Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

Principal Agricultural Technical Training Centre (Kamweti) at County Government of Kirinyaga

Kirinyaga County borders Nyeri County, Murang’a County and Embu County.It covers an area of 1,478.1 square kilometers. The county lies between 1,158 metres and 5,380 metres above sea level in the South and at the Peak of Mt. Kenya respectively. Mt. Kenya which lies on the northern side greatly influences the landscape of the county as well as other ...

This is a senior-level position within the County Government of Kirinyaga. The officer will report to the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) – Agriculture, Livestock, Veterinary and Fisheries through the Chief Officer and will be responsible for the overall strategic, academic, and administrative leadership of the KATVET Centre.

The Principal will spearhead the implementation of the KATVET Act and drive the Revitalization of KATVET pillar under the Wezesha Agricultural Transformation Strategy, ensuring the Centre operates as a flagship institution for agricultural vocational training, innovation, and agribusiness incubation.

Responsibilities or duties

• Providing overall leadership, management, and administration of the KATVET Centre in line with the KATVET Act and County policies.
• Coordinating the design, implementation, and review of agricultural technical and vocational training curricula aligned to county and national priorities.
• Overseeing capacity building programs for youth, farmers, and value chain actors, including incubation and apprenticeship initiatives.
• Establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships with public institutions, private sector actors, and development partners for technology transfer and agribusiness development.
• Ensuring prudent management of financial, human, and physical resources in compliance with the Public Finance Management Act and other statutory requirements.
• Supervising the development of annual work plans, budgets, performance contracts, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks for the Centre.
• Promoting innovation, research, and adoption of climate-smart agriculture, mechanization, and value chain development.
• Ensuring quality assurance, accreditation, and continuous improvement of training programs in compliance with TVET standards.
• Facilitating effective communication, stakeholder engagement, and reporting on institutional performance.
• Serving as the accounting officer of the KATVET Centre.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

• A Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education or Bsc in Agriculture, Agriculture Economics, Agribusiness Management with a Diploma/pedagogy in Education.
• A Master’s degree in any of the above fields is an added advantage.
• Registration with a TVETA.
• Training in Leadership/Management will be an added advantage.
• Certificate in Computer application skills from a recognized institution.

Experience needed

• At least 10 years’ relevant work experience, three (3) of which must have been in a senior management/leadership position in an agricultural training, TVET, or equivalent institution.

Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)

• Demonstrated ability to provide strategic leadership, policy implementation, and institutional management.
• Strong knowledge of agricultural value chains, vocational training, and climate-smart agricultural practices.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency in ICT for training and management.
• Must satisfy the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, including clearance from relevant bodies (EACC, DCI, HELB, KRA, CRB).
• Women and persons living with disabilities who meet the specified requirements are encouraged to apply.
• Salary and benefits attached to these posts are as per the guidelines by Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

• Providing overall leadership, management, and administration of the KATVET Centre in line with the KATVET Act and County policies.
• Coordinating the design, implementation, and review of agricultural technical and vocational training curricula aligned to county and national priorities.
• Overseeing capacity building programs for youth, farmers, and value chain actors, including incubation and apprenticeship initiatives.
• Establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships with public institutions, private sector actors, and development partners for technology transfer and agribusiness development.
• Ensuring prudent management of financial, human, and physical resources in compliance with the Public Finance Management Act and other statutory requirements.
• Supervising the development of annual work plans, budgets, performance contracts, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks for the Centre.
• Promoting innovation, research, and adoption of climate-smart agriculture, mechanization, and value chain development.
• Ensuring quality assurance, accreditation, and continuous improvement of training programs in compliance with TVET standards.
• Facilitating effective communication, stakeholder engagement, and reporting on institutional performance.
• Serving as the accounting officer of the KATVET Centre.

• Demonstrated ability to provide strategic leadership, policy implementation, and institutional management.
• Strong knowledge of agricultural value chains, vocational training, and climate-smart agricultural practices.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency in ICT for training and management.

• A Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education or Bsc in Agriculture, Agriculture Economics, Agribusiness Management with a Diploma/pedagogy in Education.
• A Master’s degree in any of the above fields is an added advantage.
• Registration with a TVETA.
• Training in Leadership/Management will be an added advantage.
• Certificate in Computer application skills from a recognized institution.