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

The name Helen Keller is known around the world as a symbol of courage in the face of overwhelming odds, yet she was much more than a symbol. She was a woman of luminous intelligence, high ambition and great accomplishment who devoted her life to helping others. Helen Keller, our co-founder, envisioned a world without barriers to human potential. Guided by her fierce optimism, we have been working on the front lines of health and well-being for more than 100 years. Working in 19 countries across Africa and Asia-as well as in the United States-we are dedicated to eliminating preventable vision loss, malnutrition, and diseases of poverty.

Objective of the Program Officer Position:

Support the design, planning, execution, monitoring, and evaluation of all agriculture and livelihood activities related to sustainable food systems and impact within the Riziki Thabiti Project in Kenya.

Provide technical support to Baringo County to ensure quality implementation of the Project.

Monitor project progress, document achievements, capture best practices, and facilitate learning across project sites.

Facilitate collaboration and coordination of the project at county level with government departments including departments of health, agriculture, water, social services and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen multi-sectoral collaboration.

Specific Objectives

Program implementation and technical support

Support the planning, coordination, and implementation of livelihood interventions under the Riziki Thabiti Project, including homestead food production, small-scale water harvesting, poultry production, and climate-smart agriculture.

Facilitate community-level engagement in sustainable agriculture, climate-resilient practices, and nutrition-sensitive food systems to improve household food security.

Contribute to the development of detailed project work plans, ensuring that livelihood, nutrition, and gender-responsive activities are fully integrated.

Provide continuous technical support to Baringo County teams to ensure high-quality implementation of livelihood and nutrition activities as per agreed work plans.

Prepare timely and high-quality activity reports (monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual) to inform management and stakeholders.

Review and monitor project budgets and track burn rates to support efficient resource utilization.

Promote the integration of nutrition targeting women and children below five years of age into all livelihood initiatives to strengthen household dietary diversity and resilience.

Assist in monitoring county-level resource utilization to ensure alignment with project work plans and budgets.

Provide technical backstopping to county and community structures to ensure adherence to project standards and achievement of set targets.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Support the development and use of tools and systems that track progress and impact of food system, livelihood, and nutrition interventions.

Collect, analyse, and report data related to agriculture, nutrition, gender, market systems, and household livelihoods.

Document lessons learned, human interest stories, and success stories that demonstrate project impact.

Plan and support periodic project data reviews, document key findings, and follow up with county teams to implement agreed recommendations.

Contribute to the development of evidence-based reports that inform program quality improvements and strategic learning.

Coordination, Advocacy and Partnership

Act as the focal communication point for the project, ensuring effective collaboration and engagement with county and sub-county stakeholders.

Participate actively in county-level coordination platforms relevant to agriculture, nutrition, water, gender, and livelihood resilience.

Strengthen partnerships with government departments, community structures, NGOs, and private-sector actors to enhance project impact.

Organize county-level inception, planning, review, and close-out meetings, ensuring effective information flow and stakeholder engagement.

Advocate for increased prioritization of nutrition, gender equity, climate resilience, and integrated livelihoods in county planning processes.

Enhance project visibility and lead communication efforts on behalf of Helen Keller International in Baringo County.

Support initiatives that empower women and girls in nutrition-related activities.

Others

Identify funding opportunities and write grant proposals for research projects.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, nutrition, Agricultural Economics, Community Development, Environmental Science or related field.

At least 5 years of progressive experience implementing livelihoods, food systems, climate-smart agriculture, or nutrition-sensitive agriculture programs, preferably in rural or arid/semi-arid contexts.

Proven experience working with rural communities, smallholder farmers, women’s groups, and other marginalized populations.

Knowledge of food systems approaches, including agroecology, climate-smart agriculture, value chains, water harvesting technologies, and household food production.

Strong understanding of the linkage between food systems, nutrition, and public health, including familiarity with county and sub-county health structures.

Experience supporting nutrition-sensitive and resilience-building initiatives at household and community levels.

Demonstrated NGO experience working with community groups, government structures, and multi-sectoral stakeholders.

Strong skills in community mobilization, training, and capacity strengthening for local structures and producer groups.

Ability to work effectively in challenging environments, manage multiple priorities, and deliver results within tight timelines.

• Support the planning, coordination, and implementation of livelihood interventions under the Riziki Thabiti Project, including homestead food production, small-scale water harvesting, poultry production, and climate-smart agriculture.
• Facilitate community-level engagement in sustainable agriculture, climate-resilient practices, and nutrition-sensitive food systems to improve household food security.
• Contribute to the development of detailed project work plans, ensuring that livelihood, nutrition, and gender-responsive activities are fully integrated.
• Provide continuous technical support to Baringo County teams to ensure high-quality implementation of livelihood and nutrition activities as per agreed work plans.
• Prepare timely and high-quality activity reports (monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual) to inform management and stakeholders.
• Review and monitor project budgets and track burn rates to support efficient resource utilization.
• Promote the integration of nutrition targeting women and children below five years of age into all livelihood initiatives to strengthen household dietary diversity and resilience.
• Assist in monitoring county-level resource utilization to ensure alignment with project work plans and budgets.
• Provide technical backstopping to county and community structures to ensure adherence to project standards and achievement of set targets.
• Support the development and use of tools and systems that track progress and impact of food system, livelihood, and nutrition interventions.
• Collect, analyse, and report data related to agriculture, nutrition, gender, market systems, and household livelihoods.
• Document lessons learned, human interest stories, and success stories that demonstrate project impact.
• Plan and support periodic project data reviews, document key findings, and follow up with county teams to implement agreed recommendations.
• Contribute to the development of evidence-based reports that inform program quality improvements and strategic learning.
• Act as the focal communication point for the project, ensuring effective collaboration and engagement with county and sub-county stakeholders.
• Participate actively in county-level coordination platforms relevant to agriculture, nutrition, water, gender, and livelihood resilience.
• Strengthen partnerships with government departments, community structures, NGOs, and private-sector actors to enhance project impact.
• Organize county-level inception, planning, review, and close-out meetings, ensuring effective information flow and stakeholder engagement.
• Advocate for increased prioritization of nutrition, gender equity, climate resilience, and integrated livelihoods in county planning processes.
• Enhance project visibility and lead communication efforts on behalf of Helen Keller International in Baringo County.
• Support initiatives that empower women and girls in nutrition-related activities.
• Identify funding opportunities and write grant proposals for research projects.

• Community mobilization
• Training
• Capacity strengthening
• Project management
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Data analysis
• Report writing
• Budget monitoring
• Coordination
• Advocacy
• Partnership building
• Communication
• Grant proposal writing

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, nutrition, Agricultural Economics, Community Development, Environmental Science or related field.
• At least 5 years of progressive experience implementing livelihoods, food systems, climate-smart agriculture, or nutrition-sensitive agriculture programs, preferably in rural or arid/semi-arid contexts.
• Proven experience working with rural communities, smallholder farmers, women’s groups, and other marginalized populations.
• Knowledge of food systems approaches, including agroecology, climate-smart agriculture, value chains, water harvesting technologies, and household food production.
• Strong understanding of the linkage between food systems, nutrition, and public health, including familiarity with county and sub-county health structures.
• Experience supporting nutrition-sensitive and resilience-building initiatives at household and community levels.
• Demonstrated NGO experience working with community groups, government structures, and multi-sectoral stakeholders.
• Strong skills in community mobilization, training, and capacity strengthening for local structures and producer groups.
• Ability to work effectively in challenging environments, manage multiple priorities, and deliver results within tight timelines.