Country Manager Burundi

About the role

Kahawatu Foundation, an NGO under Sucafina, supports coffee-farming households in Burundi and aims to transform the next decade of coffee farming. As Country Manager, you will help shape a roadmap for the sector, lead field programs on coffee productivity, regenerative agriculture and climate adaptation, and represent the foundation nationally and internationally. The role requires living in Burundi and travelling regularly to coffee-growing communities.

Key responsibilities

• Shape Kahawatu's vision for Burundi with the Burundi and international teams, turning it into practical, scalable programs that strengthen coffee production, farmer incomes and household resilience.
• Oversee the design and execution of field programs on coffee productivity, quality and regenerative agriculture, integrating climate adaptation, income diversification, gender and youth issues.
• Build evidence: define indicators, use data to improve programs and present results to partners, funders and the wider coffee sector.
• Mobilise partnerships, visibility and funding with government, donors, development organisations and the international coffee industry, and lead communication, partnership and fundraising campaigns.
• Represent Kahawatu Burundi in national and international forums.
• Lead and develop a local team covering agronomy, field, monitoring and evaluation and administration, and coordinate delivery, learning, communications and reporting.
• Oversee budgets, reporting, compliance and legal requirements, maintaining transparency and integrity.

Required profile

• At least 5 years of experience in agriculture, coffee, rural development or a related field.
• Experience designing and delivering agriculture-based programs with measurable results.
• Proven experience leading multicultural teams, projects or large areas of responsibility.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with communities, government, funders and private-sector partners.
• Commitment to living in Burundi and travelling regularly to coffee-growing communities.

Required skills

• Practical understanding of agricultural production and smallholder farming.
• Strong communication skills and ability to turn ideas and evidence into proposals, presentations and partnerships.
• Fluency in French and a basic command of English; Kirundi or Swahili is a plus.

Nice to have: experience in coffee and regenerative agriculture, in Burundi or the Great Lakes region, donor-funded programs, fundraising and proposal development, M&E data use, a coffee-sector network and knowledge of Kirundi.