Stakeholder Management: Act as primary contact for external stakeholders including donors, board members, and government authorities. Maintain strong relationships and communicate organizational performance.
  4. Financial Oversight: Ensure financial accountability through resource mobilization, budgeting, reporting, and efficient management of funds.
  5. Culture & Values: Shape organizational culture, instil values, and ensure alignment with SAF-Africa’s mission and goals across all operations.

Key Responsibilities

  • Financial Leadership & Fundraising: Lead efforts to rebuild organizational finances and secure new funding partners. Build organizational reserves to cover 6-12 months of operations. Target a budget in the millions with growth expectations.
  • Partnership Development: Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with donors, government entities, and stakeholders. Leverage SAF-Africa’s strong profile in seed-based programs and insurance products for farmers.
  • Board Governance & Reporting: Prepare board materials, provide proper reporting, and understand board dynamics. Support board meetings and major decision-making processes while maintaining day-to-day operational independence.
  • Organizational Growth: Guide expansion into new African markets while maintaining operational excellence. Lead digital transformation initiatives and ensure the organization remains tech-savvy and competitive.
  • People, Culture and Values: Shape organizational culture, instill values, ensure alignment with SAF-Africa’s mission and goals across all operations. Build a high performing, engaged workforce with sight on future talent for aligned with sustainable growth.

What Success Looks Like

  1. Strategic Impact: Delivering measurable progress toward organizational goals and expanding SAF-Africa’s reach and influence.
  2. Team Excellence: Building a high-performing, motivated team aligned with organizational values and mission.
  3. Financial Sustainability: Securing resources and managing finances to ensure long-term organizational stability and growth.

Executive Director Profile

This executive role demands a visionary leader capable of transforming agricultural development across East and Southern Africa. The ideal candidate combines deep regional expertise with global perspective, financial acumen with hands-on execution, and strategic thinking with genuine people connection. This position requires someone who can navigate complex multilateral environments while maintaining authentic relationships with farmers and local communities. A master’s degree in business administration, International Economic Development, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Development Finance or a closely related field, is required.

Professional Experience

  1. At least fifteen (15) years of professional management experience. Experience in program management within the Agricultural arena in development and impact organizations.
  2. Previous board experience essential, with at least 10 years of senior leadership, leading in a diverse environment.
  3. Regional expertise in East and Southern Africa, an understanding of the socio-economic landscape and development challenges, with a proven ability to design and implement contextually relevant initiatives.
  4. Experience in the global donor world with astute existing relationship that translate to funding
  5. Proven success working with government bodies, multilateral institutions, and local development organizations to drive sustainable impact.
  6. Track record of managing diverse teams and executing multifaceted projects that require cross-functional collaboration and adaptability
  7. Financial and operational experience – budgeting, resource management, and compliance, ensuring optimal program performance and donor satisfaction

Personal Attributes

A transformational leader who inspires teams and stakeholders through compelling vision and authentic engagement. This individual demonstrates a hands-on approach while maintaining strategic oversight, working effectively with lean teams to maximize impact. The role requires a highly motivated self-starter who drives results through personal commitment and inspirational leadership.

  • Relationship Builder: Exceptional networking and interpersonal communication skills. Strong representation capabilities for major donors and stakeholders, building trust across all levels.
  • Adaptability & Resilience: Demonstrates exceptional flexibility in navigating diverse, changing conditions across the East and Southern Africa region, responding effectively to evolving challenges.
  • Cultural Intelligence: Shows deep respect and understanding for local contexts, fostering genuine inclusion and partnership with communities at all development stages.
  • Global Mindset, Local Impact: Commands respect from senior executives to grassroots farmers. Cultural sensitivity and understanding of marginalized communities’ challenges.
  • Results-Oriented: People-focused leader who connects authentically with governments, farmers, and youth while driving measurable outcomes and sustainable impact.
  • Innovation & Tech Fluency: Tech-savvy leader with strong digital landscape navigation skills, leveraging technology to amplify agricultural development impact.
  • Travel & Relocation: Ability to obtain work authorization to be based in Kenya. Willingness and ability to travel for program oversight and stakeholder engagement

The Recruitment Process

  1. Applications and longlisting: 20th January – 20th February 2026
  2. Board members review and shortlisting: 20th – 24th February 2026
  3. Interviews with board members, including task presentations for shortlisted candidates: 3rd – 10th March 2026.
  4. Leadership assessments and final candidate selection: 12th March, 2026

How to Apply

Click this link and upload your CV: HPD Africa – Executive Director in Nairobi

Application Deadline: 10th February 2026

All applications will be acknowledged. Short-listed candidates will be contacted by 24th February 2026