Field Research Coordinator - Eastern Africa

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is a not-for-profit research and training organization collaborating with partners in over 100 countries, focusing on maize and wheat improvement.

The Field Research Coordinator will be responsible for overseeing and harmonizing project activities, partner commitments, and schedules across Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. This involves supporting the development and tracking of implementation plans, acting as a liaison between CIMMYT, National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS), and local partners, and facilitating coordination reviews. The role also includes active participation in identifying, establishing, managing, and documenting learning sites, ensuring adherence to scientific protocols, and supporting field operations like land preparation and crop trials. The coordinator will provide technical support to country teams and last-mile partners, organize farmer field days and community engagement, and promote gender-responsive and youth-inclusive participation. Furthermore, the role entails coordinating field surveys, monitoring, and reporting across the three countries, supporting data collection protocols, and preparing monthly progress reports. The coordinator will also be responsible for safely operating and driving a field vehicle for project activities, maintaining compliance with safety regulations, and managing field logistics.

1. Coordinate approved work plans, activities, and partner commitments across Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda.
2. Support the development and tracking of project implementation plans, ensuring comparability and local adaptation.
3. Act as an operational link between CIMMYT, National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS), and local partners.
4. Convene coordination reviews, track milestones, and escalate risks or implementation issues.
5. Align field activities with agricultural seasons, school calendars, and data collection schedules.
6. Participate in the identification, selection, establishment, management, and documentation of learning sites.
7. Support land access, preparation, planting, demonstrations, and indigenous crop trials.
8. Ensure learning sites adhere to agreed scientific, social, and operational criteria and protocols.
9. Monitor site performance, management, risks, and learning outputs.
10. Collaborate with scientists to adapt and apply protocols for climate-smart agriculture, indigenous crops, and natural resource management.
11. Identify partner capacity gaps and facilitate necessary technical support.
12. Provide day-to-day coordination and technical support to country coordinators and last-mile partners.
13. Coordinate farmer field days, exchanges, training, and school-community engagement.
14. Promote gender-responsive and youth-inclusive participation and transparent community communication.
15. Ensure communities understand the purpose of learning sites and project responsibilities.
16. Support mechanisms for documenting and addressing community feedback.
17. Coordinate field surveys, site monitoring, farmer feedback, and partner reporting across three countries.
18. Support the M&E team in applying data protocols, quality assurance, and ethical standards.
19. Train country teams and partners on digital tools and data integrity.
20. Prepare monthly progress reports covering work plans, milestones, compliance, and lessons learned.
21. Document lessons from learning sites and integrate them into project planning.
22. Prepare field and mission reports, learning notes, and contribute to technical briefs.
23. Safely operate and drive a field vehicle for project support, maintaining a valid Kenyan driving license.
24. Carry out routine vehicle checks, maintain accurate records, and report defects or incidents.
25. Coordinate field logistics and comply with safeguarding, health, safety, and environmental requirements.
26. Identify and mitigate potential risks within the area of responsibility.
27. Participate in other team projects and activities as required.

1. Hold a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Agricultural Development, Environmental Sciences, Rural Development, or a related field; an advanced degree is advantageous.
2. Possess at least five (5) years of relevant experience in coordinating agricultural research, climate-smart agriculture, field demonstrations, or community-based projects.
3. Demonstrate experience working with partners and field teams, collecting and ensuring data quality, and preparing progress reports.
4. Hold a valid Kenyan driving license appropriate for project vehicles; AA-certified is an advantage.
5. Have practical driving experience, including in rural and remote field conditions, and the ability to travel frequently.
6. Experience driving manual four-wheel-drive vehicles on difficult terrain is an advantage.
7. Exhibit sound judgment in resolving field-level issues, prioritizing activities, and escalating risks.
8. Possess strong coordination, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
9. Have good written and spoken English; knowledge of relevant local languages is an advantage.
10. Demonstrate autonomy to work independently on field assignments within approved plans and safety protocols.
11. Ensure timely and consistent delivery of learning sites, credible field evidence, and productive partner engagement.