enior Technical Consultant – Certified Potato Seed Production

Department:
Technical

Location:
Africa

Description
Allied Talent Partners (ATP), a Three Cairns Group initiative, is a mission-driven, not-for-profit talent marketplace focused on solving the human capital bottlenecks slowing down sustainable development efforts in emerging economies, with an initial focus on Africa. ATP connects vetted, experienced, context-relevant professionals to high-impact opportunities in energy access and sustainable development – strengthening local capacity and fuelling economic vitality. We specialize in fixed-term, deliverable-driven engagements – from interim leadership and generalist projects to niche technical expertise – handling project scoping, talent vetting and matching, contracting, payroll, and compliance so that our clients can focus on impact.

High-Level Overview
The Client is a major agricultural organisation transitioning its certified potato seed production programme from pilot to large-scale commercial operations. To enable this expansion, it seeks a specialised technical consultant who can introduce global best practices adapted to tropical and sub-tropical environments. Across two critical production seasons, the consultant will deliver advanced agronomic support, strengthen quality systems, embed cost-efficient production processes, and equip internal teams with the skills required for sustained operational excellence.

The ideal consultant is a recognised expert in certified seed systems, with substantial leadership experience in high-performance production environments and a proven ability to build capability and optimise operations in complex agronomic settings.

Role and Responsibilities
Role:
Senior Technical Consultant – Certified Potato Seed
Production
Direct Report:
Senior Lead
Candidates Required:
1
Key Deliverables: Pre-Season Diagnostic & Strategic Technical Plan
(per season)

• Comprehensive assessment of production sites, readiness, disease pressure, and cost-efficiency gaps.
• Clear strategic plan linking interventions to productivity and cost outcomes.
• Prioritised investment roadmap to optimise resources prior to season launch.
• Established performance expectations and technical foundations for the season.

Weekly Technical Advisory Briefs
(during on-site deployment)

• Continuous expert oversight ensuring adherence to best practices in seed production.
• Rapid detection and mitigation of field challenges, including disease outbreaks and agronomic errors.
• Real-time advisory briefs to inform leadership decisions and improve responsiveness.
• Enhanced operational consistency and discipline across production sites.

Specialised Training Sessions & Technical Manuals for Staff

• Practical, in-field capacity building for operational teams. Minimum of three high-impact training modules per season (disease management, seed quality, post-harvest handling).
• Development of standardised SOPs and technical manuals tailored to local conditions.
• Strengthened institutional knowledge and improved long-term technical independence.

Knowledge Transfer & Internal Capacity Strengthening

• Progressive handover of technical processes, tools, and systems to internal staff. Establishment of a core "Seed Production Expert Team" equipped to sustain high standards.
• Structured mentorship plan with performance tracking for local technical leads.

Codification of innovations and best practices for replication.

End-of-Season Performance & Improvement Report

• Evidence-based evaluation of yield, quality, and cost performance against targets.
• Root-cause analysis of challenges and operational gaps. Prioritised recommendations and next-season technical roadmap.
• Financial modelling of cost-reduction opportunities and efficiency gains.

Requirements
Experience Required:

• Recognised international expert in certified potato seed production, with a strong record of work in tropical and sub-tropical agricultural systems.
• 10–15+ years of senior leadership experience in large-scale commercial and/or R&D seed production environments.
• Proven success introducing and institutionalising high-yield, cost-efficient seed production models.
• Extensive experience in training, mentoring, and building capacity within diverse field teams.
• Deep understanding of disease management, varietal optimisation, and climate-resilient seed production systems.

Technical Requirements:

• Expert knowledge of seed physiology, seed-generation systems, and advanced crop management practices.
• Ability to diagnose production risks and design context-appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Experience developing SOPs, training materials, and scalable technical manuals.
• Strong competency in quality assurance, post-harvest handling, and seed storage systems.
• High proficiency in interpreting agronomic data, performance indicators, and diagnostic insights.

Other Skills:

• Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence multidisciplinary teams.
• Effective communicator with a clear, practical, and instructional style.
• Highly analytical, structured, and solutions-oriented.
• Adaptable, culturally sensitive, and comfortable working across diverse field contexts.
• Proactive and collaborative, driving alignment, quality, and operational momentum

Additional information about desired profiles:

• Preference for candidates with experience across multiple African agricultural systems.
• Consultant must be comfortable working in dynamic, field-intensive production environments.

**Working Arrangement

Location:
Rwanda
Travel:
On-site presence during key seasonal windows (approximately 12 weeks total, split across two seasons)
Terms of agreement:

Start Date:
TBD
Contracting Period:**
12 weeks per year, split across two seasons