Lead Agronomist — Kenya at FinAgra in Nairobi, Kenya

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    Lead Agronomist — Kenya

    FinAgraNairobi, Kenya

    Posted

    1 week ago

    Apply by

    28 Aug

    Full Time
    On Site
    Senior
    Agriculture, Fishing & Forestry
    Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources

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    Job Description

    FinAgra is looking for an experienced Lead Agronomist to take ownership of agronomic performance across our farming operations in Kenya. We are looking for someone who has previously worked as a Chief Agronomist, Head Agronomist, or in a similar senior role on a commercial farm, with strong hands-on experience in open-field crops. This is not an advisory role. We need someone who has been directly responsible for crops in the field — making decisions throughout the season, leading agronomy and farm teams, solving problems as they arise, and being accountable for yield and crop quality. You will also have an opportunity to shape the technology FinAgra is building to manage farming operations at scale, working directly with our Product and Technology teams.

    Key Responsibilities

    • Own agronomic performance across FinAgra farms in Kenya, from land selection, preparation and planting through harvest.
    • Develop and continuously improve land selection parameters, crop protocols, growing calendars, and agronomic standards adapted to Kenyan conditions.
    • Spend significant time in the field, monitoring crop development, identifying risks, and making timely agronomic decisions.
    • Ensure consistent implementation of best practices across different farms and locations.
    • Lead, coach, and develop agronomists, REPs, farm managers, and field teams.
    • Use soil tests, weather, crop observations, yield data, and season results to continuously improve farming practices.
    • Work closely with Operations and Procurement and Sales to ensure agronomic plans are practical, timely, and commercially sound.
    • Work directly with FinAgra's Product and Technology teams to translate agronomic expertise into digital workflows, planning tools, decision-support systems, and AI-enabled farm management products.
    • You will be one of the key users and domain experts shaping how our technology works in the field.

    Required Qualifications

    • 7+ years of hands-on agronomy experience in commercial farming.
    • Previous experience as a Chief Agronomist, Head Agronomist, Senior Farm Agronomist, Production Agronomist, or equivalent.
    • Strong experience with open-field crop production and responsibility for crops across the full growing cycle.
    • Experience leading agronomists, farm managers, or field teams.
    • Strong practical knowledge of soil fertility, crop nutrition, pest and disease management, crop protection, and field operations.
    • A track record of being accountable for crop performance and yield, rather than only providing agronomic advice.
    • Experience with several of our key crops — maize, potatoes, barley, beans, and canola.
    • Experience managing production across multiple farms or locations is a strong advantage.
    • Comfortable using data and digital tools and excited about helping build new technology for agriculture.

    Job Details

    Job Function

    Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources

    Minimum Experience

    7 years

    Additional Information

    How to Apply: Interested and qualified? Go to FinAgra on jobs.ashbyhq.com to apply.

    Show Field-Level Accountability in Your Application

    This role is for a hands-on agronomist who owns outcomes, not just advice. Hiring managers will look for evidence that you've made decisions that directly impacted yield and quality.

    1. Quantify your crop performance: On your CV, list specific yield improvements or quality metrics you achieved. For example, "Increased maize yield by 20% over two seasons through revised irrigation scheduling." Numbers speak louder than vague claims.

    2. Highlight leadership of field teams: Describe how you've led agronomists, farm managers, or REPs. Mention the size of teams and how you developed them — coaching, training, or performance management.

    3. Show your crop range: If you've worked with maize, potatoes, barley, beans, or canola, list them explicitly. Even if you've only handled a few, be clear about which ones and your level of responsibility.

    4. Demonstrate problem-solving in the field: Prepare a story about a time you diagnosed a pest outbreak or nutrient deficiency and took corrective action. Explain the steps you took and the outcome.

    5. Emphasize data and digital comfort: Since you'll work with tech teams, show that you're comfortable using data tools, spreadsheets, or farm management software. Mention any experience with digital record-keeping or precision agriculture.

    6. Align with commercial goals: Show that you understand the business side — how agronomic decisions affect costs, sales, and procurement. Give an example of balancing agronomic best practice with commercial constraints.

    7. Prepare for multi-location scenarios: If you've managed multiple farms, describe how you standardized practices across sites. If not, think about how you'd approach scaling your methods.

    8. Show enthusiasm for technology: This role isn't just about farming — it's about shaping digital tools. Talk about any ideas you have for how technology could improve agronomic workflows, and show genuine interest in collaborating with product teams.

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    Tags

    agronomy
    open-field crops
    soil fertility
    crop nutrition
    farm management