Agronomist — Rain-Fed Operations Job FinAgra

Agricultural Jobs. FinAgra KE Limited Jobs

Department:  Agronomy

Reports to:  Head of Ag Ops — Rain-Fed (Anthony Muiruri Njoroge) / CFOO (Gabriel Chinembiri)

Location:  Nairobi (with extensive field travel to active farm counties)

Contract type:  Full-time

Start date:  Immediate

About FinAgra

FinAgra KE Limited is a technology-driven shared farming company operating across Kenya. We partner with Rural Entrepreneur Partners (REPs) — local operators who manage commercial farming projects on our behalf under a profit-sharing model. FinAgra provides all working capital, agronomy, procurement, and market access. REPs provide land access and on-ground management.

We operate FinAgra OS — a proprietary farm management operating system built on ERPNext and X-Farm — that digitises every aspect of crop planning, input management, field monitoring, and financial performance tracking.

The Role

• The Agronomist is the technical backbone of FinAgra’s field operations. You will design and implement Crop Production Plans for every active REP Project site, provide direct agronomic advisory to REPs and field officers throughout the farming cycle, conduct field visits and formal crop audits, manage pest and disease interventions, validate inputs, and ensure all agronomic data is captured accurately and in real time on X-Farm and ERPNext.
• This is not a desk role. You will be in the field. You will also be expected to build farm operational plans, cost models, and yield projections with the same rigour and precision that you apply in the field — using our digital tools, not spreadsheets alone.
• The Agronomist reports to the Head of Ag Ops (Rain-Fed) and works closely with the CFOO, Operations, Procurement, and Controls & Performance teams.

Key Responsibilities

Crop Production Planning

• Design, prepare, and own the written Crop Production Plan for each active and upcoming REP Project site, covering crop selection, variety, planting and harvest windows, fertilizer programme, agrochemical protocols, irrigation schedule, seed rates, and equipment specifications.
• Develop seasonal crop calendars for each Project site, specifying precise timing for every agronomic activity from land preparation through post-harvest, aligned to the specific agro-climatic conditions of each location.
• Build detailed fertilizer programmes, pest and disease management plans, and irrigation schedules for each crop and site.
• Submit Crop Production Plans to the CFOO for approval before any REP commences planting. No planting without an approved CPP.
• Input all Crop Production Plans into X-Farm and ERPNext as the master operational record for each season.

Agronomic Support to REPs & Field Officers

• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for all active REPs on all crop production matters throughout the farming cycle.
• Provide direct, hands-on agronomic advisory and technical support to REPs — visiting farms, diagnosing problems, prescribing interventions, and verifying implementation.
• Train REPs and Field Officers before each planting season on FinAgra’s agronomic protocols, SOP compliance requirements, and X-Farm usage for field data capture.
• Support REPs in achieving target yields, quality standards, and market specifications required under FinAgra’s offtake agreements.

Farm Visits, Audits & Crop Performance Monitoring

• Conduct regular scheduled and unannounced farm visits to all active REP Project sites.
• Conduct formal technical audits at each critical agronomic milestone: land preparation completion, germination assessment (within 14 days of planting), mid-season crop health, pre-harvest yield estimation, and post-harvest loss assessment.
• Upload all field visit findings, photographs, and agronomic data to X-Farm within 48 hours of each visit. No exceptions.
• Flag all material deviations from the Crop Production Plan — germination failures, pest outbreaks, yield shortfalls — to the Head of Ag Ops and Controls & Performance Department within 24 hours of identification.

Farm Economics, Yield Projections & Crop Planning Models

• Build farm-level financial models and yield projection models for each new and existing Project site, working from the Crop Production Plan to project expected Production Costs, Net Revenue, and profit share outcomes.
• Prepare Input & Services Requisition calculations for each Project site as the primary basis for Procurement to plan seasonal input orders.
• Conduct end-of-season yield vs. CPP forecast variance analysis for every active Project site and submit a formal written agronomic performance report to the Head of Ag Ops and CFOO.
• Contribute to the development of crop economic benchmarks — minimum yield thresholds, maximum Production Cost budgets — for use in REP screening and investment appraisal.

Input Validation & ESG Compliance

• Verify all input deliveries at REP farm warehouses before distribution — confirming product identity, quantity, condition, and compliance with KEPHIS, PCPB, and KEBS standards.
• Conduct or supervise incoming quality control inspections for seeds received at the farm warehouse — checking germination viability, seed purity, moisture content, and KEPHIS certification documentation. Record QC outcomes in ERPNext Quality Inspection records. Reject non-conforming batches and notify the Procurement team and Warehouse Manager immediately.
• Maintain complete records of all agrochemical applications on each Project site, including product, rate, date, and applicator.
• Enforce zero tolerance for prohibited inputs or practices. Escalate any ESG compliance breaches immediately.

Input Product Specifications to Procurement

• Prepare and submit detailed written product specifications for every farm input required each season — seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals, irrigation materials, and crop-specific inputs — to the Procurement team before any procurement process is initiated.
• Each specification must include: product name and active ingredient or variety, KEPHIS or PCPB registration number, approved suppliers or acceptable alternatives, minimum quality standards and KEBS grade where applicable, application rate, packaging size and preferred form, phytotoxicity or safety notes, and substitution conditions.
• Provide the Procurement team with seasonal input quantity calculations per Project site derived from the Crop Production Plan, enabling accurate purchase order generation in ERPNext.
• Validate all input deliveries against issued specifications before acceptance at REP farm warehouses. Reject any delivery that does not conform to specification.

Product Specifications & Procurement Support

• Prepare and submit comprehensive technical product specifications for all farm inputs to the Procurement team before each season — covering seeds (variety, certified class, germination rate, purity), fertilizers (formulation, nutrient composition, application rates), agrochemicals (active ingredient, concentration, PCPB registration number, mixing rates, safety requirements), and any other inputs required under the Crop Production Plan.
• Review and approve input products proposed by the Procurement team against the agronomic requirements of the Crop Production Plan before any purchase order is raised. No input is procured without agronomist sign-off on technical specifications.
• Maintain a live FinAgra Approved Input Register in ERPNext listing all pre-approved input products, suppliers, and technical specifications for each crop and county.
• Flag any input quality concerns, product substitutions, or supplier deviations from agreed specifications immediately to the Head of Ag Ops and Procurement team.

SOP Development & Field Checklist Management

• Draft, maintain, and continuously improve written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for every agronomic operation across FinAgra’s active crop portfolio — covering land preparation, seed selection and storage, planting and spacing, fertilizer application, irrigation management, crop protection, harvesting, and post-harvest handling.
• Develop practical field checklists for REPs, Field Officers, and agronomic service providers to guide execution of each operation in accordance with the approved Crop Production Plan and FinAgra SOPs.
• Ensure all SOPs and checklists are stored in FinAgra’s document management system (ERPNext / Google Drive), version-controlled, and accessible to all relevant field staff.
• Conduct SOP compliance audits during farm visits and report non-compliance findings to the Head of Ag Ops and Controls & Performance Department.

Digital Systems & Data Management

• Operate X-Farm as the primary digital agronomy platform for all field activity logging, Crop Production Plan management, and agronomic data capture.
• Raise Material Requests (type: Purchase) in ERPNext for all farm inputs required under the approved Crop Production Plan — this is the formal trigger for the Procurement team to initiate purchasing. No input procurement may commence without a completed and submitted Material Request referencing the correct Project (REP + Field + Crop + Season).
• Receive goods physically at the Farm Warehouse upon delivery from the Central Warehouse — verify item identity, quantity, packaging condition, and compliance with the issued input specification against the Stock Entry document before accepting the delivery. Report discrepancies to the Warehouse Manager immediately.
• Initiate inter-farm stock transfers and returns from the Farm Warehouse to the Central Warehouse via ERPNext Stock Entries where applicable, ensuring correct Project linkage on every transaction.
• Operate ERPNext for Purchase Requisition submission, input tracking, and Production Cost documentation.
• Use Slack as the primary internal communication platform — daily updates, field alerts, and cross-team coordination all happen on Slack. Full proficiency is expected within the first week.
• Use Google Docs and Google Drive for document collaboration, SOP drafting, report sharing, and remote team coordination.
• Use AI tools (Claude, ChatGPT, or equivalent) to accelerate research, draft agronomic protocols, produce crop advisory content, and analyse field data. Candidates who already use AI in their daily work are strongly preferred.
• Contribute actively to the build-out of FinAgra’s Digital Agronomist application — a proprietary AI-powered agronomy advisory system. This includes providing crop model inputs, reviewing AI-generated farm plans, validating data outputs, and testing the system against real field conditions. This is a core responsibility, not an optional extra.
• Maintain up-to-date agronomic records in FinAgra’s Airtable database.
• Use Excel and Google Sheets to build and maintain crop planning models, yield projection tables, and input cost calculators.

SOP Development & Field Checklists

• Draft, maintain, and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for every agronomic operation conducted on FinAgra farm sites — land preparation, seed bed preparation, planting, fertilizer application, irrigation, crop protection, field scouting, harvest, and post-harvest handling.
• Develop practical field checklists for each key operation, designed to guide REPs, Field Officers, and contracted service providers through the correct sequence of steps with clear pass/fail criteria at each stage.
• Ensure all SOPs and checklists are written in plain, accessible English, field-tested, and treated as living documents updated after each season based on real-world learnings.
• Train REPs, Field Officers, and machine operators on relevant SOPs and checklists before each season commences.
• Format all SOPs and checklists for use on FinAgra’s digital platforms — Airtable, X-Farm, and the Digital Agronomist application.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education — one of the following (from a reputable Kenyan or international university):
• Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy
• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture (General or Applied)
• Bachelor’s degree in Plant Science or Crop Science
• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science
• Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture
• Bachelor’s degree in Soil Science
• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering (with strong agronomy component)
• Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness Management (with demonstrated practical agronomy experience)
• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science with specialisation in agriculture
• Diploma in Agriculture or Agronomy from a recognised institution with strong practical experience
• Preferred institutions include: University of Nairobi, Egerton University, JKUAT, Moi University, Maseno University, Chuka University, University of Eldoret, Laikipia University, or any accredited international university with a recognised agricultural faculty.

Experience

• More than 1 year of hands-on agronomy or crop production experience, gained through formal employment, attachment, or managed farm operations.
• Demonstrated experience designing or implementing Crop Production Plans or seasonal agronomic programmes for commercial crops.

Technology & Digital Skills — this is a core requirement, not a nice-to-have

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel — ability to build and manage multi-variable crop planning models, yield projection tables, input cost calculators, and variance analysis spreadsheets without assistance.
• Familiarity with ERP systems (ERPNext, SAP, Oracle, or equivalent) — understanding of how enterprise systems manage procurement, inventory, and cost tracking in an agricultural context.
• Knowledge or practical experience with a farm management system or digital agronomy platform.
• Experience with X-Farm or willingness and aptitude to become proficient within 30 days of joining. X-Farm experience is a significant advantage.
• Comfortable using cloud tools: Google Sheets, Google Drive, WhatsApp Business, and Airtable.
• Ability to use a smartphone competently for field data capture, photo documentation, and report submission.

Agronomic & Technical Skills

• Ability to design complete Crop Production Plans for grain and cereal crops independently.
• Strong working knowledge of fertilizer chemistry, soil testing interpretation, and nutrient management.
• Practical knowledge of pest and disease identification and integrated pest management (IPM) for Kenyan farming conditions.
• Ability to build farm-level yield projections and production cost models from agronomic inputs.
• Familiarity with irrigation scheduling and water management in rain-fed and irrigated contexts.
• Solid understanding of Kenyan agricultural regulatory requirements, including: KEPHIS (Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service) for seed certification and phytosanitary compliance; PCPB (Pest Control Products Board) for agrochemical registration and application; KEBS (Kenya Bureau of Standards) for produce quality and grading standards; ICIPE (International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology) integrated pest management guidelines and biological control programmes; EMCA 1999 (Environmental Management and Coordination Act) for environmental compliance on farm operations; and GlobalGAP food safety and traceability standards.
• Familiarity with seed variety certification requirements under the Seeds and Plant Varieties Act and KEPHIS varietal registration, including approved variety lists for target crops.
• Understanding of phytosanitary protocols for produce destined for formal offtake buyers, including documentation requirements, pest-free certification, and residue management standards.

Personal Attributes

• Young, energetic, and eager to build a career in modern, technology-driven commercial farming.
• Highly self-directed — able to manage multiple Project sites simultaneously without close supervision.
• Meticulous about data. Every field visit logged, every decision documented, every number correct.
• Strong written and verbal communication — ability to write clear field reports and present findings to management.
• Comfortable spending significant time in the field across multiple Kenyan counties.
• Honest, accountable, and commercially minded — understands that agronomic decisions directly affect FinAgra’s and REPs’ financial outcomes.

What Makes a Strong Candidate Stand Out

• You have used X-Farm or a comparable platform (Crop.In, Agrivi, FarmERP) in a commercial farming context.
• You have built a crop production plan and yield projection model in Excel from scratch — not from a template.
• You can read a soil test report and translate it into a fertilizer programme without guidance.
• You have worked on multi-site commercial grain or cereal production — barley, maize, wheat, canola.
• You are KEPHIS-familiar and have handled input procurement validation in a professional context.

How to Apply

Send your CV and a cover letter to anthony.muiruri.njoroge@finagra.com and copy wycliffe.ochieng@finagra.com on the same email, with the subject line:

Agronomist Application — [Your Name]

To: anthony.muiruri.njoroge@finagra.com   CC: wycliffe.ochieng@finagra.com

In your cover letter, address the following in no more than one page:

• What crops have you worked with in a commercial production context?
• What digital tools and systems do you currently use in your work?
• Have you built a Crop Production Plan or yield projection model? Describe it briefly.
• State your expected monthly gross salary in KES.
• State when you are available to start — for example: immediately, one week notice, two weeks notice, or a specific date.

NB: Applications that do not address all questions in the cover letter, or do not state a salary expectation and availability date, will not be shortlisted.