Burundi Government Relations Lead

Seeking a strong Government Relations leader to serve as Tubura's Burundi top liaison with Burundi's Government and partners, shaping policy strategy, managing risk, and building an enabling environment for program's continued growth.

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 Burundi program, founded in 2011, operates under the local brand Tubura. 1662 staff serve close to 400,000 hard-working farmers. Our Burundi headquarters in Muramvya is supported by two regional offices in Gitega and Ngozi, and a small support office in Bujumbura. One Acre Fund works in the center and north of Burundi, in the provinces of Muramvya, Gitega, Ngozi, Kayanza, and Mwaro.

About the Role The External Relations team works to build and maintain strong relationships between One Acre Fund–Tubura and key external stakeholders, including the Government of Burundi, private-sector partners, development partners and international institutions. The team helps create an enabling environment for Tubura to deliver its mission and maximize impact, while ensuring that the organization understands and complies with relevant Government policies, regulations and requirements.

As Government Relations Lead, you will serve as Tubura's senior interface with the Government of Burundi and a key advisor to the Country Director and leadership team on Government policy, stakeholder dynamics, external risks and opportunities, and strategies to build an enabling environment for Tubura's growth and impact.

Responsibilities Vision Setting & Strategic Planning Set the vision and strategy for the Government Relations function, working with the relevant leads to develop annual priorities and goals. Support the leadership team in navigating an increasingly complex operating environment and integrate Government and external trends into organizational strategy.

Government Relations & Representation Build and maintain strategic relationships with senior Government officials and key public institutions at national, provincial and local levels. Represent the Country Director and Tubura in high-level Government meetings, policy discussions and strategic forums.

Policy & Advocacy Monitor and interpret Government policies, regulations and priorities relevant to Tubura; develop proactive advocacy and engagement strategies; and advise leadership on their implications, risks and opportunities.

Partnerships & Stakeholder Management Develop and oversee strategies for strategic partnerships, Government champions and other priority stakeholders, including private-sector, development and institutional partners. Identify opportunities to strengthen Tubura’s external relationships and access to decision-makers.

Government Enablement & External Risk Management Work cross-functionally to identify and address Government-related opportunities and constraints affecting program delivery, including agricultural input policy, fertilizer supply and procurement, importation and other strategic initiatives. Anticipate and manage Government, regulatory and reputational risks.

Communications & Compliance Oversight Work with the Communications and Compliance leads to ensure coordinated external positioning, effective institutional communications and adherence to relevant Government and regulatory requirements.

Team Leadership & Organizational Support Lead, coach and develop the Government Relations team while ensuring the function provides effective strategic support to departments across Tubura and actionable Government intelligence to the Country Director and leadership team.

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: A Bachelor's or Master's degree in international relations, public policy, political science, communications, development studies or another relevant field. At least 7 years of relevant professional experience, including 3+ years in a senior leadership or management role involving significant Government engagement, stakeholder management and strategic decision-making. Significant experience working with Government institutions, public agencies, development partners or other senior external stakeholders, preferably in Burundi or elsewhere in Africa. Demonstrated experience developing and implementing Government Relations, public policy, advocacy or stakeholder engagement strategies. Strong understanding of public-sector institutions and the ability to navigate complex institutional and stakeholder environments. Strong negotiation, influencing and relationship-management skills, with the ability to represent an organization effectively with senior stakeholders. Strong people-management skills, with experience developing and coaching high-performing teams.

Preferred Start Date As soon as possible Job Location Muramvya, Burundi

Benefits Health insurance, housing, and comprehensive benefits Eligibility One Acre Fund can support a work permit for this role. However, nationals of (or those with an extensive professional background and work history in) our countries of operation are preferred.

Application Deadline 10 January 2027. 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.