Zambia Actuarial & Risk Associate

Lead actuarial and data science work on index insurance for smallholder farmers in Zambia, model repayment risk, and serve as Interim Principal Officer of One Acre Fund’s new microinsurance entity once licensed. Based in Lusaka.

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. One Acre Fund runs a pilot program in Zambia’s Central Province. Our Zambia pilot is exploring ways we can help farmers improve harvests on larger plots of land, which are common in the country. Our office in Zambia is located in Kabwe, the capital of the Central Province.

About the Role The Actuarial & Risk Associate drives the actuarial and data science work behind One Acre Fund’s smallholder-farmer insurance products. This role designs and prices area yield and weather index products for Zambia, models repayment risk to protect our loan portfolio against climate shocks, and will serve as Interim Principal Officer of our newly licensed microinsurance aggregator entity. Over time, this position will help shape One Acre Fund’s long-term microinsurance strategy and market entry across the organization.

Responsibilities Insurance Product Modelling & Actuarial Leadership Design and price index insurance products that meet smallholder farmers' needs using R, Python, and Excel.  Support product modelling for other One Acre Fund countries during the off-season General Risk & Scenario Analysis Own the credit risk scoring model and lead repayment risk scenario analysis for OAF Zambia. Evaluate how weather and yield shocks impact farmer repayment and portfolio performance. Microinsurance Strategy & Market Entry Contribute to market assessments and advise on farmer-centric financial protection products.  Help navigate initial partner conversations and shape long-term microinsurance strategy in Zambia. Aggregator License & Entity Leadership Support the microinsurance aggregator licensing process and serve as interim principal officer upon approval.  Ensure ongoing compliance with regulatory and market-conduct standards 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: 5+ years in actuarial science, data science, or modelling, including direct experience building area yield and weather index insurance products. Demonstrated actuarial modelling experience with R or Python for pricing, statistical modelling, and portfolio analysis. Direct experience with credit scoring models and repayment risk scenario analysis. Ability to use remote sensing applications, such as QGIS, for spatial and weather-index analysis. Strong project management skills with a proven ability to maintain clear documentation across complex multi-stakeholder workstreams. At least 3 years of experience in Zambia's insurance sector, Certificate of Competence in Insurance (required), and active membership with the Insurance Institute of Zambia (IIZ) (nice to have). Bachelor's degree in Actuarial Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related field. Preferred Start Date As soon as possible Job Location Lusaka, Zambia Benefits Health insurance, housing, and comprehensive benefits Eligibility This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Zambia. Application Deadline 02 February 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.