Tupande Biochar Production Coordinator (Fixed-Term)

About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund equips 5.5 million smallholder farmers to make their farms more productive. Across nine countries that together are home to two-thirds of Africa's farmers, we provide high-quality farm supplies, tree seedlings, accessible credit, modern agronomic training, and a wide range of other agricultural services. On average, this model enables any farmer to increase their income and assets on supported land by more than 35 percent, while permanently improving their resilience. This is all made possible by our team of 9,000+ full-time staff, drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. To learn more, please see our Why Work Here blog post.

Our Kenya program, founded in 2006, operates under the local brand Tupande. Close to 500 staff in our Kakamega headquarters support 1,747 field staff and serve more than 1 million farmers. In Nairobi, around 50 staff support global functions like procurement, recruitment, government relations, and communications.

About the Role

Seeking an exceptional Production Coordinator with 2-4 years' experience in mechanical engineering in an industrial or manufacturing setting to plan biochar production across pyrolysis lines and lead the maintenance programme

Responsibilities

Production Coordination

• Manage production schedules across pyrolysis lines, forecasting inputs and designing production cycles to meet output targets.
• Coordinate with avocado oil and macadamia value chains to ensure consistent feedstock supply quality, volume, and delivery timing
• Plan production around the weekly maintenance window and any planned shutdowns
• Revise production schedules in response to staff absence, equipment downtime, or feedstock supply shortfalls
• Liaise with utility providers (electricity, water, diesel) to ensure uninterrupted facility operation; track utility usage and resolve outages
• Coordinate with the maintenance staff on preventative maintenance execution, breakdown response, and shift coverage
• Partner with the lab on quality control and non-conformance management
• Coordinate with the Logistics & MRV Coordinator on outbound dispatch scheduling and delivery readiness
• Work with the Administration Supervisor on casual labour / independent contractor scheduling, procurement requisitions, and resource needs
• Coordinate with HSSE staff on safety incident response, HACCP implementation, and environmental compliance
• Manage Production Supervisors, ensuring they have the resources, information, and authority needed to deliver shift performance; conduct performance reviews, and development planning for direct reports
• Track and report production KPIs (output, yield, downtime, quality), budget performance, and MRV completeness as required
• Implement and continuously improve standard operating procedures across both production lines

Mechanical Enginering Leadership

• Develop and own the facility's preventive mechanical maintenance plan, aligned to the maintenance requirements and any planned shutdowns
• Lead or supervise all mechanical work during maintenance windows, ensuring full-line readiness before restart
• Supervise and mentor on-shift Maintenance staff on mechanical tasks and best practices
• Respond to and resolve critical mechanical breakdowns during production runs; prioritise rapid return to operation
• Conduct root cause analysis on recurring mechanical failures and implement permanent corrective actions
• Manage mechanical spare parts inventory, procurement planning, and critical stock levels
• Maintain up-to-date mechanical maintenance logs, equipment history records, and work order documentation
• Ensure all mechanical work is performed in compliance with lockout/tagout (LOTO) and HSE standards
• Serve as primary on-site liaison with external technical support for mechanical-related warranty claims and specialist troubleshooting

Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV)

• Own all production-related MRV documentation for submission
• Compile and submit feedstock intake records (weighbridge receipts and feedstock pile photos) as required
• Compile and submit daily production logs (personnel, activities, feedstock used, biochar produced, batch IDs) as required
• Compile and submit packaging usage records and packaging specification data as required

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You'll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You'll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:

• 2+ years of experience in mechanical maintenance in an industrial or manufacturing setting.
• Degree or diploma in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• Experience with high-temperature processing equipment, combustion systems, conveyors, or biomass machinery strongly preferred
• Ability to read technical drawings, P&IDs, and equipment manuals
• Strong fault-diagnosis and root cause analysis skills
• Willingness to be on-call for emergency mechanical breakdowns outside of standard hours

Knowledge

• Ability to forecast inputs, design production cycles, and manage production data from source to final storage
• Experience coordinating with maintenance, quality, and external supplier teams in a multi-shift environment
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Google Sheets / Excel for production planning, KPI tracking, and MRV documentation
• Knowledge of preventive, corrective, and condition-based maintenance principles, including developing and implementing preventative maintenance programmes
• Familiarity with lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures, electrical safety standards, and Kenyan electrical regulations (EPRA)

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Sagana, Kenya

Benefits

Health insurance, paid time off

Contract Duration

1 Year

Eligibility

This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Kenya.

Application Deadline

24 August 2026. Please note that we hire on a rolling basis, which means that applications are reviewed and processed on a continuous basis until a hire is made.

One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @oneacrefund.org address. Please report any suspicious communication here (globalhotline@oneacrefund.org), but do not send applications or application materials to this email address.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism are deeply connected to our organization's mission and purpose. One Acre Fund aspires to build a culture where all staff feel consistently valued, represented, and connected – so that our team can thrive as professionals, and achieve exceptional impact for the farmers we serve.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.