Learning Officer

FIPS Africa is an organization that plans, delivers, and adapts agricultural programs, focusing on evidence-based decision-making and learning to improve outcomes for farmers.

This role aims to enhance FIPS Africa's program effectiveness through strategic learning and adaptation. The Learning Officer will contribute to sharper decision-making by providing clear evidence to management and program teams, enabling them to understand what is supported by data and what requires further investigation. The position promotes faster program adaptation by timing learning activities to align with agricultural seasons and review points, ensuring findings can be applied while still relevant. Furthermore, the role strengthens FIPS Africa's reputation and positioning by generating credible, well-documented evidence and publications, which benefits relationships with research partners, funders, and the broader sector. Finally, the Learning Officer will build the inquiry and reflection capabilities of colleagues, fostering a sustainable learning culture within the organization.

1. Co-develop a manageable learning agenda with program and MELA colleagues, linking each priority question to a strategic decision, program assumption, or evidence gap.
2. Help teams make theories of change explicit, detailing expected changes, beneficiaries, mechanisms, and supporting evidence.
3. Apply consistent analytical lenses across questions, considering differences by gender, age, farm type, climate risks, and the sustainability of enterprise and market relationships.
4. Translate agreed priorities into feasible learning plans, defining decision users, methods, responsibilities, resources, and review points aligned with seasons.
5. Assist teams in choosing appropriate methods for studies, including farmer-led experimentation, on-farm trials, participatory inquiry, case studies, and mixed-method studies.
6. Design and undertake agreed studies, including protocols, sampling, field tools, fieldwork supervision, and data-quality checks, with program teams and technical specialists.
7. Apply informed consent, confidentiality, responsible data handling, and safeguarding requirements, identifying and securing necessary research approvals.
8. Analyze quantitative and qualitative evidence using appropriate tools, examining differences across groups, assessing bias, and avoiding unsupported causal claims.
9. Utilize digital data collection, analysis, and AI-assisted tools for rigor and speed, ensuring human review, personal data protection, and transparency.
10. Validate findings with farmers, program colleagues, and research partners, recording divergent views and maintaining a traceable link from data to conclusions.
11. Co-design learning activities with farmers, VBAs, and partners, making space for their questions and practical knowledge, and agreeing on how findings will be returned.
12. Facilitate reflection sessions, after-action reviews, and learning events that separate observation from interpretation, surface alternative explanations, and conclude with agreed actions.
13. Embed proportionate reflection into existing planning, field supervision, and review routines rather than adding parallel processes.
14. Coach colleagues through real program questions, building their inquiry, facilitation, analysis, and reflective practice skills.
15. Create accessible, respectful learning spaces by listening, checking understanding, inviting quieter participants, adapting to language needs, and challenging assumptions constructively.
16. Produce research reports, learning briefs, case studies, practical guidance, and publications with colleagues and partners, matching detail and format to various audiences.
17. Present findings accurately, including methods, limitations, and implications, coordinating technical review and required approvals.
18. Lead or co-author appropriate publications, including peer-reviewed outputs, and contribute evidence to sector platforms, conferences, and partner networks.
19. Gather feedback on the usage of knowledge products and adjust formats and channels accordingly.

1. Bachelor’s Degree in agricultural sciences, agricultural economics, research methods, or a related discipline.
2. At least 2 years of working experience.
3. Proven experience in designing and leading applied research from question formulation to evidence utilization.
4. Strong quantitative and qualitative analysis skills.