The East Africa Market Development Associates (EAMDA) is a research, programmes implementation and management company working across multiple industries and agricultural value chains in Africa. We specialise in development implementation initiatives in partnership with public and private sector actors.
The Program Associate role involves supporting the implementation, research, analysis, and strategic development of EAMDA's programs across multiple industries and agricultural value chains. This is a hands-on role requiring movement between strategic planning and field execution, demanding initiative, adaptability, and strong organizational skills.
Key Responsibilities
Program Implementation and Field Execution
- Support day-to-day implementation of programs.
- Assist in designing and executing interventions: from youth trainings and business clinics to exposure visits, coaching frameworks, and partner convenings.
- Manage field logistics, maintain implementation trackers, follow up with regional teams, and support quality assurance of deliverables.
- Monitor progress against timelines, budgets, and targets, and flag issues early.
Research, Analysis, and Strategy Development
- Conduct qualitative and quantitative research (e.g., stakeholder interviews, cooperative landscape mapping, MSME diagnostics).
- Analyze market and field data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
- Draft strategic and technical documents: concept notes, pitch decks, donor reports, and internal memos.
- Contribute to solution design; you’ll shape ideas, not just support others’.
Client and Partner Engagement
- Coordinate with program partners (e.g., implementing NGOs, SACCOs, private sector actors) to align on priorities and timelines.
- Participate in external meetings, take minutes, follow up on action items, and occasionally represent the program to donors or institutional partners.
- Help plan, organize, and deliver stakeholder-facing events.
Organizational and Operational Support
- Manage internal workflows: documentation, communications, scheduling, procurement follow-up, and contracting support.
- Contribute to building internal knowledge systems and learning tools.
- Pitch in wherever needed, whether helping with a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework draft or planning a youth hackathon.
Candidate Profile (What We're Looking For)
You’ll thrive in this role if you’re the kind of person who:
- Takes initiative and gets energy from solving problems before being asked.
- Can move from a strategy call to a boda boda ride in the field without missing a beat.
- Is as comfortable reading a budget as they are speaking to youth groups or pitching a project idea.
- Wants mentorship but doesn’t wait to be handheld.
- Has opinions, and can back them up with thinking.
- Knows how to be “professional,” but is not afraid to be fun, warm, and human.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (Agriculture, Economics, Development, Business, Policy, etc.)
- 5-7 years of experience in a role involving program delivery, consulting, research, youth development, or economic inclusion.
- Demonstrated ability to organize complex projects and manage time independently.
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfort with ambiguity and ability to adapt quickly.
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