Burundi Human Centered Design Innovations Specialist (Fixed-Term) at One Acre Fund

About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund equips more than 4 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 her income and assets on supported land by more than 40 percent, while permanently improving her climate resilience. This is all made possible by our team of 8,000+ full-time staff, drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. To learn more, please see our Why Work Here blog post.

Our Burundi program, established in 2011, operates under the local brand Tubura. We are a rapidly growing organization with over 1,000 employees nationwide. As of 2024, we serve over 340,000 unique farmers in 7 provinces; Muramvya, Gitega, Kayanza, Mwaro, Ngozi, Muyinga, and Ruyigi. To learn more about our work, look at our Burundi program blog.

About the Role

We seek a Human Centered Design (HCD) Specialist to use HCD methodologies to improve One Acre Fund's program design, product offerings, marketing and extension. You will report to a Senior Innovations Associate and Senior Field Operations Associate with high frequency touchpoints with our Global OAF Agricultural Research Team (online). You will collaborate across multiple teams to integrate HCD into program design with a particular emphasis on farmer training/extension, and in the longer-term tech solutions enabling farmers and field agents to access more tailored recommendations and guidance.

You will create research methodologies to explore how we can better meet farmer needs, get farmer feedback, and support in-country teams to implement the research. You will also lead the analysis and synthesis of this data to develop actionable recommendations for improved product catalogs, marketing, SBCC and extension.

You will be a part of the Product Innovation Department and will report directly to a Product Innovations Senior Associate. This role is based in Muramvya, Burundi and is onsite.

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Muramvya, Burundi

Benefits

Health insurance, paid time off

Contract Duration

3 Years

Eligibility

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

Project Design and Coordination:

• Manage coordination and prioritization of HCD project pipeline
• Collaborate with the Global HCD Lead to design research tools
• These will draw from HCD, participatory design and approaches, and using a range of methodologies including interviews, focus groups and design workshops.
• Ensure tools are adapted to local language and cultural sensitivities
• Lead research pilots and team training them and train team on their use.
• Implement HCD projects, including:
• Directly lead research engagements with farmers yourself (e.g. conducting interviews or FGDs)
• Train your team to use research tools to
• Elicit insights on farmer priorities, barriers, needs and aspirations
• Prototype, co-design and validate new products and communications e.g. digital or paper-based decision-support tools, marketing messages, training content
• Provide guidance and data quality assurance support and controls as research projects are implemented.
• Manage all logistical aspects of HCD projects e.g. participant recruitment (and incentives), transport, venues, fieldwork calendaring, coordination with colleagues in operational teams
• Implement research and quality control checks following agreed-upon data collection protocols
• Ensure transcription and translation of field data

Field Follow up and Supervision:

• Supervise data collection in the field; check results and make modifications to data collection
• Collaboration with FOPs and other partners for implementing research on the ground
• Track measurements with support of manager, to monitor project progress and staff performance
• Identifying any bottlenecks during project implementation and work with the project leads to troubleshooting. Put in place solutions.

Data Management:

• Elicit and apply insights from HCD research inform program strategy and product and service design
• You will analyze insights emerging from the research.
• You will translate these insights into actionable recommendations for program design, product / service design, marketing, training and SBCC
• As those recommendations are implemented, you will
• Collaborate with colleagues to ensure that emerging product/service designs are genuinely responsive to the insights generated through HCD research
• Lead further research to ensure farmer and field team needs are met by new designs e.g. through co-design processes and user testing
• Based on the existing internal and external evidence and data, you will make recommendations on additional learning and studies needed across the organization
• Ensure reports are written which generate useful recommendations of learning

Direct Management and Team Development:

• Manage HCD team and their professional development: Potential to manage 1 or 2 office staff of JL3-6 - indirect liaison with field teams and other departments on project execution, especially Field Operations Agricultural Trainer team in the field
• Complete Performance Reviews 2x per year for direct reports and ensure they have goals

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.

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